Risk analysis tools such as hazard identification (HAZID), is often a first step in broader risk management and is especially valuable for green ammonia, where new technologies and processes introduce novel risks. This article explores various aspects of HAZID, from the basics of hazard identification to unique considerations specific to green ammonia facilities.
A review of papers presented at CRU’s Nitrogen+Syngas 2025 Expoconference, held in Barcelona from February 10th-12th 2025.
A European ammonia plant, has successfully restarted following a revamp of the process gas cooling section, executed by Casale. Casale replaced the outdated boilers located downstream of the secondary reformer with three new double-tube type boilers supplied by Arvos. The new boilers were installed in the same location as the previous ones, minimising investment costs and plant modifications. The more robust and reliable design of the Casale-Arvos boilers has resulted in enhanced overall performance and reliability of the ammonia plant.
Paralloy has developed Omega technology, an advanced reformer tube design that enhances heat transfer, gas turbulence, and process efficiency. Dr Dominique Flahaut of Paralloy explores the real-world implications of Omega reformer tubes.
Esben Sørensen and Glenn Rexwinkel of Plug Power review the safety aspects of integrating hydrogen production by electrolysis into existing ammonia processes. Novel safety risks associated with such changes are surmountable and the analysis presented shows that green ammonia production can be no more hazardous than traditional ammonia production.
P r esident Trump’s flurry of activity in his first month of office has not only upended the global political order that has existed, more or less, since the US rearranged it to its satisfaction in 1945, but has also had a seismic impact on world trade. How the various strands of US policy will play out remains highly uncertain, but some clear trends are beginning to emerge.
KT-Kinetics technology has signed an $125 million engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contract to build a hydrogen production unit at Petronas’ Pengerang Biorefinery, Malaysia. The hydrogen plan is expected to be operational by the second half of 2028, and will supply up to 38,000 normal m3 /h of hydrogen for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO). NextChem will license its NX ReformTM technology for the unit. The new biorefinery will process approximately 650,000 t/a of raw materials such as used vegetable oils, animal fats and waste from the processing of vegetable oils to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and bio-naphtha.
Liquid Wind has announced the development of a new 100,000 t/a green methanol project in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in collaboration with local energy company Övik Energi. Övik Energi’s combined heat and power plant in Örnsköldsvik was due to be the site of Ørsted’s FlagshipONE project, which was slated to produce 55,000 t/a of green methanol from 2025. A final investment decision (FID) was made in late 2022 when Ørsted bought out Liquid Wind’s 55% stake in the project, but the Danish offshore wind company chose to discontinue FlagshipONE in August 2024.
UAE-based chemicals and transition fuels hub TA’ZIZ has awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract worth $1.7 billion to engineering company Samsung E&A to build the UAE’s first methanol plant. The facility will be located at the Al Ruwais Industrial City in the western part of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is projected to produce 1.8 million t/a green methanol, powered by clean energy from the grid, with the plant scheduled for completion in 2028.
Trammo, Inc. and ExxonMobil signed a heads of agreement to advance discussions for Trammo’s long-term offtake of 300-500,000 t/a of low-carbon ammonia from ExxonMobil’s Baytown, Texas facility. The facility is expected to produce virtually carbon-free ‘blue’ hydrogen with approximately 98% of CO2 removed, and will use this low-carbon hydrogen to make low-carbon ammonia. Trammo, a leading international physical commodity trader, will leverage its market and logistical expertise to deliver and sell in Europe and worldwide this unique low-carbon ammonia for use as fertilizer feedstock and for other key industrial applications.