Spanish group Almar secures key Aramco water project contract

Spanish group Almar Water Solutions has secured a key contract from Saudi oil giant Aramco to build a 185,000 cu m/day capacity water treatment plant at its Zuluf Onshore Oil Facilities project, located 240 km north of Dhahran.

Almar is a specialst in the development and management of water infrastructure and services said its consortium partners which include Saudi-based Al Jomaih Energy and Water Company, a developer of largescale power and water assets; Italy-based Fisia Italimpianti, a part of Webuild Group and a leader in the sustainable design and execution of desalination plants and US-based Aquatech, a global leader in wastewater treatment technology will undertake the project.

According to Almar, the project will be developed under a 25-year Boot (build, own, operate, and transfer) scheme. The scope of work includes design, development, financing, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance, and transfer of ownership.

The contract signing for the project was completed in December last year, while the financial closing materialized last week, it added.

On the deal, CEO Carlos Cosín said: “Water is indispensable for the economic and industrial activities of any country. We are fully committed to water supply and treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and this new plant will support the sustainability of the Zuluf project.”

The Zuluf project, he stated, was part of Almar Water Solutions’ long-term growth plan in Saudi Arabia. 

Together with Shuqaiq 3, its water treatment capacity will reach a total of 635,000 m3/day, making it one of the key players in the Kingdom’s water market.

“We’re very pleased to continue collaborating with leading companies such as Saudi Aramco and to further expand our know-how in the region,” he added.