Misr Fertilizers Production Company (MOPCO) has announced a collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde to revolutionize its ammonia and urea production facilities in Damietta, Egypt. The partnership will leverage cutting-edge carbon capture and green ammonia solutions to transform MOPCO into a regional leader in climate-friendly fertilizer production.

The ambitious project will implement thyssenkrupp Uhde's proprietary Carbon Capture and Usage (CCU) technology, aiming to capture up to 145,000 tons of CO2 annually from the flue gas of existing ammonia plants. This captured CO2 will be repurposed in urea production, creating a closed-loop system that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to carbon capture, MOPCO will install three state-of-the-art uhde ammonia converter cartridges within its existing ammonia plants. These innovative cartridges are designed to increase ammonia production capacity while simultaneously reducing natural gas consumption in the synthesis loop by approximately 10%. This efficiency gain is achieved through advanced design principles, including removable beds with axial-radial flow design, and the utilization of Johnson Matthey’s high-performance catalyst KATALCOTM 74-1.

The project further emphasizes sustainability by integrating green hydrogen into the production process. MOPCO plans to source additional green hydrogen feedstock from new water electrolysis units powered by renewable energy. This strategic move will pave the way for the production of up to 150,000 tons per year of green ammonia, aligning with global efforts to decarbonize industrial processes.

The existing ammonia and urea plants, originally constructed by thyssenkrupp Uhde between 2006 and 2015, will undergo a significant upgrade. Each plant, with a capacity of approximately 1,200 metric tons per day (mtpd) of ammonia and 2,000 mtpd of urea, will benefit from the installation of the new uhde ammonia converter cartridges. These cartridges will boost production by 150 mtpd per plant, allowing MOPCO to meet growing demand while reducing its environmental footprint.

"This collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde marks a significant step towards our sustainability strategic goals," stated Ahmed Mahmoud El-Sayed, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of MOPCO. "Their world-leading technologies will not only increase our production capacity but also deliver proof for our commitment to provide more climate-friendly urea and produce green ammonia, where MOPCO will become one of the leaders to produce such products in MENA."

Nadja Håkansson, CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde, echoed this sentiment, saying, "We are proud to enable our longstanding partner MOPCO to expand their business towards a greener production through our innovative carbon capture and low-emission ammonia solutions."