Hyflux-led venture wins deal for giant Oman desalination plant

A consortium led by Singapore-based desalination company, Hyflux, has won a contract to build a OMR 100 million (US$ 260 million) seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant in Oman. The 200 Ml/d independent water project located in Qurayyat, in the Muscat governorate, will be the largest in the sultanate and supply some 17% of its peak demand.

Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) awarded the contract to the Hyflux and Modern Channels Services joint venture, Qurayyat Desalination Company after considering bids from 12 consortia.

Wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyflux, Hydrochem, will be the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project’s construction phase. The operation and maintenance of the project will be performed by a Hyflux subsidiary to be incorporated in Oman.

Under a water purchase agreement, the Qurayyat Desalination Company will supply desalinated water from the plant to OPWP for 20 years, from 2017 when the plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation.

Hyflux said it will seek to increase local technical and water management knowledge in Oman as it begins the construction, operations and maintenance phases of the plant. “We will share the extensive experience and expertise we have gained through our large- scale desalination projects worldwide, and invest in training local Omani staff at our plants in Singapore,” said chairman of the Qurayyat Desalination Company, Wong Lup Wai.

The project is part of a series of similar desalination facilities planned by OPWP to keep up with the demand for water in the sultanate, which is growing at about 6% a year.