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Tag: Phosphates

Sonatrach awards Saipem phosphate project FEED contract

Saipem has won a front-end engineering design (FEED) contract from Sonatrach for an integrated phosphate fertilizer project in Algeria. The contract was awarded through a dual competitive process, enabling the design work to be conducted by both Saipem and a competitor company. Sonatrach will assess and compare the two FEED options from both parties, select the best technical and economic design, and then proceed with the direct award of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to execute the project.

OCP certifies low cadmium phosphates

OCP Nutricrops has received a certification that its customised phosphate fertilizers, developed specifically for the European market, meet the EU’s stringent low cadmium content requirements. The certified fertilizers contain less than 20 milligrams of cadmium per kilogram of phosphorus pentoxide (P2 O5 ), far below the European Union’s regulatory ceiling of 60 mg/kg. OCP Nutricrops says that it plans to expand this low-cadmium benchmark across all its fertilizer products worldwide by the end of 2025. Reducing cadmium in agricultural fertilizers is considered a public health priority across Europe. This initiative is closely aligned with EU goals to mitigate food-related health risks and safeguard ecosystems from harmful contaminants.

Ballance to end phosphate manufacturing at Mt Maunganui

Ballance Agri-Nutrients, the New Zealand farmer and grower co-operative, says that it has entered into consultation on a proposal to cease manufacturing of sulphuric acid and single super phosphate (SSP) at its Mount Maunganui site. The proposals envisage net job losses of 62 roles, but the intention is for the co-operative to remain onsite utilising the proximity to the port for nutrient storage and distribution, and for its national support office. Ballance would continue to manufacture phosphates at its Awarua facility in Invercargill and urea at its Kapuni facility in Taranaki. Ballance CEO Kelvin Wickham says this proposal is part of a wider process the organisation has been going through over the past year to get ahead of changes in the sector and identify future opportunities to support New Zealand farmers and growers. “In the coming years, we expect to see an increased range of products and services that more efficiently and effectively deliver essential nutrients for farmers and growers, which will result in reduced overall demand for single super phosphate from historical peak volumes,” he said. “The number of existing facilities currently making this product in New Zealand means there is an overcapacity of supply. Our current facilities at Mount Maunganui also require substantial investment to keep them operating reliably and will face increasing regulatory constraints to be able to operate heavy manufacturing into the future.”

Turkmenabat reports production figures

The S.A. Nyyazov Chemical Plant in Turkmenabat produced 115,850 tonnes of sulfuric acid during the first five months of this year, according to local press reports. The plant also produced 11,297 tonnes of mineral fertilizers over the same period, including 5,227 tonnes of nitrogen-based and 6,070 tonnes of phosphorus-based fertilizers. The Turkmenistan government recently approved the construction of a new plant at the facility to produce 350,000 t/a of superphosphate and 100,000 t/a of ammonium sulphate. South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. has been awarded the EPC contract for the plant.