Section: CRUSU Industry News

First gas from Abu Dhabi’s 1.5 billion cfd Ghasha sour gas concession will be reached in early 2026, according to project partner PTTEP. The gas will come from the first phase 340 million cfd Dalma development. The Ghasha project is being developed by ADNOC (70%), Eni (10%), Thailand’s PTTEP (10%) and Russia’s Lukoil (10%). The outlook, published in PTTEP’s Q3 results, is a more cautious assessment than that provided by Eni in its own Q3 results. Eni said it was optimistic that the development would start up by the end of 2025.

Arianne Phosphates has signed a memorandum of understanding with Travertine Technologies Inc.for the production of purified phosphoric acid using Travertine’s proprietary process on high-purity phosphate concentrate from Arianne’s planned Lac à Paul project in Quebec Province.

Nutrien said in its 3Q results that it has initiated a review of strategic alternatives for its phosphate business, which could include reconfiguring operations, strategic partnerships or a potential sale. A final decision on the future of the phosphate business will be taken in 2026, according to the company .

India’s Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) has won a $225.5 million contract from the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) for setting up a new gas sweetening and sulphur recovery facility at West Kuwait oilfields. The project, to be developed on a build-own-operate basis with a buyback option for KOC, includes design, construction, operation and maintenance. It will be completed in two years, followed by a five-year operation and maintenance phase.

Singapore-based Indorama Group, through its Senegalese subsidiary Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS), has signed a memorandum of understanding with Senegal’s Investment and Major Projects Promotion Agency (APIX) to launch a major $210 million investment, aiming to boost Senegal’s phosphate and fertilizer production capacity, reinforcing the country’s strategic role in the regional agricultural input market.

NextChem subsidiary MyRechemical has been awarded an engineering study contract by Altalto Ltd. for a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Immingham, Lincolnshire, based on its proprietary NX CircularTM gasification and NX CPOTM technologies. Altalto is a company set up by Velocys to develop SAF projects in the UK. The plant is expected to be operational in 2030. Initial targets include the production of 23,000 t/a of SAF for the UK market. Feedstock will be sourced from residual municipal solid waste (MSW) and commercial and industrial waste. The project has been awarded a grant from the UK Department for Transport’s Advanced Fuels Fund to progress basic engineering design. MyRechemical will operate as a technology provider and as coordinator for other technological partners. It will also supply engineering services.

Queensland-based SMAC (Strategic:Mi nerals:Acid:Critical) Developments says that it plans to list on the Toronto Stock Exchange in December to raise $1.3 million to fund a final feasibility study. The company is attempting to develop sulphuric acid production in northern Queensland to supply local industries. The company plans to initially build a 180,000 t/a sulphur burning acid plant at a site at Cloncurry, followed by a second phase which would involve developing a pyrite roasting plant to generate 550-600,000 t/a of sulphuric acid.

Travertine Technologies, Inc., has began operations at its demonstration plant in New York state. The core Travertine process demonstrated at this plant combines three major unit operations: salt-splitting electrolysis, caustic direct air capture, and mineralisation. This process produces sulphuric acid, calcium carbonate, and green hydrogen from waste gypsum and carbon dioxide captured directly from the air. The demonstration plant will produce 125 t/a of sulfuric acid, 125 t/a of calcium carbonate, and 55 t/a of carbon dioxide sequestration. The plant will supply sustainable sulphuric acid for local partner Sabin Metal Corporation's precious metals recycling and refining business.

At least 43 people were injured after sulphuric acid fumes leaked from a chemical storage at the port of Aqaba in October, according to local press reports. Two of the injured were admitted to intensive care and another six were held in hospital. The remaining cases were described as mild and were treated either on-site or in nearby hospitals. Jordan’s Public Security Directorate (PSD) said emergency teams from the Aqaba Civil Defence Department, supported by the Aqaba Support Group, responded immediately to reports of a sulphuric acid vapour leak which created a fume cloud roughly 400 square metres in size. The operating company’s technical team managed to stop the leak before specialised hazardous materials units from the Civil Defence took over, implementing safety procedures in line with approved protocols. Investigations are under way to determine the cause of the leak, in coordination with the Public Security Directorate and other relevant agencies. Three years ago a sulphuric acid leak from a storage tank at Aqaba killed 13 and injured several hundred people.

Chile’s state-run mining company Enami says that it has received an environmental permit for a new $1.7 billion copper smelter, as part of the modernization of its Hernan Videla Lira smelting facility in the northern Atacama region. The new facility will process up to 850,000 t/a of copper concentrate, and its electrolytic refinery will produce up to 240,000 t/a of copper cathodes for use in electronics, construction and renewable vehicles. Enami says that the modernisation will “ensure profitable and sustainable operations, and practically triple the capacity of the old smelter.”