Dow Chemical has made the first shipment from its new reverse osmosis (RO) facility in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. While not disclosing the actual destination, Dow said the cargo was targeted to serve emerging markets.

The Dow Water & Process Solutions (DW&PS) business started up the facility last December to better serve the local market and meet strongly growing demand in the Middle East and Africa, as well as Eastern Europe, India, China and Southeast Asia.

The plant, situated within the Sadara mega chemical complex in Jubail Industrial City II, manufactures Dow’s Filmtec brand of RO elements for seawater and brackish water desalination as well as for reusing the water in potable, non-potable and industrial applications.

Yochai Gafni, DW&PS’ business unit director for RO, said annual domestic water demand in the Middle East and North Africa is estimated to more than triple over the next 20-30 years as a result of rapid urban economic growth.

Dow believes the RO elements made at Jubail could cut the amount of oil required to distill the region’s water by roughly 10 million barrels annually, equal to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from 900,000 passenger vehicles driven each year.

The company said it is currently researching RO solutions in combination with ultrafiltration pretreatment for seawater desalination at its Middle East Research and Development Center at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.