Qatar: EPIC Contractor awarded a contract to Severn Trent De Nora, LLC of Sugerland, Texas, USA, to supply their Seaclor® on-site sodium hypochlorite generation systems for the Ras Laffan Common Cooling Water Project. Seaclor creates chlorine-equivalent disinfectant from raw seawater or other saline brines. Strategically located at the centre of the Arabian Gulf on Qatar's North Gas Field, Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLC) is one of the world's fastest growing industrial export locations.
Built for Qatar Petroleum, the water project will provide cooling water for seven consumer sites at RLC. Each Seaclor unit can generate 250 kg/hr of chlorine equivalent to be used for dosing process water provided to the production facilities.
On-site sodium hypochlorite generation for disinfection is becoming a popular alternative to conventional chlorination methods. Using seawater and electricity, on-site generation provides the power of chlorine without the danger of storing or handling hazardous chemicals.
Russia: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is lending g14.6 million to the municipal enterprise Yaroslavlvodokanal to improve water services in Yaroslavl, a central Russian city with a population of more than 600,000. The ten-year loan is expected to improve the reliability of water services and help Yaroslavl's drinking water comply with Russian health and safety standards.
United Arab Emirates: Safewater Chemicals LLC, a unit of the Al Jaber Group in UAE awarded a US$ 8.2 million contract to the US company Ionics to design, build, supply and commission two Cloromat® systems for the on-site production of sodium hypochlorite at a new chlor-alkali plant to be built in Abu Dhabi.
The new plant will produce chemicals including sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, and is expected to begin commercial operations during the second half of 2003. The process to be used in the chlor-alkali plant is based on Ionics' proprietary, membrane-based Cloromat technology, which produces sodium hypochlorite from salt (sodium chloride), water and electricity. Ionics is based in Watertown, Massachusetts.
United Arab Emirates: ABB won a US$ 27 million order to provide electrical and control equipment for a project to increase Abu Dhabi's water supply. ABB will provide electrical systems and components for two pumping stations and a new water pipeline for Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority. A 250-km-long pipeline will deliver around 400 million litres of water per day from the Shuweihat desalination plant, and help meet the emirate's growing demand for drinking water. The project is due for completion in October 2004.
UK: The UK consultancy Balfour Beatty integrated its two gas and water utility services, John Kennedy and Kentons, to form a new operating company Balfour Beatty Utilities on 1 January 2003. The combined business will have a turnover of g305 million and improve its capacity to service customers and win new work, according to Chief Executive Mike Welton.
