Jacobs Engineering Group has won a contract from Saudi-based Idea Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride Company (Isacc) to provide engineering and project management services for its $300 million production facility in the Kingdom.

The upcoming facility in Jubail's second industrial city is the first-of-its-kind in Saudi Arabia and the GCC for production of soda ash (sodium carbonate) and calcium chloride.

These products, currently being imported, are used in oil and gas drilling operations, as well as in the manufacture of glass and detergents.

Following award of the engineering, procurement and construction contract, Jacobs is also providing the project management services up to the plant start-up.

Jacobs said the commissioning production run is scheduled to start by end of 2014 and commercial operations are expected to follow in the first quarter of 2015. The company, however, did not disclose the contract value.

Jacobs said its offices in Winnersh, UK; Mumbai, India; and Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia are supporting Isacc for the pre-contract award activities.

Isacc managing director & CEO Abdulaziz A-Muaiyyad said, 'We are excited to be working with Jacobs, in their capacity as our PMC (project management consultant) partner, for this strategic project for the Kingdom.'

'The project will make a significant contribution to the development of Saudi's non-oil economy with all basic materials secured from mines within the Kingdom.'
 
Jacobs Group vice president Bob Irvin said, 'We are pleased to bring our long experience and expertise in the field of engineering services and project management in the region to this project.'

Work is currently in progress to secure all the other necessary utilities to run the project. Isacc is setting up a new entity -- Jubail Inorganic Chemicals Industries Company -- to run the new facility.

'It is the first of its kind in the Kingdom and we fully recognize the importance of increasing the participation of the chemical industries sector in the national economy,' Irvin added.-TradeArabia News Service