Orica said Feb. 5 that it is now ready to resume the restart of its Kooragang Island ammonia plant after repairing one of the plant’s compressors. Earlier the company had said it might be several weeks before production resumed.
Orica’s CEO Graeme Liebelt said the safety of the community and employees was paramount during the restart. “The restart of a plant such as this is complicated and must be done cautiously. We will not compromise on this restart and if we need to again pause in order to assure its safety, we will do so. Our products are crucial to industries such as mining and electricity generation in New South Wales, and we are an important local employer. We look forward to the Kooragang Island plant returning to full production.”
Site Manager Sean Winstone said the performance of one of the plant’s compressors has been addressed. “Currently, we expect the restart of the plant will resume on Tuesday. Residents may see some steam coming from the plant on Monday as we warm up the plant and conduct standard equipment checks. Some of the most complex steps involved in restarting the plant, particularly the commissioning of the High Temperature Shift Catalyst, have already taken place. We will continue the restart at a cautious pace with a focus on safety,”
With the resumption of the restart, there remains the chance that gas from the vent stacks may ignite depending on atmospheric conditions. There is no risk to the community, the environment or the plant from gas flares from the vents. The byproduct of the gas flares is water.
The ammonia plant shut down last fall due to a leak. Earlier attempts to bring it back up were halted due to production problems. In the meantime, Orica has had to import ammonia for its ammonium nitrate plant.