Oman seeks bidders for stop-gap desalination contracts

Five firms have already bid for a contract with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) for temporary water desalination plants to meet the country's growing demand for water. 

The five bidding companies are Aflaj Al Khaleej Trading and Contracting, Ismoflow, Seven Seas, House of Trading and Services and Advanced Oilfield Technology. 

Several water desalination projects, including major projects at Barka, Sohar, Quriyyat, Salalah and Duqm, are at various stage from tendering to construction. The winning bidder wIll be expected to produce water until a number of projects currently under development go on stream. 

Demand for potable water in Oman's northern region, which include governorate of the capital, Muscat, is projected to grow by 6% a year during the coming five years, to 349,000 Ml a year in 2020. This significant hike on earlier seven-year forecasts by OPWP that had average annual growth at 3-5%. 

A desalination plant with a capacity of 200 Ml/d will start production at Qurayyat in 2017 while another at Salalah with a capacity of up to 100 Ml/d is scheduled for implementation in 2019.