The Saudi Arabian Mining Co. (Ma’aden), Riyadh, will use the dual-pressure ammonia process developed by Essen, Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG in the ammonia plant at its Phosphate 3 fertilizer complex under development at Ras Al-Khair on the Saudi Arabian East Coast. The ammonia plant is the first facility to begin construction at the planned new complex (GM Oct. 26, p. 1).
As a subcontractor of South Korea’s Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd., Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions is providing the ammonia process license and extensive engineering, supply, and monitoring services. Daelim secured the Sar3.35 billion ($892 million) engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract to build the ammonia plant in October (GM Oct. 26, p. 1).
The ammonia plant will have production capacity of 3,300 mt/d and is scheduled for completion in early 2022. The dual-pressure ammonia process reduces energy consumption by up to 4 percent, according to the German firm.
Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions also supplied its dual-pressure ammonia process to Ma’aden’s two existing ammonia plants at Ras Al-Khair, owned and operated by majority-owned subsidiaries Ma’aden Phosphate Co. (MPC) and Ma’aden Wa’ad Al Shamal Phosphate Co. (MWSPC).
On completion, this third ammonia plant will take Ma’aden’s ammonia production capacity to around 3.5 million mt/y. The completion of Phosphate 3 will raise the Saudi company’s capacity to supply phosphate fertilizer to global markets by 3 million mt/y, and take its total phosphate fertilizer production capacity to nearly 9 million mt/y.
SABIC has a 30 percent equity interest in MPC, while The Mosaic Co. holds a 25 percent stake and SABIC a 15 percent interest in MWSPC.