UAE to get new grey ammonia production plant

The ammonia production plant will be constructed in UAE’s Al Ruwais and is expected to produce 1 million mt/year of grey ammonia from 2027. 

PHOTO: Concept design of an ammonia-fuelled container ship, Yara Eyde. Yara Clean Ammonia

Japanese trading firm Mitsui has collaborated with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's (ADNOC) subsidiary Ta’ziz, Abu Dhabi-based chemicals firm Fertiglobe and the South Korean G S Energy Corporation for the development of the plant.  

Mitsui is currently evaluating whether the ammonia produced from the plant can be used as a marine fuel for the shipping sector, a spokesperson from Mitsui told ENGINE. 

Once the plant is operational in 2027, it will initially produce 1 million mt/year of grey ammonia until 2030. Following this period, the companies plan to install a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) unit. This upgrade will enable the production of blue ammonia from the plant thereafter.

Grey ammonia has a high carbon dioxide (CO2) emission factor due to its fossil fuel origin. It is produced through pyrolysis from natural gas, where hydrogen is derived from steam-reforming natural gas and is combined with nitrogen obtained from air. This mixture is then processed through the Haber-Bosch process to produce grey ammonia. 

Blue ammonia is produced using a similar process, but it incorporates CCS technology. This allows CO2 emissions generated during production to be captured and stored or used elsewhere, making it much cleaner.

By Manjula Nair

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