JEDDAH: The Saudi Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has awarded a contract to Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction to co-build what has been touted as the world's largest single multi-effect distillation (MED) desalination unit. The $124 million agreement for the Phase 2 plant at Yanbu, 350km north of Jeddah, was announced Monday. The unit will have a capacity of 15 MIGD (68,190 m³/d) almost twice as large as the 8.5 MIGD (38,000 m³/d) Fujairah unit in the UAE. It aims to supply potable water to 150,000 to 200,000 people once it is completed by August 2012. Under the agreement, Doosan will carry out engineering, fabrication, installation, commissioning and all other related scopes of work on an engineering, procurement and construction basis. SWCC and Doosan will collaborate on advanced technology development through exchange of know-how and technology sharing. Doosan said the project order displays the market's recognition of the MED market, which is growing due to low energy-consumption trends. The company is also building the world's largest single-unit multi-stage flash (MSF) evaporator (20 MIGD; 91,000 m³/d) for the Ras Azzour facility which it won last year. Doosan hopes to lead the future MED desalination plant market in partnership with SWCC. The MED market is growing due to “low energy consumption trends,” Doosan added.
