Saudi Arabia

Nuclear Facilities Profiles

Open sources suggest that Saudi Arabia lacks significant experience with the nuclear fuel cycle to develop an advanced nuclear programme. It appears that both technical know-how and practical experience are missing. Specifically, the Saudis lack knowledge and training in mining, conversion, uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, and nuclear power production. Nonetheless, Saudi scientists have participated in numerous experiments and studies in many aspects of uranium analysis, isotope production, radiation protection, waste management, and reactor operations.[13] Furthermore, Saudi academic research institutions have participated in many cooperative ventures in the Gulf region (Iraq, Syria, and other nations) as well as in Pakistan, Europe, Africa, and in the United States.

Following is a summary list of Saudi Arabia’s nuclear fuel cycle, including relevant facilities (separated by function):

Nuclear Mining and Milling and Ore Processing

Saudi Arabia does not have identified uranium deposits. However, low-level amounts of uranium and thorium have been discovered in the Tabuk basin, which is located in the central and northwestern parts of the Kingdom. To date, these areas have not been mined. There are however, considerable deposits of phosphates located in Saudi Arabia, which have been mined and exploited. Although the cost of recovering uranium from phosphoric acid is generally higher than uranium market price, the benefits of exploiting a domestic uranium supply far outweigh the political risks associated with purchasing uranium from abroad.

Known deposits:[14]

• Al Jalamid area (five phosphate deposits measure 213 million metric tons (mt) averaging 21 percent P2O5)
• Umm Wu’al area (four phosphate deposits comprise 537 million mt of ore averaging 19 percent P2O5)
• Al Amud area (contains 24 Mt averaging 21.03 percent P2O5)
• Sanam area (contains 23 million mt averaging 17 percent P2O5)

State-owned Ma’aden (Saudi Arabian Mining Company) and SABIC (Saudi Basic Industrial Corporation) are active in the Jalamid area. Phosphates are mined there and processed at fertilizer plants based at the Al Jubail Industrial City. The plants, particularly the Jubail DAP fertilizer plant and the Ibn Al-Baytar fertilizer plant produce approximately 4.5 million mt/year of 32% P2O5,[15] and 400,000 mt/year of DAP (diammonium phosphate) and 100,000 mt/year of GTSP (granular triple super phosphate),[16] respectively.

Conversion

Saudi Arabia does not operate any known conversion facilities or laboratories.

Enrichment

Saudi Arabia does not operate any known enrichment facilities or laboratories.

Fuel Fabrication

Saudi Arabia does not operate any known facilities or laboratories for the fabrication of fuel.

Power Reactors

Presently, there are neither nuclear power plants nor plans for their development in Saudi Arabia. However, since 1978, Saudi scientists have periodically conducted feasibility studies on introducing nuclear power into the country.[17] In the late 1980’s, scientists conducted site selections for a nuclear power plant, examining the two industrial regions of Jeddah and Dhahran.[18] Of particular interest among Saudi scientists has been the application of a low-power, dual-purpose nuclear plant, for water desalination and electricity production.[19] Various studies beginning in 1978 examined nuclear desalination plants in Kazakhstan and Japan. These studies positively assessed the feasibility of introducing a dual-use nuclear plant into the country.[20] Additionally, in the early 1990’s, scientists at King Abdulaziz University and the Atomic Energy Research Institute evaluated the efficiency of nuclear power plant equipment. Specifically, they examined the overall performance of centrifugal pumps, analyzed Zircaloy fuel cladding in pressurized water reactors, and reviewed the efficacy of nuclear rector concrete shielding.[21]

Reprocessing

Saudi Arabia has no known reprocessing activities underway. However, the Atomic Energy Research Institute supports several laboratories, which might be capable of conducting reprocessing activities including the ‘physical separation lab,’ a ‘chemical separation lab,’ and a ‘radio chemical lab.’[22] Open sources do not enumerate specific research conducted in those laboratories.

Spent Fuel and Waste Storage

Absent nuclear research or power reactors, the amount of nuclear waste produced in Saudi Arabia is minute. Primarily, it is generated from university and medical research. The main producers of radioactive waste are medical laboratories and facilities in King Abdulaziz University, as well as the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center.

In 1994, with assistance from the IAEA, scientists from the Nuclear Engineering and Civil Engineering Departments of King Abdulaziz University designed and built a temporary storage structure to hold radioactive waste from research work and medical uses of radioisotopes produced in various colleges of King Abdulaziz University. The Temporary Radioactive Waste Storage Facility, which is adjacent to Fahd Medical Center, King Abdulaziz University campus, Jedda, is comprised of one room (40m2), with one area reserved for liquid radioactive solutions storage and treatment and one for solid waste.[23]

Research Reactors and Accelerators

Currently, Saudi Arabia does not have an operating nuclear research reactor. However, they do possess a tandetron accelerator as well as a cyclotron capable of producing isotopes, which are used for various experiments.

3MV General Ionex Tandetron Accelerator (Energy Research Laboratory, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran) - The Tandetron accelerator was acquired by the KFUPM in the late 1980’s to aid in academic research into ion beam techniques. The accelerator system is housed in a pressure tank, which contains insulating sulphur hexafluoride gas (SF6). A 76-cm scattering chamber and a 5 cm x 10-cm Nuclear Reaction Chamber are used for nuclear physics experiments and nuclear reaction analysis.[24]

Cyclotron CS-30 (Cyclotron and Radiopharmaceuticals Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh) - The facility includes a cyclotron, five shielded hot cells, and separate laboratories for target preparation, radiopharmaceutical production, radioanalyses, quality control, and other support facilities.[25] The cyclotron, which first became operational in 1983, is the Cyclotron Corporation Model CS-30, of the ‘first generation’ cyclotrons. These were designed specifically for isotope production.[26] The radionuclide production division plans to acquire a ‘baby cyclotron’ to address anticipated workload.[27]

Research and Development

Saudi scientists have been involved in numerous cooperative ventures, including with such countries suspected of proliferation activities like China, Pakistan, and Iraq. Further cooperative efforts with countries of known good standing include Jordan, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States. In the late 1970’s – early 1980’s Saudi researchers, in cooperation with visiting nuclear engineers, most notably Turkey’s Sumer Sahin and Taiwan’s Chien Chung, published a series of papers indicating research into reactor operation, isotope analysis and radiation protection.[28]

Atomic Energy Research Institute (AERI) (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KASCT), Jeddah) – AERI was established in 1988. Some specific responsibilities of AERI include the following: drafting and supervising the implementation of a national atomic energy plan; conducting research in the field of nuclear sciences; and training and developing the country’s specialists in the field of nuclear research. AERI is subdivided into four departments: Radiation Protection, Industrial Applications, Nuclear Reactors and Safety, and Materials. In addition, numerous laboratories carry out nuclear science research under its supervision.[29] The Institute has several trained scientists in the field of radiation chemistry. Additionally, it controls a Co-60 irradiation facility.[30] The Institute seeks to develop irradiation production technologies, using ion accelerators and other accelerator based technologies.[31]

Nuclear Research Center (Al-Sulayyil military complex, near Al-Kharj) – The nuclear research centre was established in 1975 in the military complex at Al-Suleiyel. The Center now deploys the country’s CSS-2 ballistic missiles. It appears to be the hub of the country’s initial drive for the nuclear weapons programme.[32]

Universities

Saudi Arabian scientists are actively involved in academic nuclear research. Most research activities occur in the Engineering and Sciences faculties of several key universities, which include: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Faisal University, Umm Al-Qura University, King Abdulaziz University, King Saud University, and Riyadh University. Although the country has no nuclear power reactors, some scientists are involved in nuclear power reactor operation research; notably, most of this research is conducted at the King Abdulaziz University, which appears to actively cooperate with the country’s national nuclear authority, the Atomic Energy Research Institute.[33]

Sources

[13] See for example Waled H. Abulfaraj, Tamim A. Samman and Salah El-Din M. Kamal, ‘Design of a Temporary Radioactive Waste Storage Facility,’ Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 44, No. 1/2 1994 pp. 149-156, via ScienceDirect; ‘Radiation Technology for Treatment of Toxic Wastes (SAU/8/006),’ IAEA Technical Cooperation Report, 2001; A.I.A. Almarshad and A.C. Klein, ‘A Model for Waterside Oxidation of Zircaloy Fuel Cladding in Pressurized Water Reactors,’ Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 183, pp. 186-194, 1991, via ScienceDirect; W.H. Abulfaraj and S.M. Kamal, ‘Evaluation of Ilmenite Serpentine Concrete and Ordinary Concrete as Nuclear Reactor Shielding,’ Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 44, No. 1-2, pp. 139-148, July-August 1994, via ScienceDirect.
[14] ‘Saudi Arabia,’ The Mining Journal, 17 July 1998, via Lexis-Nexis; and, ‘Phosphate,’ Saudi Geological Survey web site, 7 January 2002, URL http://www.sgs.org.sa/page_en/commodity/PHOSPHATE.htm.
[15] ‘The Phosphate Project,’ Ma’aden web site, URL http://www.maaden.com.sa/projects-phosphate.html.
[16] ‘SABIC’s Fertilizer Industry – An Overview,’ SABIC web site, URL http://www.sabic.com/sabic-www/index _Fertilizers_OVERVIEW.htm.
[17] ‘SAU/0/002: Nuclear Energy Planning,’ Technical Cooperation Project, IAEA, 1978, URL http://www-tc.iaea.org/tcweb/projectinfo/default.asp.
[18] Ibrahim Ismail Kutbi, ‘A Pragmatic Pairwise Group-Decision Method for Selection of Sites for Nuclear Power Plants,’ Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 100, pp. 49-63, 1987, via ScienceDirect; F.M. Husein, M.A. Obeid and K.S. El-Malahy, ‘Site Selection of a Dual Purpose Nuclear Power Plant in Saudi Arabia,’ Nuclear Technology, Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 311-321, December 1987, via ETDE Web, URL http://www.etde.org/etdeweb/.
[19] Most of the academic research into nuclear desalination took place at Nuclear Engineering Department of King Abdulaziz University, Chemical Engineering Department of King Saud University, College of Engineering of University of Riyadh, and the Atomic Energy Research Institute.
[20] A.F. Abdul-Fattah and A.A. Husseiny and Z.A. Sabri, ‘Nuclear Desalination for Saudi Arabia: An Appraisal,’ Desalination, Vol. 25, pp. 163-185, 1978, via ScienceDirect; Ibrahim I. Kutbi, Zeinab A. Sabri and Abdo A. Hussein, ‘Selection for Desalination Processes for Dual-Purpose Nuclear Plants,’ Desalination, Vol. 58, pp. 113-134, 1986, via ScienceDirect; Mohammed S. Aljohani, AbdulRahman A.F. AbdulFattah and Abdullah I. Almarshad, ‘Role of Nuclear Desalination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,’ paper presented at the First International Conference on Nuclear Desalination, October 16-18, 2002, Marrakech, Morocco, URL http://www.wonuc.org/desalination/water022.htm.
[21] I. I. Kutbi, ‘Evaluation of Centrifugal Pump Performance in Nuclear Power Plants,’ Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 18, No. 11, pp. 629-654, 1991, via ScienceDirect; A.I.A. Almarshad and A.C. Klein, ‘A Model for Waterside Oxidation of Zircaloy Fuel Cladding in Pressurized Water Reactors,’ Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 183, pp. 186-194, 1991, via ScienceDirect; W.H. Abulfaraj and S.M. Kamal, ‘Evaluation of Ilmenite Serpentine Concrete and Ordinary Concrete as Nuclear Reactor Shielding,’ Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 44, No. 1-2, pp. 139-148, July-August 1994, via ScienceDirect.
[22] ‘Atomic Energy Research Institute,’ King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology web page, accessed 24 February 2004, URL http://www.kacst.edu.sa/en/institutes/aeri/index.asp.
[23] Waled H. Abulfaraj, Tamim A. Samman and Salah El-Din M. Kamal, ‘Design of a Temporary Radioactive Waste Storage Facility,’ Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 44, No. 1/2, pp. 149-156, 1994, via ScienceDirect; ‘SAU/9/004: Radioactive Waste Management and Processing Programme,’ Technical Cooperation Project, IAEA, 1995, .
[24] H. A. Al-Juwair, M. M. Al-Kofahi, A. B. Hallak and M. Rajeh, ‘A 3 MV Tandetron Facility at KFUPM,’ Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, Vol. 50, pp. 474-477, 1990, via Science Direct; ‘Basic and Applied Physics Section,’ KFUPM Basic and Applied Physics Research Facilities web page, Accessed on February 24, 2004, URL http://www.kfupm.edu.sa/ri/caps/baprf.html.
[25] Homer B. Hupf, Stephen D. Tischer and Farouk Al-Watban, ‘The Cyclotron Radionuclide Program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre,’ Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, Vol. 10/11, pp. 967-968, 1985, via ScienceDirect.
[26] ‘Cyclotron Operations Section,’ King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center Cyclotron web page, Accessed on 26 February 2004, URL http://rc.kfshrc.edu.sa/rco/rco_x/rcocyclo.htm; Nigel Stevenson, ‘Construction and Operation of Cyclotrons for Medical Isotopes,’ Paper presented at the Fifth European Particle Accelerator Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 10-14 June 1996, URL http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/e96/PAPERS/ORALS/WEZ04T.PDF.
[27] ‘Positron Emission Tomography,’ King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center,’ Accessed on 26 February 2004, URL http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/radiology/html/pet.html.
[28] Some of these include: ‘Risk Assessment of Alternative Proliferation Routes,’ Shahid Ahmed, A.A. Husseiny, Nuclear Technology, 1982, Vol. 56, pp. 507-15; ‘Availability of the Emergency Core Cooling System of a CANDU Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactor Following a Small Loss-of-Coolant Accident,’ Tawfik A. Al-Kusayer, Nuclear Technology, 1985, Vol. 69, pp. 293-307; ‘Studies on the Recovery of 99Mo from Uranium Fission Products,’ M. Ejaz, A.M. Mamoom, Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 1987, Vol. 54, p97-8; ‘Cumulative Yileds of Short-Lived Fission Products in Thermal-Neutron Fission of 235U,’ C. Chung, A.A. Hasan, S. Sahin, Radiochimica Acta, 1984, Vol. 37, p131-5; ‘Assessment of the Radiation Protection Capability of Desert Sand Against Fusion Neutrons,’ Tawfik A. Al-Kusayer, Atomkernenergie Kerntechnik, 1986, Vol. 49, pp. 100-3.
[29] ‘Atomic Energy Research Institute,’ King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology web page, accessed 24 February 2004, URL http://www.kacst.edu.sa/en/institutes/aeri/index.asp.
[30] ‘Radiation Technology for Treatment of Toxic Wastes (SAU/8/006),’ IAEA Technical Cooperation Report, 2001.
[31] ‘Director of Saudi Atomic Energy Institute on Projects, Objectives,’ Al-Sharq al-Awsat, 16 April 2002, FBIS ID GMP20020416000149.
[32] Marie Colvin, ‘How an Insider Lifted the Veil on Saudi Plot for an ‘Islamic Bomb’,’ Sunday Times, 24 July 1994, via Lexis-Nexis.
[33] I. I. Kutbi, ‘Evaluation of Centrifugal Pump Performance in Nuclear Power Plants,’ Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 18, No. 11, pp. 629-654, 1991, via ScienceDirect; A.I.A. Almarshad and A.C. Klein, ‘A Model for Waterside Oxidation of Zircaloy Fuel Cladding in Pressurized Water Reactors,’ Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 183, pp. 186-194, 1991, via ScienceDirect; W. H. Abulfaraj and S. M. Kamal, ‘Evaluation of Ilmenite Serpentine Concrete and Ordinary Concrete as Nuclear Reactor Shielding,’ Radiation Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 44, No. 1-2, pp. 139-148, July-August 1994, via ScienceDirect.

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