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    Section: CRUNS Industry News

    Australia fast-tracks Murchison green ammonia project

    Australia’s federal government has selected the Murchison Green Hydrogen project in Western Australia as one of four pilot projects under its newly launched Investor Front Door initiative, a scheme designed to streamline regulatory approvals and fast-track major projects deemed to be in the national interest, the government announced 9 April. The Murchison project, which will use wind and solar energy to produce large-scale green ammonia, is intended to serve as a model for commercial-scale green hydrogen development in Australia and to generate green export opportunities to markets in Asia and Europe. Murchison, being developed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ (CIP), is expected to have a total production capacity of roughly 1.3 million t/a of green ammonia. The first phase of operations is due to begin in 2029.

    CF Industries delays turnaround to ease supply concerns

    CF Industries has delayed a planned multi-week maintenance turnaround at its Donaldsonville, Louisiana complex, the world’s largest ammonia production facility, in response to the supply disruption caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure, the producer announced in a press release. The company said the decision is expected to make approximately 100,000 tonnes of additional granular urea available to US customers during the spring application season. CF Industries added that it is also prioritising new sales to domestic customers over higher-priced export orders for the duration of the spring planting season.

    Partnership for waste to methanol plant

    HyOrc Corporation says that it has signed a project development and technology agreement with Bulgaria-based OnEnergy Group to develop a waste-to-methanol facility. Under the agreement, HyOrc will serve as the technology partner for Stage 3 of the project, which focuses on thermochemical conversion of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) into green methanol. The facility is designed to process approximately 50,000 t/a of RDF, operating around 330 days per year with a daily throughput of approximately 150-155 t/d. Expected methanol production capacity is approximately 38-42 t/d (13,200 t/a), subject to final engineering configuration.

    SABIC secures feedstock for new plants

    SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company says that it has received approval from the Saudi Ministry of Energy to allocate feedstock required for the construction of its seventh plant in Jubail Industrial City. The new facility will produce approximately 1.2 million t/a of ammonia and 2.6 million t/a of urea, increasing the company’s urea production capacity from 4.8 million t/a to 7.4 million t/a; a 54% increase. This is expected to strengthen its position as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of nitrogen-based nutrients, in line with its 2040 growth strategy.

    Electrolyser contract signed for green ammonia project

    Chinese companies Sungrow Hydrogen and CRRC Zhuzhou say that they have secured electrolyser supply contracts for the first phase of a geothermal-powered hydrogen and ammonia project in Olkaria, Kenya, developed by Chinese firm Kaishan Group. Kaishan signed a steam supply agreement with state utility KenGen in October 2025, under which KenGen will supply steam from existing geothermal wells for Kaishan to generate 165MW of electricity to power the electrolysers. Chinese firm Wuhuan Engineering is serving as engineering, procurement and construction contractor. Works on the site began in November 2025.

    Attack hits methanol complex

    US and Israeli air attacks on Iran have hit a methanol production complex at Dayyer port in Iran’s Bushehr province, according to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The agency reported that two projectiles struck the pier of the Kaveh Petrochemical methanol facility in the Dayyer area, causing damage to the pier’s control room. Initial reports indicated that no damage was caused to the methanol production facilities and that the main units of the complex continued operating without disruption. No casualties were reported in the attack, the agency added.