The Abu Dhabi-based Al Gaith Holdings is setting up a new pre-vacuum dried salt factory, the first such facility in the country.
Production is pegged at 70,000 metric tonnes annually and the salt will be used in drilling fluids and completion of oil wells.
Initial investment outlay is Dh70 million. “The factory will be the first of its kind in the UAE and the largest producer of PVD (pre–vacuum dried) salt in the Gulf.
We plan to cater to the local markets mainly but at a later stage we are planning to cater to neighbouring markets,” said Ahmad Al Kassem, general manager, Al Gaith Oilfield Supplies and Services, another company under Al Gaith Holdings.
The factory will be located in the Abu Dhabi Industrial City and production will start in six months.
Kassem said a similar factory is in Saudi Arabia although it produces less. “The new factory has the latest technology from Europe. We do have expansion plans.”
Meanwhile, Al Gaith Oilfield Supplies and Services is rolling out growth plans and is tying up with partners from various countries as the company’s order book has increased in the drilling, safety, marine, environmental, oil tank cleaning and maintenance fields.
Al Gaith recently took delivery of the MV Hamyan, a modern anchor handling tug supply vessel.
It is also building a 45 metre utility vessel, two additional 60x16 vessels and a jack–up barge. “We are planning to build two or three new vessels a year, concentrating on jack–up barges, offshore supply vessels, tugs and utility vessels,” he said.
Each of these will be multipurpose vessels that can carry out several services such as towing, anchor handling, straight supply, safety standby, rescue, fire fighting, underwater inspection, stimulation, well testing and more.
“After several years of experience in the oil and gas industry, both onshore and offshore, Al Gaith group has decided to own vessels specially designed to suit the fast developing industry in the UAE and the Gulf,” he said.
