QatarEnergy announces plans 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 one billion Qatari Riyals.

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.

In remarks on the announcement, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy said, “This project constitutes a milestone step in our ongoing efforts to support industrial localization and to promote sustainable practices within Qatar’s energy sector. It embodies our commitment to innovation and economic growth, that are core tenets of Qatar’s National Vision 2030.”

His Excellency Minister Al-Kaabi added: “QatarEnergy is proud to support this initiative through our TAWTEEN program, enhancing our local industrial capabilities and contributing to environmental sustainability. By transforming waste into a valuable resource, we are setting new benchmarks for industrial efficiency and economic resilience. This is a major step in QatarEnergy’s broader strategy of enhancing local supply chains and increasing industrial self-sufficiency.”

This innovative project, will utilize reject water recovery from reverse osmosis (RO) desalination units, hence, transforming reject water from desalination processes into a valuable resource. With a production capacity totaling one million tons 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 tons of table and industrial salts annually.

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.