Clariant says that it closed the divestment of its legal entity (Clariant Venezuela S.A.) in Venezuela for $1.8 million to CMV Química CA, Venezuela as part of its ongoing footprint optimisation. In 2024, Clariant’s operations in Venezuela generated sales of around $3.8 million and employed around 60 people.
Deepak Nitrite Ltd says that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Deepak Chem Tech Ltd, has begun production at its new nitric acid plant in Nandesari, Vadodara district, Gujarat. The 70,000 t/a plant has been completed at a reported investment cost of $57 million. According to the company’s filing, the new plant will allow Deepak to “reestablish supply security for key intermediates, support greater resilience across the group’s chemical value chain and enable deeper penetration into high-value applications”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid a foundation stone for a new ammonia-urea plant at Namrup in Assam on December 21st. The plant, to be constructed by the Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd (AVFCCL), will have a urea production capacity of 1.27 million t/a, and the project is scheduled for commissioning in 2030.
Dangote Fertilizer, Africa’s leading fertilizer producer, has awarded contracts to several major companies for the provision of licenses and technical expertise for the development of two new planned ammonia-urea complexes, one in Nigeria and the other in Ethiopia, as well as the provision of basic engineering and design services for the related plants.
The African Development Bank has approved a $10 million loan to Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, a Namibian green hydrogen development company, to support a green ammonia project valued at more than $10 billion, and with the potential to position Namibia as a pioneer in the global green hydrogen economy. The loan, sourced from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), will support frontend engineering design (FEED) studies for solar and wind generation, battery energy storage systems, and electrolyser capacity and desalination infrastructure, aiming to de-risk the project and attract the financing required for its realisation.
Greene Tweed, a leader in advanced materials and high-performance solutions, says it has achieved a significant advancement in hydrogen compression technology. The company’s newly engineered composite closed impeller set a record-breaking tip speed of 688 m/s in testing – nearly double that of traditional metallic impellers. The innovation highlights the potential of advanced composite materials to enhance performance, reduce costs, and improve efficiency in critical hydrogen pipeline infrastructure, specifically the transportation, storage and utilisation market segments.
Topsoe is partnering with Maersk Training to establish safety standards that support the emerging Power-to-X industry. Topse says that Power-to-X and the production of e-fuels are critical enablers of the transition to low-emission fuels. However, no comprehensive safety standards currently exist that address the full range of risks at these sites. Together, the two companies will develop realistic simulations, competency-based training and a strong operational culture designed to strengthen safety practices across the entire value chain. As Power-to-X technologies scale to meet global climate ambitions, both companies emphasise the need for robust, realistic and forward-looking training frameworks. The collaboration builds on Maersk Training’s nearly 50 years of experience in high-risk environments.
Uralchem JSC and three Indian fertiliser companies; Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF), National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL), and Indian Potash Ltd (IPL) have signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint venture to construct a urea plant in Russia. The signing ceremony was held in New Delhi in December during a state visit by Russian president Vladimir Putin to India.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries says that it has succeeded in producing 99% pure hydrogen by cracking ammonia using steam as the heating source. The production of hydrogen at pilot scale using the steam heating was conducted at the company’s pilot plant in the Nagasaki District Research & Innovation Centre, marking a world first. By contrast to technologies that use heat from burner combustion, MHI’s steam heating system operates at lower reaction temperatures, reducing operating costs. In addition, because a combustion furnace is not required, the system offers excellent features such as the potential for miniaturisation.
Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium comprising HIF EMEA GmbH, Acciona Nordex Green Hydrogen and Al Meera Investments to jointly explore the development of a low carbon methanol supply and bunkering hub at Dhofar in Oman. This strategic collaboration aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040 strategy, supporting national decarbonisation targets and positioning Oman as a pre-eminent green maritime and bunkering hub in the Middle East.