Bahrain Plant to Add Power Surplus for Industrial Expansion

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Bahrain Petroleum Company's (Bapco) gas pipeline to the Al Dur power and water desalination plant is a key part of the state's plan for major industrial growth. The 1,234-megawatt (MW) plant is scheduled to begin operations in November 2011 and, with its capacity added to the current peak power demand of 2,816 MW, will give Bahrain a generating capacity of more than 4,000 MW and provide a surplus for industrial expansion. The new $2.1 billion plant will have a daily seawater desalination processing capacity of 48 million gallons per day.

The combined-cycle plant is powered by General Electric (NYSE:GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut) turbines, including support facilities for activities such as seawater intake and discharge. The reverse osmosis technology at the desalination plant was supplied and installed by Degremont, a GDF Suez (OTC:GDSZF) (Paris, France) company. Hyundai Heavy Industries (KSE:HHI) (Ulsan: South Korea) has executed the engineering, procurement and construction contract .The developer of the build, own and operate project is a consortium composed of GDF Suez and Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) (Kuwait).

At the opening of Bapco's gas pipeline delivery system for the power plant, Energy Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza said: "This is no doubt a significant achievement for Bapco, but also for Bahrain, because this delivery system will take care of all of the power plant's needs, as well as the future expansion of industry in the area. Bahrain is poised for major industrial development, and this is a major milestone in that direction."

The $330 million pipeline is 13.65 kilometers long and carries a capacity of 1 billion standard cubic feet (scf) per day. The line consists of three 20-inch-diameter pipes and has two pump stations on the route.

The pipeline project was designed by Bapco engineers and fits Bapco's strategy of developing the oil and gas sector to cater for the future growth in energy demand.

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