Work to begin on Arzew expansion

Algeria and Oman have made a final investment decision to expand fertiliser production at the Algerian-Omani Fertiliser Company (AOA) plant in Arzew, in Algeria’s Oran province. The expansion is expected to increase total production capacity by 50%. The agreement was announced by Algeria’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons after a meeting between Mohamed Arkab, Minister of State and Minister of Hydrocarbons, and Sheikh Saad bin Suhail Bahwan, Chairman of Suhail Bahwan Holding Group. Oman’s Ambassador to Algeria, Saif bin Nasser bin Rashid Al-Badaei, Sonatrach CEO Noureddine Daoudi and senior government officials also attended the meeting.
The expansion takes the form of a third ammonia-urea train at the Arzew site. Algeria’s hydrocarbons ministry has pledged to provide the required natural gas feedstock. Established in 2008, AOA is a joint venture between Oman’s Suhail Bahwan Group (51%) and Algeria’s Sonatrach (49%). The joint venture currently operates two ammonia-urea trains at Arzew, with a combined capacity of approximately 4,000 t/d of ammonia and 7,000 t/d of granular urea.