Fisia Italimpianti, a subsidiary of the Webuild Group (formerly Salini Impregilo Group) has won two contracts worth a combined value of €408 million ($439 million) for the construction and management of a water treatment plant within the Zuluf onshore oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.

A global leader in water treatment and desalination plants, Fisia Italimpianti said these contracts mark its entry into the oil and gas industry and its return to the operation and maintenance segment of the water sector.

The project strengthens Webuild’s position in the water sector, where it aims to grow as part of its recently announced 2023-2025 roadmap, said the company in a statement.

The first contract clinched by Fisia Italimpianti’ involves engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services worth $327 million.

The project scope includes the construction of a plant for the Zuluf Central Processing Facilities that is required for the onshore structures.

The construction is part of the Arab Heavy (AH) Crude Oil Increment of the Zuluf field development programme by oil giant Aramco.

Located in eastern Saudi Arabia 6 km west of the airport in Tanajib, it will be built for a consortium comprised of Almar Water Solutions and Aljomaih Energy and Water Co Ltd. on behalf of Aramco.

As per the contract, Fisia Italimpianti will build the plant that will treat, degas and filter water for iron and suspended solids at a maximum production capacity of 185,000 cu m per day.

The plant will reinject the water in the oil wells to facilitate the production of Arab Heavy crude oil by maintaining pressure in the wells. The project is expected to take three years to complete and create approximately 1,500 direct and indirect jobs.

For the second contract worth $112 million, Fisia Italimpianti will be a joint-venture partner with Almar Water Solutions, Aljomaih Energy and Water Company and Aquatech International.

It involves the operation and maintenance of the completed plant for 25 years.

Fisia Italimpianti has had a long presence in the Middle East, where it has built desalination and water treatment plants in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Across the globe, its plants provide potable water for more than 20 million people.