Category: Ammonia Plants

Beaumont, TX — OCI

November 1, 2013

UPDATED: 04/17/2017 — see Change Log

OWNER: OCI Partners LP (OCI NV)
PROJECT: Ammonia plant restart & expansion

SUMMARY STATUS: Operational
OCI Partners restarted the Beaumont methanol-ammonia plant at the end of 2011, and completed a debottlenecking project in 2015 with minor delays and cost over-runs. Since then, the ammonia plant has been producing at record levels, with output slightly more than 100% capacity in 2016. In December 2016, Dutch majority owner OCI NV launched an all-stock buyout offer to acquire the remaining ~20% of OCI Partners, but this was shelved in April 2017 and the offer terminated.

East Dubuque, IL — CVR Partners

by Trevor Brown

November 1, 2013

Ammonia plant: East Dubuque, IL - Rentech Nitrogen

UPDATED: 04/30/2018 — see Change Log

OWNER: East Dubuque Nitrogen Fertilizers, LLC (CVR Partners LP / CVR Energy Inc)
PROJECT: Nitrogen fertilizer plant

SUMMARY STATUS: Operational
The East Dubuque nitrogen plant started up in 1965. Rentech completed expansions of the urea line in 2013 and the ammonia line in 2014. In April 2016, Rentech and CVR Partners merged, and the plant now operates as a subsidiary of CVR. Also in 2016, CVR completed minor expansion work on its ammonia plant.

El Dorado, AR — LSB Industries

by Trevor Brown

November 1, 2013

Ammonia plant: El Dorado, Arkansas - LSB Industries

UPDATED: 03/22/2018 — see Change Log

OWNER: El Dorado Chemical Company (LSB Industries Inc)
PROJECT: Nitrogen production complex, brownfield ammonia plant

SUMMARY STATUS: Operational
El Dorado has been producing nitrogen since 1944, when the US army built the Ozark Ordnance Works. LSB Industries began construction on its new ammonia plant in November 2013 but costs spiraled out of control and start-up was delayed. LSB's share price fell off a cliff, followed by sweeping changes in management; the company was stabilized by a financing deal and asset sales, and LSB's plants may still be up for sale. The new ammonia plant started up in May 2016 and has been producing above nameplate capacity.

Geismar, LA — Nutrien

by Trevor Brown

November 1, 2013

UPDATED: 03/19/2018 — see Change Log

OWNER: Nutrien
PROJECT: Nitrogen plant, restart, expansion and urea brownfield

SUMMARY STATUS: Operational, Planning Phase
The Geismar ammonia plant started up in 1967 but was idled in 2003, due to the high cost of natural gas feedstock. PotashCorp restarted the plant in February 2013 at a cost of $260 million. Air permit documents reveal plans for significant future expansions. In January 2018, Nutrien was formed through a "merger of equals" between Agrium and PotashCorp that was originally announced in September 2016.

Pryor, OK — LSB Industries

by Trevor Brown

November 1, 2013

UPDATED: 03/22/2018 — see Change Log

OWNER: Pryor Chemical Company (LSB Industries Inc)
PROJECT: Ammonia-UAN plant, expansion

SUMMARY STATUS: Operational
LSB Industries restarted the Pryor ammonia-UAN plant in 2010, after it had lain idle for a decade, and expanded it in 2013. Ammonia has been produced on this site since 1954; the current plant was commissioned in 1997. Reliability continues to be a major problem at Pryor; most recently, in September 2017, "a minor fire" put the plant out of operation for two and a half months.