The government of Trinidad and Tobago has awarded Methanol Holdings Trinidad Ltd. (MHTL) the contract to build an anhydrous ammonia and downstream derivative project at an estimated US$1.9 billion. According to the Trinidad press, the project will produce 1,850 mt/d of anhydrous ammonia to be used to make downstream products, likely urea and melamine.
Colonial Life Insurance Co. (CLICO) owns a majority stake in MHTL. However, due to its financial downfall a few years ago (GM Feb. 23, 2009), it is now managed by the Trinidad government.
MHTL is already the majority owner of a $1.5 billion ammonia-urea nitrate-melamine complex (AUM) in the country. It was completed in late 2009. AUM comprises seven plants generating 1.5 million mt/y of UAN-32 and 60,000 mt/y of granular melamine. Helm Fertilizer Corp., which also has an equity stake in AUM, handles the offtake from AUM. AUM also has the capacity to produce 1,850 mt/d of anhydrous ammonia; however, most of that goes into UAN production.
The plant is expected to take three years to build and use some 2,500-3,500 workers during this process, with some 450 permanent jobs created when the plant is online.
The government said it went out for bids on the plant in August 2010, inviting seven companies that had previously expressed an interest to submit bids. Those included, along with MHTL, Yara Trinidad Ltd., PCS Nitrogen Ltd., Point Lisas Nitrogen Ltd., Union Estate Fertiliser Ltd., More Ammonia and Energy Allied International Trinidad Development Co. Of these, the government said three came back with proposals, MHTL, Yara, and Energy Allied.