Company News Sep 1, 2008 9:00 AM
Major new order for fertiliser complex in Algeria
The Algerian company SORFERT Algérie Spa has commissioned Uhde to provide comprehensive licensing, engineering and supply services as part of a contract to build a large fertiliser complex in Arzew, some 350km north-west of the Algerian capital Algiers.
SORFERT Algérie is investing some US$2billion in the new fertiliser complex, which will comprise two ammonia plants with respective production capacities of 2,200 tonnes/day and a urea plant with a production capacity of 3,450 tonnes/day. The plant complex will also include numerous offsites and auxiliaries, such as the required storage and shipping facilities. Plant completion is scheduled for 2011.
"In terms of its size, this is a landmark contract for our company and not only reiterates the immense trust shown by the fertiliser industry in Uhde and its leading-edge plants, but also underlines our excellent partnership with customers in the region,” said Mr Klaus Schneiders, Chairman of Uhde's Executive Board.
The ammonia plant will be based on Uhde's proprietary ammonia process while the urea plant will use Netherlands-based Stamicarbon’s synthesis process. The licence for the fluid-bed urea granulation process will be supplied by Uhde Fertilizer Technology, the Netherlands, who took over the exclusive licence rights for this technology from Yara Fertilizer Technology in 2005. All selected processes are particularly environment-friendly and meet the stringent Algerian and European standards.
SORFERT Algérie will mainly use the more than 1.1 million tonnes per year of urea fertiliser and the around 750,000 tonnes of excess ammonia to serve the export markets. Domestic sources of natural gas will be used as feedstock.