Shipping massive quantities of freshwater to the Sultanate of Oman and its neighbours can now be an environmentally sustainable and cost-competitive alternative to desalination, according to a US firm that is seeking to revolutionise potable water availability in water stressed parts of the world.
Transoceanic LLC, based in Wyoming, says its proprietary ‘Massive Freshwater Transportation System’ enables the carriage and supply of several million cubic metres of fresh river water from pristine sources in the Indian sub-continent at far less than the cost of gas-based water desalination – presently the principal mode of potable water production in the Gulf region.
“Transoceanic (transoceanic.us) can transfer gigatonnes of low-cost river water to arid lands, turning them into gardens, feeding the world, getting plentiful water to cities, and capturing/arresting CO2 into the soil to grow new plants,” said Silviu Dorian Chelaru (pictured), Owner and CEO Transoceanic LLC. “Thus you can see that Transoceanic will have a positive effect on the environment and economy.”
Transoceanic’s low-cost solution for massive freshwater transportation centres on the deployment of Ultra-Large Marine Submersible (ULMS) boats capable of carrying millions of tons of water. Based on a patent application submitted by the US firm, submersibles are typically hundreds of metres in length and diameter and built of hollow reinforced concrete hulls that enclose huge collapsible bags filled with massive volumes of fresh water to be transported over the oceans. The mammoth size of the vessels allows for low-cost transportation per ton, the company argues.
Rigid and sturdy, transoceanic submersibles feature with concrete hulls (usually a few feet thick) that hold the shape and depth of the contained collapsible bags which would tend to float and flatten when filled with fresh water. The boats are configured for the cruising phases as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) with some remote commands. They are fitted with advanced propulsion systems based on LNG, hydrogen or ammonia.
Transoceanic’s proposal for the Omani market entails the supply from freshwater from Pakistan’s Indus River – one of the richest water sources in the Indian sub-continent and located a relatively short 900 kilometres from Muscat. Water sources in southwest India and southwest Sri Lanka are alternative options as well.
According to the CEO, Transocean’s ‘InMusOm’ project envisions the Sultanate of Oman as a hub for the freshwater imports for re-export to its neighbours Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. “InMusOm project can improve dramatically the whole area's access to water and increases the cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and its neighbouring countries,” said Chelaru.
It envisions the need for a fleet of seven Transoceanic submersibles each of about 700 metres length and 100 metres diameter with a transport capacity of about 5.5 million tons each. Total investment in the InMusOm venture is estimated at $762 million computed with a 25-year project life. Consequently, a role for both government entities and large private corporations (as a PPP arrangement) is imperative in such an undertaking, he said.
As for the financial viability of the overall operation, Chelaru stated: “The Transoceanic water transportation costs are about one-tenth of the desalination costs (US$0.05 to US$0.10 per cubic metre). The at-source cost of water is expected to be similar to the transportation costs. I hope that the delivered water will be from 3 to 5 times lower cost than destination water and at this cost, it can be used for agriculture in its raw imported state. Regular processing for city/industrial use would be required,” he added.
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