Egypt Prequalifies 17 Consortia for its Water Desalination Program

Sudanese and people from other nationalities cross the river Nile in a ferry, after being evacuated from Khartoum to Abu Simbel city, at the upper reaches of the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, April 30, 2023. (Reuters)
Sudanese and people from other nationalities cross the river Nile in a ferry, after being evacuated from Khartoum to Abu Simbel city, at the upper reaches of the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, April 30, 2023. (Reuters)
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Egypt Prequalifies 17 Consortia for its Water Desalination Program

Sudanese and people from other nationalities cross the river Nile in a ferry, after being evacuated from Khartoum to Abu Simbel city, at the upper reaches of the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, April 30, 2023. (Reuters)
Sudanese and people from other nationalities cross the river Nile in a ferry, after being evacuated from Khartoum to Abu Simbel city, at the upper reaches of the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, April 30, 2023. (Reuters)

Egypt has prequalified 17 consortia for the tendering process for the development of a number of sea water desalination plants, according to a statement released by Sovereign Fund of Egypt on Monday.

The desalination plants will be powered by renewable energy sources in various locations across Egypt under the first phase of the country's water desalination program, the statement added.

Egypt has been pushing to diversify its sources of fresh water for a fast-growing population as it faces competition for Nile River water from the giant hydropower dam that Ethiopia is building upstream.

The program involves launching projects with a total capacity of 8.85 million cubic meters a day by 2050, of which a 3.35 million cubic meter first phase is planned by 2025.

The foreign and local investors will develop, construct and operate the plants and transfer technology to manufacture components locally.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance Corporation will help structure and implement the first batch of desalination projects in partnership with the private sector, the Sovereign Fund said.

The prequalified consortia will be classified into four categories based on previous experience in desalination projects, the statement said.



Abu Dhabi's XRG Targets Gas, LNG Capacity of 20-25 Million Tons a Year by 2035

Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, speaks at the United Nations climate change conference COP29 opening in Baku, Azerbaijan November 11, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, speaks at the United Nations climate change conference COP29 opening in Baku, Azerbaijan November 11, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
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Abu Dhabi's XRG Targets Gas, LNG Capacity of 20-25 Million Tons a Year by 2035

Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, speaks at the United Nations climate change conference COP29 opening in Baku, Azerbaijan November 11, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, speaks at the United Nations climate change conference COP29 opening in Baku, Azerbaijan November 11, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

XRG, the international investment arm of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), is aiming to have a gas and LNG business with a capacity of between 20 million and 25 million metric tons a year by 2035, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

XRG was set up last year as an investment company focused on lower-carbon energy, gas and chemicals, with assets of more than $80 billion.

On Tuesday, its board, whose members include former BP CEO Bernard Looney and Blackstone's Jon Gray, approved the capacity target and a new five-year business plan.

Board members also supported the assessment of potential gas acquisitions and LNG opportunities in North America, Reuters reported.

ADNOC's current US investments already sit under XRG, and the oil giant's Chief Executive Sultan Al Jaber said in March that XRG would make a significant investment in US natural gas in coming months.

XRG has also changed the name of its low carbon energies platform to Energy Solutions to reflect the full scope of the company's strategy, including energy demand linked to artificial intelligence and the digital economy, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The board "endorsed the company's ambition to create a top three global chemicals platform," XRG said.

ADNOC had agreed in October to buy German chemicals maker Covestro for 14.7 billion euros ($16.73 billion) including debt. Jaber later said it would sit under XRG.