Amane Advisors, a premier global consultancy and advisory focused on the water industry based in Bahrain, has been awarded the contract to provide advisory services for the development of all water and wastewater facilities at the upcoming King Salman Energy Park (Spark) industrial city located in the Eastern Province within an hour drive from the city of Dhahran. 

 

Spark is a fully integrated city being designed to become the leading gateway to the regional energy sector and will include an industrial area, dry port and logistics zone, as well as vibrant residential, educational and commercial zones. 

 

The city has already attracted a number of key anchor investors with over 70 per cent of Phase One land allocated. 

 

Execution is planned over three phases, with $1.6 billion investment into Phase One which will be completed by the end of 2021.

 

Spark is being set up by Energy City Development Company (ECDC) with the strategic objectives to contribute to the kingdom's Vision 2030 by strengthening Saudi Arabia's position as a global energy hub, enhancing the energy supply chain reliability, enabling industry 4.0 and supporting economic development and job creation in the kingdom. 

 

The city is targeting energy-related sector's value chains including upstream oil and gas, downstream oil and gas, petrochemicals and power, said the statement from Amane Advisors. 

 

This smart city will also host digital and innovation hubs that will act as accelerators for the fourth industrial revolution in the energy industry and satellite sectors, it stated.

 

The economic targets are to contribute $6 billion to Saudi Arabia's annual GDP, and 100,000 direct and indirect jobs created at maturity. 

 

Spark is being developed with a unique value proposition in the GCC markets. It is a smart, green industrial city development with world class operations and integrated residential and educational facilities. 

 

The mega project has already secured a large number of anchor tenants of leading international and local players in the energy industry, including Schlumberger, Baker Hughes GE, Halliburton, Yokogawa and Emerson.

 

Amane Advisors said the scope of work includes helping to define Spark's strategy for developing and operating its entire water and wastewater infrastructure, assisting it in the development of a Request for Proposals (RFP) pack for the selection of its eventual private operator, securing fair water purchase and wastewater treatment agreements and also outlining the terms of agreements for provision of utility services to its tenants.

 

On the key contract win, Managing Partner for Mena region, Christophe Guillet, said: "Since 2015, Amane Advisors has developed its regional activities through its office in Bahrain and has delivered more than 30 consulting projects in the region."

 

"We bring to this landmark project unparalleled expertise and experience across all aspects of the water sector," remarked Guillet. 

 

"This will ensure that Spark is equipped with the most effective capabilities to deliver the highest level of customer value to its tenants and to integrate the overarching strategic goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 into its utility infrastructure," he added.-TradeArabia News Service