Pioneering solar water treatment project to launch in Oman

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Austrian solar tech startup Heliovis has announced that a groundbreaking Solar Water Treatment Plant, constructed at a remote oilfield location in Dhofar Governorate, will be brought into operation by around the middle of this month.

Billed as a globally pioneering project, it harnesses the sun’s energy to convert highly saline, oil-contaminated ‘produced water’ into freshwater. Installed at the ‘Small Oilfield Cluster’ of Omani upstream energy firm ARA Petroleum at Qarat Al Milh in Dhofar, the project will serve to showcase the viability of zero-emission water desalination technology utilising a waste resource like produced water.

“We can announce now the mechanical completion and commissioning of the first Solar Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) for produced water at Qarat al Milh, Oman!” said Vienna-based Heliovis AG in a post.

“This innovative project, a collaboration between ARA Petroleum LLC, Heliovis AG, and Trevi Systems Inc., marks a significant advancement in sustainable water treatment using renewable energy in oilfield operations. Operations are set to begin mid-August!”

A pilot facility set up at ARA Petroleum’s remote location integrates Heliovis’ solar thermal energy technology with the Forward Osmosis (FO) water treatment technology of Trevis Systems to produce around 140 m3 of freshwater per day.

US-based Trevi Systems is credited with developing and commercialising Forward Osmosis water purification technology to desalinate salt and brackish water as well as cleaning industrial and municipal wastewater.

Trevi’s FO technology harnesses osmotic pressure to draw fresh water through a membrane by using heat as the primary driver. Because it requires less energy than conventional desalination systems, Trevi’s FO technology is seen as ideal for treating hyper-saline produced water, prodigious volumes of which are pumped out of the ground along with oil and gas during oilfield operations in many fields in Oman.

Heat for the water treatment process comes from renewable solar heat energy based on HelioTube technology developed by Heliovis. It consists of inflatable tubes and mirror films to concentrate sunlight, offering a cost-effective and emission-free solution for industrial process heat. At the ARA Petroleum site, the solar field operates at approximately 180°C and is designed to meet the client’s requirements round the clock.

Unlike conventional water treatment systems, the project installed at ARA Petroleum operates with a very low carbon footprint and significantly reduces operational cost as well, according to Heliovis.

“This project stands as a beacon for future initiatives across the Gulf region, promoting the use of solar thermal energy in various industrial applications,” the Austrian firm said.

“We are proud to partner with ARA Petroleum E&P and Trevi Systems Inc. in this groundbreaking venture, driving innovation and sustainability in the energy sector,” it added.