Nitrogen Industry News

Nitrogen Industry News

CHINA

Casale buys AN/CAN granulation technology

Casale has acquired Hong Kong-based Green Granulation Ltd (GGL), and its proprietary technologies for the design and construction of urea and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) granulation systems. Casale says that the takeover is part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening its leading position in the nitrogen market by leveraging the widest integrated portfolio of efficient technologies, enabling the company to offer a ‘one stop shop’ for the entire production cycle of nitrogen-based fertilizers, from raw materials to final products. GGL’s addition to the Casale group includes the Cold Recycle Granulation process, an advanced fluidised bed technology designed to accept a lower concentration of urea feed melt (ca 96% urea and biuret), as well as a proprietary design for both granulator and scrubber, a team of experts and qualified technicians, and considerable experience in several industrial references. The CRG design has a horizontal layout, leading to lower structural costs and higher efficiency, as well as lower total investment costs and power consumption, lower power consumption and simplified operation, and higher operational flexibility in urea and CAN granulation.

Federico Zardi, CEO of Casale commented: “this acquisition not only adds a new technology that perfectly fits into our portfolio but it also strengthens our presence in the local Chinese market. Casale and GGL started cooperating some years ago and today’s investment decision confirms our strong confidence in the CRG granulation process, which has been also incorporated in the new 594,000 t/a urea plant that will be completed in the first half of 2025 in Yangier, Uzbekistan.”

UNITED STATES

Tecnimont to build blue ammoniaurea-DEF complex

Maire Tecnimont SpA has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract by “a leading global chemicals producer” to build a blue ammonia plant in the US, at a cost of $230 million. The plant will include a 3,000 t/d blue ammonia synthesis loop plus necessary utilities and facilities, with project completion in 2025, according to Tecnimont. The scope of work includes full engineering activities and supply of all materials and equipment as well as construction supervision services, while construction activities will be executed by another party under a different contract, which will be directly issued by the client.

Pierroberto Folgiero, Maire Tecnimont Group CEO, commented: “This assignment is a concrete evidence of our strong positioning in the energy transition journey thanks to our technology-driven value proposition in these evolutionary times. United States represent one of the highest potential market to break the ice in industrial scale decarbonisation initiatives. Blue ammonia is playing a pivotal role in the world-wide development of decarbonized value chains and we are eager to start working on this exciting project, as it will also pave the way for future opportunities driven by the Country’s large wave of investments in gas monetization and energy transition”.

The same client has also awarded Tecnimont a $185 million project to build a new urea and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) plant at the same site. The urea DEF plant will be based on proprietary Stamicarbon technology, and will include a 1,500 t/d urea production unit plus utilities and facilities, including a CO 2 purification plant. Project completion is again expected in 2025.

OCI looking at large scale Beaumont expansion

OCI says that it is considering investing up to $5 billion to expand its Beaumont complex. It is looking at adding both nitrogen fertilizer production and a renewable fuels plant to its existing ammonia and methanol plant east of Houston, according to court filings in Texas. The company has budgeted $2.8 billion for the additional fertilizer production units and $2.1 billion on the proposed lumber wasteto-fuels project, both of which would start operating in 2027. The renewable fuels project would convert wood waste into synthesis gas, with a downstream 1.0 million t/a methanol plant and 100,000 t/a methanol to renewable gasoline plant. Beaumont is close pine forest plantations, which would provide feedstock, as well as ample industrial infrastructure and access to markets. The renewable gasoline would be destined for Europe, where it can earn renewable energy credits.

The nitrogen complex, meanwhile, would include two 3,000 t/d ammonia units, using imported hydrogen and nitrogen, and a 2,200 t/d urea plant. Some of that urea would be converted to diesel exhaust fluid, while the rest would be turned into 1,530 t/d of urea ammonium nitrate.

SWEDEN

High performance nickel alloy

Sandvik has added Sanicro ® 625 bar to its range of high-performing nickel-alloys. It is designed for use in advanced machine components that are exposed to acids, alkalis, seawater and other wet corrosive conditions in both cryogenic environments and temperatures up to 593°C (1,100°F). The alloy has a very high (62%) nickel content, making it virtually immune to wet corrosion. A high (21%) chromium content also offers superior corrosion resistance in oxidising (acidic) environments, and a high (8.5%) molybdenum content ensures high resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion. Uniquely, the new addition of 3.5% niobium creates a stiffening effect with the molybdenum and provides good stabilisation against intergranular corrosion. Ductility and toughness are also very high, and the material is approved by all key relevant standards.

Henrik Zettergren, Sandvik, Global Product Manager, said: “625 is among the toughest of nickel-based alloys and sets the gold standard for safety, reliability and performance. When you’ve got a flange, valve or fitting that simply cannot fail, it ensures high strength, extraordinary corrosion resistance, good fabricability and excellent welding properties.”

UZBEKISTAN

Agreement for new ammonia-urea plant

An agreement has been signed between Ferkensco Management Ltd, Enter Engineering Pte, both based in Uzbekistan, and Casale SA to support the construction of a new ammonia-urea plant in Uzbekistan, at an estimated cost of $500 million. Casale was awarded the front end engineering design contract and licensing arrangement for the project last year, and, supported by local design institute UzlitiEngineering, has been appointed as general designer for the project. The ammonia-urea complex will be sited at Yangiyer, in Uzbeikstan’s Syrdarya region, and comprise 495,000 t/a of ammonia and 594,000 t/a of granular urea capacity. The project’s completion date is expected to be in the first half of 2025.

Lorenzo Pennino, Head of the Commercial Division at Casale SA stated: “We are grateful to have entered into a long-term partnership with Ferkensco Management Ltd, thus enhancing our international reach thanks to this collaboration in Uzbekistan. Our goal is to continue leveraging our strengths by providing top quality technical expertise with an unyielding focus on efficiency, reliability, and safety.”

DENMARK

Haldor Topsoe is now Topsoe

At the company’s annual general meeting on April 7th, the shareholders voted to change the name of Haldor Topsoe A/S to simply Topsoe A/S, as part of a rebranding strategy. Founded in 1940 by Dr Haldor Topsoe, Topsoe aims to become a global leader in developing solutions for a decarbonised world, supplying technology, catalysts, and services for the energy transition, including for challenging sectors such as aviation, shipping, and the production of crucial raw materials.

SWITZERLAND

Clariant joins Renewable Carbon Initiative

Clariant has joined the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI). The aim of the RCI is to support and accelerate the transition from the use of fossil carbon to the use of renewable carbon in the chemical industry. Switching to renewable carbon sources prevents additional fossil carbon entering the atmosphere and thus addresses a core problem of climate change. Clariant says that membership in the RCI will allow it to expand on its own solutions in the field of renewable carbon as well as collaborate more closely with partners, suppliers and the industry at large in driving this matter forward. The RCI was launched in September 2020 and is led by the nova-Institute. Members include companies from start-ups to large enterprises as well as additional partners. The initiative aims to advance the switch from fossil carbon to renewable carbon in the chemical industry by reporting on the topic, initiating further action and facilitating exchange between key stakeholders.

“I am convinced that the chemical industry plays a central role in tackling climate challenge and in shaping progress toward a more circular and bio-based economy. This journey can only be achieved through strong commitment to sustainability-driven innovation, ambitious goals, and a close collaboration with partners along the value chain,” said Conrad Keijzer, Chief Executive Officer of Clariant.

PORTUGAL

CIP looking to green hydrogen and ammonia plant

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ (CIP) is teaming up with Portuguese project developer Madoqua Renewables and consultancy Power2X on a e1bn green hydrogen and ammonia plant. The MadoquaPower2X project will be based in Sines, Portugal, and will generate 50,000 t/a of green hydrogen using 500MW of electrolysis capacity, which will be used in the production of 500,000 t/a of green ammonia. Electricity will be sourced from renewable power produced in Portugal, in particular from renewable energy communities for wind and solar plants that are being developed in parallel.

Madoqua chief executive Rogaciano Rebelo said: “We are proud to bring this strong consortium to Portugal and collaborate with partners across the green hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives value chain. Portugal is structurally well positioned to play a leading role in the emerging energy transition space in Europe. The project, along with the development of dedicated renewable power generation assets, will contribute significantly towards Portugal’s National Hydrogen Strategy (EN-H2).”

A final investment decisions is expected in 2023, with first hydrogen production by 2025.

EGYPT

MoU on green ammonia plant

Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with EDF Renewables and ZeroWaste for the eventual production of 350,000 t/a of green ammonia at the port of Ain Sokhna. The $3 billion project will be implemented in several phases according to the Egyptian government. Construction works on the first phase will begin in 2024, with commercial operation planned to begin in 2026. In the initial phase, the plant will be capable of producing 140,000 t/a of green ammonia using green hydrogen from desalinated seawater and renewable energy as feedstock. Capacity will be then gradually raised to 350,000 t/a in subsequent phases.

The ammonia will be used as shipping fuel. Other partners in the project include the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, and the Renewable Energy Authority.

GERMANY

RWE planning ammonia complex

RWE is to build an ammonia plant at the site in Germany where it is previously announced plans for the country’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal. Initially the firm is focusing on import of ammonia, with capacity to bring in around 300,000 t/a, and be distributed to customers. However, it expects to follow this with a large scale green hydrogen production site at Brunsbüttel neat Hamburg, with the offtakte to be transported to industrial customers via a dedicated pipeline. RWE has talked about eventual ammonia volumes of 2 million t/a.

Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action welcomed the project, stating: “Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine has made it abundantly clear that we must become independent of fuel imports from Russia. The LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel is an important element in this, as it will increase the capabilities to import gas to Germany. Green ammonia as a liquefied hydrogen derivative can make an important contribution to supplying Germany with green hydrogen. At the same time, we can gain important experience with this project for the conversion from LNG to green hydrogen or hydrogen derivatives.”

CHILE

Wood wins contract for green ammonia facility

Wood Group says it has been chosen to provide conceptual engineering for a largescale green hydrogen/ammonia production facility in Chile. Total Eren’s H2 Magallanes Project will be located in San Gregorio, Southern Chile, and will comprise up to 10 GW of wind capacity, 8 GW of electrolysis capacity, a desalination plant, and an ammonia plant. It will also have port facilities to transport the ammonia to domestic and international markets. Wood’s scope covers the development of the complete off-grid integrated complex.

Thomas Grell, President of Renewable Energy & Power at Wood, said: “We are very pleased to have been selected by… Total Eren to work on the H2 Magallanes Project. This highly pioneering and innovative project represents the significant investment needed to realise not only the future of green hydrogen production but the potential of green ammonia, which is vital for ensuring sustainable food production, and an alternative clean fuel source in accelerating the energy transition. This contract signals our continued growth in the region and our determination to realise the bold ambitions shared by both our client and Chile.”

VIETNAM

Black & Veatch to advance green energy production in Vietnam

Black & Veatch and The Green Solutions (TGS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance the production and supply of green hydrogen and green ammonia in Vietnam. TGS specialises in renewable energy project development, manufacturing and services. The MoU involves a project to develop 30,000 t/a of green hydrogen production with the aim of generating 180,000 t/a of green ammonia in support of regional decarbonisation efforts. Black & Veatch will use solar or wind power supplied through the grid to study Vietnamese green hydrogen production and storage.

INDIA

Talcher fertilizer plant to be completed next year

The $1.7 billion Talcher Fertilizer Ltd plant is expected to be completed by September 2024 according to the latest estimate of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, a year behind schedule. In a statement to the Indian parliament, minister Bahgwanth Khuba said that the delay was primarily due to the impact of covid-19. Physical construction, being conduced by China’s Wuhuan Engineering Co Ltd, is estimated to be just over 20% complete. The project, being developed by the Gas Authority of India Ltd, Coal India Ltd, Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers and the Fertilizer Corporation of India, all state-owned companies, includes a 2,200 t/d ammonia plant using coal gasification as a feed, with a 3,850 t/d urea plant. It will use around 2.5 million t/a of coal from the Talcher mines as feedstock. The project is the first coal-based urea project in India since the 1970s, but has been dogged by arguments over coal allocations and political wrangling.

Computer model of the proposed NeuRizer plant.

PHOTO: NEURIZER

AUSTRALIA

Government to fast track green ammonia project

The government of Queensland has granted ‘coordinate project status’ to a $4.7 billion proposal to build a green hydrogen and ammonia plat at Gladstone. This allows for a streamlined approval process for the H2-Hub Gladstone project, which will produce up to 5,000 t/d of green ammonia. The ammonia will be used by mining explosives manufacturer Orica, which is working with H2U on plans for an ammonia export terminal in Gladstone. The project includes plans to build up to 3 GW of electrolysis powered by solar and wind energy in Queensland. H2U is expected to make a final investment decision by mid-2023, with operations expected to begin in 2025 and an expansion toward the end of the decade. In a separate announcement, Clariant said that it had been selected to supply AmoMax catalyst for the ammonia synthesis section of the project, which will use Casale technology. Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Clariant Catalysts, commented, “We are excited to participate in the highly ambitious H2U project with our technology partner Casale and look forward to driving change together.”

Licenses awarded for low carbon fertilizer project

KBR says that it will license ammonia technology to South Korea’s Daelim Industrial for the NeuRizer carbon-neutral fertilizer project in Australia. Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide technology licensing and engineering for the 1,600 t/d ammonia plant, due to start up in 2025. Via Daelim, NeuRizer has also appointed Stamicarbon as urea licensor for the project, which will initially produce 1.0 million t/a of urea fertilizer.

NeuRizer (NRZ) is developing its NeuRizer Urea Project (NRUP), aiming to deliver low-cost, high-quality nitrogen-based fertilizer for local and export agriculture markets in South Australia, 550 kilometres north of Adelaide.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

HDF takes stake in low-carbon hydrogen project

Hydrogene de France has acquired a 70% stake in the NewGen low-carbon hydrogen development in Trinidad and Tobago. The French firm bought the stake from domestic company and project developer Kenesjay Green Ltd for an undisclosed sum. KGL will retain the remaining 30% interest in NewGen, which will be jointly owned by KGL and an investment vehicle that will allow for the inclusion of additional local investors, HDF said in its press release.

The $200+ million NewGen plant will produce hydrogen using a combination of solar and energy efficiency-sourced power which will then be used by the Tringen ammonia plant at Point Lisas, Trinidad. According to HDF, the NewGen facility will be capable of meeting 20% of hydrogen requirements of the ammonia plant.

WORLD

Catalyst price increases

Topsoe has said that it will increase prices on catalysts as a result of increasing raw material prices for nonferrous metals, natural gas, electricity and other key raw materials used in their catalyst production process, effective immediately. Clariant has also increased prices across its Catalysts business portfolio. The company says that the price adjustments “are driven by the significant escalation of energy and key raw materials costs, as well as the continued increase of freight and logistics costs”.