Maire Tecnimont wins construction contract for new UAE ammonia plant

TA’ZIZ, the chemical and transition fuels initiative underway in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Abu Dhabi, announced the commencement of its construction phase for a new low-carbon ammonia production facility. This development was highlighted during the “Make it in the Emirates” forum. The facility, boasting a production capacity of 1 million tons per annum (mtpa), is a collaboration involving Fertiglobe, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and GS Energy Corporation, with the construction contract awarded to Tecnimont S.p.A. of the MAIRE Group.

Scheduled to begin construction in the third quarter of 2024 and expected to start operations by 2027, the project is designed to bolster Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a leader in low-carbon fuels. This aligns with increasing global demand for low-carbon ammonia, which is emerging as a preferred carrier fuel for clean hydrogen. Notably, a significant share of the contract’s value will support the local economy through ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) program.

The plant is expected to produce ammonia with 50% lower carbon intensity compared to traditional methods in its first phase, with further reductions anticipated in the second phase through enhanced carbon capture and sequestration efforts.

The first phase of TA’ZIZ aims to foster domestic production of six critical chemicals, including ammonia and methanol, paving the way for the creation of numerous new end-products within the UAE for the first time. This phase is anticipated to generate a multi-billion dollar uplift in the country’s GDP and create thousands of job opportunities over the next two decades.

TA’ZIZ is also planning a significant expansion to more than double its initial production capacity and increase its decarbonization efforts through advanced clean power solutions and carbon capture technologies.