Amount of desalinated water produced by Saudi Arabia each day equivalent to global oil production

Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim, the President of the Saudi Water Authority, at the Local Content Forum held in Riyadh on Nov. 21, 2024 (SPA)
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  • President of the Water Authority tells Local Content Forum 2024 in Riyadh the Kingdom aims to be a pioneer in desalination industry

RIYADH: The volume of desalinated water produced by Saudi Arabia each day is equivalent to daily global oil production, the president of the Saudi Water Authority said on Thursday.

Speaking on day two of the three-day Local Content Forum 2024 in Riyadh, Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim said the Kingdom desalinates an estimated 15 million cubic meters of water daily. In 2023, global oil production amounted to nearly 15.3 million cubic meters a day, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The nation’s water sector has undergone significant shifts in recent years as a result of critical issues such as climate change and growing demand for fresh water, he added, and there are “great opportunities for the Kingdom to become a pioneer” in the desalination industry.

The Water Authority is working tirelessly to support Saudi manufacturers and contractors and help them enter the desalination sector, Al-Abdulkarim said.

“Partnerships in the water sector start from research and innovation, and transforming them into new projects,” he added.