The DBC consists of a nanofiltration (NF) system that removes a large portion of the calcium and magnesium contained in the source seawater, followed by a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) system that generates low salinity permeate suitable for drinking water after post-treatment, and concentrate (brine) with high content of sodium chloride.
The DBC is combined with subsequent membrane brine crystallization (BC) system; crystallizer and bromine production plant to generate high quality sodium chloride (NaCl) with purity of 99.6% and commercial grade bromine suitable for use in preparation of clear brine salts for oil well completion - see Figure 2.
Figure 2. General Schematic of the Brine Mining Plant for NaCl and Br
In 2020, SWCC has signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) and entered negotiations of brine sales agreements with a number of chlor-alkali producing companies of Saudi Arabia to supply a total of 2 million dry tons/year (2 MM tpa) of high purity (99% or higher) sodium chloride as either liquid solution of 25% or as salt crystals. Based on these agreements SWCC intends to design, construct, and operate 22
a 2 MM tpa brine concentration plant combined with a bromine production plant with installed capacity of 3,800 tons/year. The volume of brine needed for the JBCP to produce 2 MM tpa of sodium chloride (NaCl) crystal salt is 201,254 m3/day @ 75,000 mg/L of total dissolved solids (TDS) – which is approximately 16% of the volume of brine produced by the 1 MM m3/day Jubail 2 desalination plant.
