Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has issued requests for qualification (RFQs) to a total of 35 companies for the Jubail 4 & 6 Independent Water Project with a total capacity of 600,000 cu m per day.

 

The scope of work includes the finance, development, operation and maintenance of the key seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination water project in Jubail Industrial City as well as associated infrastructure and facilities.

 

The desalination plant will be located 18 km south of Jubail Industrial City in the kingdom, adjacent to the existing plant units (Jubail Phase 1, Jubail Phase 2, Jubail 3A & 3B), in the Eastern Province of the kingdom. 

 

The top firms eyeing the project include Spanish infrastructure majors Acciona, Abengoa Agua; GS Inima; Lantania Aguas and Elecnor Group, French group Veolia, Italian group Fisia Italimpianti and Japan's Marubeni Corporation in addition to Indian construction majors - Shapoorji Pallonji; VA Tech Wabag and Vishvaraj Environment and Chinese groups - China First Heavy Industries International and Hainan Litree Purifying Technology. 

 

Among the top Saudi firms in the race are utility giant Acwa Power; Ajlan & Bros; Marafiq; Buhur for Investment; Fas Energy; Nesma; Aljomaih Energy and Water; Alsharif; Al Kawther Industries; Mowah and Saudi Pan Kingdom Company (Sapac).

 

The regional heavyweights who have expressed interests in the project include the Middle East unit of global energy major Engie - Kahrabel; UAE groups Utico and Metito as well as Kuwait-based Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting and Egypt's Orascom Construction. 

 

According to SWPC, the application for pre-qualification are open, on an individual basis or as a consortium, to all entities which have submitted an expression of interest, or any such entity that has not submitted an expression of interest and has obtained SWPC’s approval. 

 

The last date for submitting the RFQs has been set at February 21, it added.-TradeArabia News Service