Oman has labelled two new upcoming water desalination schemes in the Batinah coast as “Special Projects” paving the way for their procurement under the Sultanate’s Sector Law, a report said.

The special designation allows for water desalination projects that may fall outside the scope of the Sector Law, to be procured by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), added the Oman Observer report.

A number of international firms are expected to respond to a Request for Qualifications floated by OPWP ahead of a formal tender leading to the award of licenses for two Independent Water Projects (IWP) proposed to be set up in Barka and Sohar.

While the Barka IWP is sized at 281,000 cu ms per day of desalination capacity, the Sohar IWP will have a capacity of 250,000 cu m per day.

The two IWPs are estimated to cost $1 billion at $500 million apiece, the report said.

OPWP has set March 2 as the deadline for the submission of qualifications by developers interested in participating in a competitive tender for the new IWPs, the report noted.