In October 2015, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported, citing local press, that Oman's state buyer OPWP had chosen preferred bidders for two water-only schemes on the Batinah coast. A group headed by Valoriza Agua, joined by Sogex Oman and Brunei Investment Company, came first for Sohar (250,000 m³/day), while an Itochu team including W J Towell, Degremont and International Power came first for Barka (281,000 m³/day). Seven consortia had bid; investment was put at US$550 million.
The awards showed Oman meeting water demand through independent projects run by private consortia; combined, the two plants formed the largest purchase of desalination capacity the country had made up to then.