OCI announced that construction is starting on a new blue ammonia facility to come onstream in Texas.
The groundbreaking puts the project on track for production to begin as scheduled in 2025. The project also received its air permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on 1 December.
The project’s site is adjacent to OCI’s existing integrated 1.4 million metric ton per year methanol-ammonia production facility in Beaumont and 1.8 million metric ton per year 50%-owned methanol joint venture, Natgasoline.
The area already has extensive existing hydrogen pipeline delivery infrastructure, hydrogen storage capability and industrial customers. South-east Texas also has a wealth of companies leading in energy technology integration, deployment, operations, and maintenance, and a skilled labour force in clean energy.
Nassef Sawiris, executive chair of OCI said: “We are delighted that OCI is expanding its already significant presence in south-east Texas, a region which, as a clean energy leader and with its strategic location, plays a key role in the growing low-to-zero carbon hydrogen industry and is one of the best places globally to invest in this area.”
Ahmed El-Hoshy, CEO of OCI, commented: “The potential for clean ammonia to solve many of our global problems has become increasingly clear. It is not only an essential fertiliser that ensures food security for over 4 billion people, low-carbon ammonia is a clean fuel that provides an ideal solution available today for hard-to-abate sectors such as power and shipping.
“This world-scale facility will be a significant part of that, resulting in a very significant reduction in carbon emissions equivalent to taking almost half a million cars off the road permanently. The potential here is great and I’m delighted that breaking ground today signifies we’re on track to deliver on that.”
OCI breaks ground at new blue ammonia site
