South Korean Developments in the Middle East to Fuel Future Desalination Plants

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--More than 7,000 desalination plants are in operation worldwide, with 60% in the Middle East. Due to the increasing global demand for fresh water, desalination plants are projected to triple in output by 2020, with more than half of the market concentrated in the Middle East. South Korea, a growing engineering presence in the Middle East, is tapping into the market and gaining valuable knowledge, benefiting desert nations and domestic use. South Korean companies, such as Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Company (SEO:034020) (DHI) (Gyeongsahngnam-Do, South Korea) and Hyundai Heavy Industries Company Limited (KRX:009540) (HHI) (Ulsan, Korea), are becoming leaders in the seawater desalination plant market.

Currently, DHI is involved in a couple of projects in the United Arab Emirates, both of which will utilize multi-flash stage desalination when commissioned during the next year. The $2.1 billion Jebel Ali natural gas cogeneration desalination plant, planned for commissioning toward the end of the year, is scheduled to produce 105 million gallons per day of fresh water, along with 2,000 megawatts (MW) of energy for the grid. Not far away in Shuweihat, the $4.6 billion Shuweihat II Power and Desalination Complex is approaching the last year of construction and is planned to produce more than 120 million gallons per day of fresh water and 1,500 MW for the grid. DHI also was recently rewarded a $1.46 billion order to build for Saline Water Conversion Corporation in Saudi Arabia to provide drinkable water for Riyadh. In Bahrain, HHI is working to complete the first power block of the $2.1 billion Al Dur Integrated Water and Power Plant (IWPP), scheduled for completion toward the end of next year. When the second block is completed, Al Dur IWPP is expecting to produce more than 200 million gallons per day of fresh water and about 1,200 MW of electricity for the regional grid.

South Korea is hoping to utilize experience and knowledge gained in the Middle East for application in matters closer to home. With more than 35 international desalination projects between DHI and HHI, domestic desalination projects have a lot to gain in terms of technology and know-how. The program Seawater Engineering and Architecture of High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (SeaHERO) was launched by South Korea's Center for Seawater Desalination Plants in 2007 to develop the most advanced seawater reverse osmosis plant within five years through funding by the South Korean government. SeaHERO's objective was established after the early 2009 drought in Taebaek, about 175 kilometers east of Seoul. The drought, which lasted 87 days, restricted residents of the mountainous area to three hours of water per day and steeled South Korea's determination to commission its first domestic commercial desalination plant by 2012.

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