Sembcorp takes on ZLD water management plant in China

A total water management plant to support a coal-to-diesel project in Wangqiao Industrial Park, located in Changzhi city in China’s Shanxi province, is to be provided by Sembcorp Industries of Singapore, the company announced on 18 October 2013.

Expected to be completed in phases between late 2014 and 2015, the plant will provide up to 57,600 m³/d of industrial and potable water, 81,600 m³/d of demineralised water and 984,000 m³/d of cooling water, and treat up to 24,000 m³/d of high concentration industrial wastewater and 9,600 m³/d of high salinity industrial wastewater.

The plant will also be capable of reclaiming up to 38,400 m³/d of water from treated industrial effluent, aiming to achieve zero liquid discharge. It will serve Shanxi Lu’an Group (Lu’an), for its 1 Mt per annum coal-to-diesel project in Wangqiao Industrial Park, under a 15-year service agreement that Sembcorp’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Sembcorp (China) Holding Co, has secured.

With this service agreement, Sembcorp will be the first to build, own and operate a total water management plant to provide such solutions to large-scale coal-to-diesel projects in China. Lu’an’s project is the first large-scale coal-to-diesel project approved by China’s relevant authorities and has strong support from the Chinese government as it is part of the national energy strategy.

This is the second “closed loop” total water management project to be developed in China by Sembcorp, following its award-winning project in the Zhangjiagang Free Trade Port Zone. SembCorp says its total water solutions not only help customers comply with discharge regulations and limit environmental impact, but also reduce liquid discharge and conserve precious water resources by promoting water reuse.

Sembcorp will invest approximately RMB 932 million (US$ 153 million) to develop this new project, which will be funded by internal resources and external borrowings. The company will establish a wholly-owned subsidiary, Sembcorp Changzhi Water Co, to manage the plant.