Skip to main content

Nitrogen+Syngas 394 Mar-Apr 2025

MOPCO lines up thyssenkrupp to lower carbon intensity of production


EGYPT

MOPCO lines up thyssenkrupp to lower carbon intensity of production

thyssenkrupp Uhde says that it has been selected by MOPCO – the Misr Fertilizers Production Company – to supply advanced technology for three existing ammonia and urea plants in Damietta, Egypt, to improve the sustainability of production. Using an innovative carbon capture and usage (CCU) solution, the aim is to remove up to 145,000 t/a of CO2 from the flue gas of the existing ammonia production and use them to boost urea production. At the same time, three 150 t/d axial-radial flow uhde® ammonia converter cartridges using JM’s high performance KATALCOTM 74-1 catalyst will be installed in the existing converters to increase ammonia production capacity while lowering natural gas consumption in the synthesis loop by around 10%. To bring down CO2 emissions further, additional green hydrogen feedstock will be sourced from new water electrolysis units powered by renewable energy. MOPCO plans to produce up to 150,000 t/a of green ammonia.

Ahmed Mahmoud El-Sayed, chairman and managing director of MOPCO said: “This collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde marks a significant step towards our sustainability strategic goals. Their world leading technologies will not only increase our production capacity but also deliver proof for our commitment to provide more climate-friendly urea and produce green ammonia, where MOPCO will become one of the leaders to produce such products in MENA.”

MOPCO is the largest nitrogen fertilizer complex in Egypt. The ammonia and urea plants (three plants each) were originally built by thyssenkrupp Uhde between 2006 and 2015, each with a capacity of approximately 1,200 t/d of ammonia and 2,000 t/d of urea.

Latest in Africa

OCP Nutricrops surpasses 5 million tonnes of TSP

In late July, OCP Nutricrops announced that its triple superphosphate (TSP) production capacity now exceeds five million tonnes, thanks to the commissioning of the first two TSP production lines – each with a capacity of 500,000 t/a – as part of the strategic ‘TSP Hub’ programme at OCP’s massive Jorf Lasfar complex. This initiative is led by the OCP Group’s Manufacturing Special Business Unit (SBU) in coordination with OCP Nutricrops, OFAS and JESA. These flexible production lines can manufacture tailored fertilizers that integrate nutrients and additives to match specific soil and crop needs, OCP Nutricrops said.

Dangote to fund new urea plant

Aliko Dangote, self styled “Africa’s richest man”, has signed a $2.5 billion partnership with the Ethiopian Government to build one of the world’s largest single-site fertiliser plants in Gode, Somali Regional State. The was signed on August 28th by Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings, the government’s strategic investment arm. Under the agreement, Dangote Group will hold a controlling 60% equity share, with EIH taking the remaining 40%. EIH says that the facility will be “among the top five largest urea production complexes globally… with production facilities boasting a combined capacity of up to three million metric tons per annum.” The project will take gas feedstock via pipeline from the Calub and Hilala gas fields, with provisions for future expansions into ammonia-based fertilisers.