1. Saline Water Conversion Corporation
DESALINATION IN THE
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA:
CURRENT PRACTICE AND FUTURE TRENDS By
Dr. Ahmed Alarifi
Saline Water Conversion Corporation
Monday, 17 June

3. Main Challenges Facing Water and Desalination
Sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Rapid increase in population, increase in water demand, industrialization and
high per-capita consumption
Decommissioning of existing desalination plants in the near future. 4 1 3 2
Limited natural water sources; Widening the gap between water
demand and supply
Large investments for new desalination projects

4. To Overcome the Shortage of Water
Desalinated water is an important contributor to alleviate water shortage.
Today’s world contracted capacity of desalinated plants is 80.2 million m3/day and commissioned capacity 74.6 million m3/day.
632 new plants were added last year (mid 2011 to August 2012) in the world
Scarcity of fresh water resources is a major challenge facing Saudi Arabia so
Desalination is a strategic industry for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

5. Water Demand in 2011

6. Desalination Growth in Saudi Arabia

7. Global desalination and KSA share:
18% of global output

8. Total Installed Desalination Capacity by Region, Worldwide

9. Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC)

10. Top 5 plants by capacity, with current status
Ras Alkhair, Saudi Arabia
Shoaiba 3, Saudi Arabia
Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia
Jubal Ali Station, UAE
AlFujairah2, UAE
, , , , ,000,000
m3/day

11. Installed Capacity (m3/day)
Existing Plants
Type of
Technology
Installed Capacity MW
Installed Capacity (m3/day)
Year of Commission
Plant Name
Location #
Single Purpose (MED) -
9,000
2009
Alwajih (3)
Alwajih 1
Single Purpose (MSF) 11
22,886
1986
Khafji (2)
Khafji 2
Single Purpose (RO)
4,400
Umlujj (2)
Umlujj 3
Umlujj (3) 4
Farasan (2)
Farasan 5
18,000
Rabigh (2)
Rabigh 6
1989
Duba (3)
Duba 7
2,270
1983
ALBirk 8
4,500
1987
ALAzizih 9
1990
Haql 10
2008
ALQunfutha
ALlith 12
Dual Purpose (MSF)
710
223,000
Khobar (2)
Khobar 13
479
280,000
2000
Khobar (3) 14

12. Installed Capacity (m3/day)
Existing Plants
Type of
Technology
Installed Capacity MW
Installed Capacity (m3/day)
Year of Commission
Plant Name
Location #
Dual Purpose (MSF)
360
137,729
1982
Jubail (1)
Jubail 15
1225
947,890
1983
Jubail (2) 16
Single Purpose (RO) -
90,909
2000
Jubail (RO) 17
357
108,074
1981
Yanbu (1)
Yanbu 18
150
144,000
1998
Yanbu (2) 19
128,182
Yanbu (RO) 20
256
88,357
1979
Jeddah (3)
Jeddah 21
590
221,575
Jeddah (4) 22
56,800
1989
Jeddah (RO1) 23
1994
Jeddah (RO2) 24
240,000
2013
Jeddah (RO3) 25
263
223,000
Shoaiba (1)
Shoaiba 26
520
454,545
2001
Shoaiba (2) 27
108
97,014
Shoqaiq 28

13. IWPP Projects in Saudi Arabia
Shuaibah Phase-3 IWPP
and Shuaibah Expansion IWP
ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia Malakoff Berhard, Malaysia Tenaga Nasional Berhard,
Malaysia Khazanah
Nasional, Malaysia
IWPP Projects in Saudi Arabia
2500 MW
176 MIGD
800,000 m3/day
( SWCC 500,000 m3/day )
Marafiq
900 MW
194 MIGD
880,000 m3/day
Shoaiba
Shoaiba Expansion
Shuqaiq
150,000 m3/day
Shuqaiq Phase-2 IWPP ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), Kuwait Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan
850 MW
47 MIGD
212,000 m3/day

14. Locations of Main Water & Power Generation Plants And Transmission Pipelines

15. KSA Total Water Demand Versus Planned Supply Sources (in ‘000 m3/day, 2005–2025)

16. Desalination share in water
Water Demand in KSA – Main Figures
2010
2025
Population
(Million)
27.2
34 (*)
Water demand
(Million m3/day)
6.8
8.5 (*)
Desalination share in water
53%
(3.3 Million m3/day)
63%
(5.2 Million m3/day)
(*): assuming an average annual growth rate of 1.5%

17. SWCC plants under construction and tendering Plant
Water
(m3/day)
Power
(Megawatts)
Commissioning Date
Ras Al-Khair
1,025,000
2,400
2013 / 2014
Yanbu 3
550,000
2,500
2016
Plants
Capacity
(m3/day)
Power Capacity
(Megawatts)
Expected Date
Haql 3
9,000 -
2014
Dhuba 4
Rabigh 3 A
600,000
Rabigh 3 B
400,000

18. Station Capacity M3/day
The New and Proposed Desalination Plants for the Period
Station Capacity M3/day
Jazan Region
Asir Region
AlQseem Region
Tabuk Region
Eastern Region
Medina Area
Makkah Region
Riyadh Region
Desalination Plant
Year
240,000
Jeddah RO
2013
1,025,000
200,000
100,000
700,000
Ras Alkhair
2015
30,000
Al Khafji 3
9,000
Duba 4
Alwajh 4
Haqal 3
1,000,000
Rabigh
2017
1,500,000
750,000
550,000
Jubail 3
2019
400,000
Jeddah RO 4
2025
925,000
150,000
775,000
Al Khubar 4
45,000
Al Khafji 4
17,000
Omluj 4
7,500
Haqal 4
225,000
50,000
175,000
Shuqaiq 3 First stage

19. Total = US$ 17.5 Billion (SR 65 Billion)
Total Capital Investments until 2020
CAPEX 17,453
Total = US$ 17.5 Billion (SR 65 Billion)

20. Alternative energy for Desalination
SWCC plants use either gas or liquid oil ( crude oil or heavy fuel oil) as source of energy and energy cost contribute almost 50% towards cost of water. It is Energy intensive
SWCC consumes around 0.3 million of the daily kingdoms oil production
Transportation of fuel for plants at remote places especially satellite plants incurs huge expenses apart from other difficulties such as non delivery of fuel in time and maintenance of accessories and equipment for transport of fuel. As an example transporting fuel of diesel to Farasan plant is around 300 SAR for each cubic meter of diesel.

21. Possible Scenarios 1- Additional fossil-based capacity
2- No additional fossil-based capacity (Additional capacity from renewable energy)
3- No additional fossil-based capacity (Additional capacity from nuclear energy)
4- a combination of the above
So Nuclear energy for water Desalination is an Option for kingdom of Saudi Arabia

22. Thank You