Skip to main content

Category: North America

BASF and Yara end low carbon ammonia project

BASF and Yara International ASA say that they have jointly decided to discontinue their project to develop a 1.4 million t/a low-carbon ammonia production facility with carbon capture and storage in the US Gulf Coast region. The companies say that this decision reflects their “commitment to focus on initiatives with the highest potential to achieve their respective value creation goals.” Yara will continue its ammonia strategy as previously communicated, evaluating and maturing equity investment opportunities in US ammonia to determine the optimal project portfolio.

NextChem wins contract for blue hydrogen project

NextChem subsidiary KT Tech has been awarded a licensing, process design package and engineering services contract by a major international energy company for the application of its proprietary NX eBlue™ (electric steam methane reforming) technology for the production of low-carbon hydrogen in the Southwest of the United States. NX eBlue™ technology, part of NextChem’s technological portfolio for syngas and hydrogen production, features an innovative electric steam methane reforming reactor along with a dedicated process scheme to produce low-carbon hydrogen. This technology significantly reduces CO2 production and incorporates integrated carbon capture to further minimise CO2 emissions, all allowing for operational flexibility and scalability.

Oil sands production to reach record this year

S&P has raised its 10-year production outlook for the Canadian oil sands. The latest forecast expects oil sands production to reach a record annual average production of 3.5 million bbl/d in 2025 (5% higher than 2024) and exceed 3.9 million bbl/d by 2030; half a million barrels per day higher than 2024. The 2030 projection is 100,000 bbl/d (or nearly 3%) higher than the previous outlook. Despite a lower oil price environment, the analysis attributes the increased projection to favourable economics, as producers continue to focus on maximising existing assets through investments in optimisation and efficiency. While large up-front, out-of-pocket expenditures over multiple years are required to bring online new oil sands projects, once completed, projects enjoy relatively low breakeven prices.

Northern Nutrients restructuring and expansion

Northern Nutrients, a manufacturer of enhanced nitrogen sulphur fertilizers, has announced a new ownership structure following an investment by Shell Trading Canada. Shell Trading Canada has invested in expanding Northern Nutrients’ current facility, resulting in the formation of a new joint venture. The expansion will result in a tripling of current capacity of 50,000 t/a to 150,000 t/a of sulphur-based fertilizers. The company’s facility near Saskatoon produces enhanced nitrogen sulphur fertilizers using Shell Thiogro technology. Their flagship product, Arctic S, is 11% nitrogen and 75% micronised elemental sulphur. Northern Nutrients says that its collaboration with Shell underscores their shared dedication to providing retailers and farmers with high-quality and efficient fertilizers and meet the growing demand for innovative fertilizer products.