Published: 10 Jun 2024
Production capacity at one million tonnes per annum; new boost to Qatar economy
QNA
DOHA: QatarEnergy has announced a plan to build a salt production plant in the Um Al Houl area in Qatar through a joint venture by Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding Company (MPHC), Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Co. (QIMC), and other strategic partners.
Endorsed as part of QatarEnergy’s TAWTEEN localization program, the new plant will be built at an estimated cost of about QR1bn. It will ensure Qatar’s self-sufficiency by producing both industrial and table salts to meet local market demand as well as for regional and international export.
The plant will produce industrial salts necessary for the petrochemical industry as well as Bromine, Potassium Chlorides, and demineralized water, which will allow for product diversification and additional economic growth and enhance the circular economy.
With a production capacity totaling one million tonnes per annum, the project will add new value to Qatar’s economy and industrial development by reducing reliance on imported raw materials since it imports about 850,000 tonnes of table and industrial salts annually.
Minister of State for Energy Affairs, QatarEnergy President and CEO H E Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said the project constitutes a milestone in the ongoing efforts to support industrial localization and to promote sustainable practices within Qatar’s energy sector, embodying the commitment to innovation and economic growth, which represent the core tenets of Qatar’s National Vision 2030.
This innovative project will utilize reject water recovery from reverse osmosis (RO) desalination units, thus, transforming reject water from desalination processes into a valuable resource.
As a part of the TAWTEEN program, the project benefits from initiatives aimed at boosting local content and supporting the growth of local industries. This collaboration demonstrates a robust public-private partnership aimed at achieving strategic national objectives.
TAWTEEN has already allocated 78 investment opportunities as part of its announced target of 100 opportunities to support the localization of services and industries in Qatar’s energy sector. As part of this effort, TAWTEEN has already created 7,000 white collar jobs since it was launched in 2019.
