Topsoe awarded contract for low-carbon ammonia plant

Topsoe will provide licensing and engineering support for a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study of a new low-carbon ammonia plant in Louisiana.

CF Industries is evaluating the project in collaboration with Mitsui & Co., Ltd., one of the leading ammonia marketers in the world. Were the project to move forward, it would produce low-carbon ammonia for use as a decarbonized energy source.

Ammonia – either in the form of low-carbon ammonia or as an e-fuel – is expected to play a critical role in the world’s journey towards net zero: It can be transported using existing infrastructure; and it has multiple end-uses, not only as a fuel or hydrogen carrier but also to help decarbonize industrial processes like steel and cement production.

“We believe low-carbon ammonia helps unlock the door towards a net zero future,” said Henrik Rasmussen, Managing Director, The Americas, Topsoe. “Our technology offers a cost-effective route to producing low carbon ammonia while also enabling carbon capture, at industrial proven scale. CF and Topsoe have a long-standing relationship spanning many decades and we are proud to extend our collaboration with this award.”

SynCOR technology enables ammonia production as well as cost efficient carbon capture. SynCOR is Topsoe´s proprietary technology based on advanced autothermal reforming principles. Supported by 300 years of accumulative, safe operation, SynCOR is often the preferred technology for mega scale ammonia production, due to its maturity and low capital and operating costs.

Where ammonia plants today rely on conventional two-step reforming based on tubular steam methane reforming and an air-fired secondary reformer, SynCOR Ammonia utilizes a process based on oxygen-fired autothermal reforming.