Project Overview
This critical industrial infrastructure project involves the comprehensive Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of a large-scale desalination and demineralization plant in Ras Al Khair. Executed by SUEZ on behalf of the Ma’aden Phosphate Company, the facility utilizes a multi-stage purification process combining Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO), Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis (BWRO), and advanced Demineralization (Demin) technologies. The primary objective is to guarantee a continuous, highly reliable supply of both potable water for general facility use and ultra-pure demineralized water essential for Ma'aden's complex phosphate processing operations and high-pressure boiler systems.
Scope of Work
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Integrated Plant Operations: 24/7 management of the complete water cycle, from raw seawater intake and pre-treatment to the high-pressure SWRO and BWRO separation stages, culminating in the final demineralization process.
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Demineralization Management: Operating and optimizing the demineralization units (typically utilizing Continuous Electrodeionization) to strip remaining trace minerals and achieve ultra-low conductivity and silica levels required for industrial boiler feed.
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Preventive & Corrective Maintenance: Executing systematic maintenance on critical heavy-duty electromechanical assets, including high-pressure feed pumps, Energy Recovery Devices (ERDs), chemical dosing skids, and electrical control centers to maximize plant uptime.
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Membrane & Resin Care: Conducting precise Clean-In-Place (CIP) protocols for RO membranes and managing the regeneration cycles of demineralization resins to prevent fouling, scaling, and degradation.
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Quality Control & HSE: Performing rigorous, round-the-clock inline sensor monitoring and laboratory sampling to ensure product water strictly meets Ma'aden's purity specifications, while adhering to SUEZ’s global Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards.
Technological Impact
By coupling SWRO and BWRO with advanced Demineralization processes, this plant represents a highly optimized, multi-barrier approach to industrial water purification. This sophisticated configuration allows the facility to treat highly saline Red Sea/Arabian Gulf water and refine it into ultra-pure water with near-zero dissolved solids. The integration of high-efficiency Energy Recovery Devices (ERDs) significantly lowers the specific energy consumption of the SWRO stage. Ultimately, this technological reliability directly protects Ma'aden's multi-billion-dollar industrial assets from internal scaling and corrosion, ensuring maximum efficiency in their continuous phosphate manufacturing processes.