Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, the nation’s largest heavy industrial firm, said yesterday that it has signed a deal with Saudi Arabia’s state-run Saline Water Conversion Corporation to jointly build the world’s largest multiple-effect distillation (MED) facility in Saudi Arabia.
The project, worth an estimated $124 million, will be part of the expansion of the Yanbu Phase 2 Plant, which is located 350 kilometers (217.5 miles) north of Jeddah, the second-biggest city in the country.
The company said it will build one plant at the Yanbu site that will be able to produce 15 million imperial gallons - or 68,190 tons - of potable water per day (MIGD).
The facility, which Doosan will aim to complete by August 2012, will be the largest MED plant in the world, surpassing an operation in the United Arab Emirates that can produce 8.5 million gallons a day.
Doosan and Italy’s Fisia dominate the construction of multi-stage flashing (MSF) desalination facilities, while France’s Sidem leads the MED market. Doosan said that as a result of the new order, it will become a dominant player in both the MSF and MED construction sectors because it will be able to achieve economies of scale.
The company added that it will be responsible for all aspects of the project, from engineering and procurement to construction of the facility, while working closely with the Saudi company.
“Doosan is already No. 1 in the world in MSF facilities, and as we have been recognized for our unique technologies when it comes to MED facilities, we now have the competitiveness of offering the most suitable facility for different locations,” said Yoon Seok-won, head of Doosan’s water business group.
Doosan officials said that the company controls 40 percent of the market for MSE facilities - the largest share in the industry.
