The Dow Chemical Company and the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) of Saudi Arabia announced on 17 September 2012 a commercial agreement for research collaboration in desalination technologies.
A pilot project will now be launched to test the suitability of innovative desalination technologies for conditions in the Arabian Gulf. The deal follows a memorandum of understanding in March 2012 between Dow and SWCC.
The partners will test state-of-the-art desalination technologies developed by Dow Water & Process Solutions, evaluating their performance in the Arabian Gulf’s unique environment, including their ability to effectively handle factors such as high salinity and high temperatures. The tests will be conducted by the Saline Water Desalination Research Institute (SWDRI) in Jubail over a period of one year.
“We are looking forward to this opportunity to test the effectiveness of Dow’s innovative ultrafiltration and reverse-osmosis technologies in the conditions we work with, in the Arabian Gulf,” said SWDRI director Ibrahim Al Tisan. “As the sole producer of desalinated water in Saudi Arabia, we are looking at cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways to boost our operational efficiencies and the quality of our product. Our decision to partner with Dow and explore the possibility of introducing new, more effective, technologies, reflects this commitment.”
SWCC is a Saudi government body responsible for desalinating seawater to augment the supply of potable water to cities in the kingdom. It is the largest desalinated water producer in the world with 32 desalination plants that are responsible for 18% of the world’s desalinated water production.