21-04-2021

Stamicarbon signs licensing contract for UREA plant revamp

Stamicarbon, the innovation and license company of Maire Tecnimont Group, has signed a contract with Abu Qir Fertilizers Co., in Alexandria, Egypt, for the revamp of one of their urea melt plants (known as Abu Qir 3). Stamicarbon will deliver the license and the Process Design Package for the revamped plant, which is expected to be operational in 2025.

The urea plant was designed in 1996 with a name plate capacity of 1750 metric tons per day (MTPD) and a design capacity of 1925 MTPD, according to Stamicarbon’s CO2 stripping process.

The scope of the revamp includes a capacity increase from the current production of 1940 MTPD currently to 2370 MTPD and a reduction in emissions from the melt plant absorbers to meet the local norm. The revamp will use Stamicarbon’s EVOLVE CAPACITY™ Mega Design with Medium Pressure Add-on technology.

This state-of-the-art revamp technology allows capacity expansion of a plant without having to invest in high pressure equipment or a high pressure CO2 compressor, while simultaneously reducing the energy consumption. This technology has proven its value in several revamps and is achieved by smartly combining Stamicarbon’s knowledge with respect to urea technology and the use of existing margins of the installed equipment. The MP Add-on technology allows for large scale capacity revamping, while reducing energy consumption per ton of final urea product. The technology consists of a small add-on module connected to the existing plant structure and has the option to be switched off to provide additional operational flexibility.

Abu Qir Fertilizer Company is one of the largest producers of nitrogenous fertilizers in Egypt and the Middle East, producing about 50% of all Egyptian nitrogen fertilizers. Established in 1976, the company is located on the Gulf of Abu Qir, 20 km east of Alexandria .