Nutrien Trinidad shutdown turns indefinite as gas shortage halts key 85,000 t/month ammonia site

Nutrien Trinidad operations will stay shut indefinitely, the Canadian producer said on October 5, ending a year of uncertainty over its Point Lisas nitrogen complex.

The company said it reached the decision after a review of strategic alternatives, citing ongoing natural gas supply constraints and uncertainty in Trinidad and Tobago.

Nutrien began a controlled shutdown of the site on October 23, 2025. At the time it blamed port access restrictions imposed by the country’s National Energy Corporation and the lack of a reliable, economic gas supply.

Before the shutdown, the Nutrien Trinidad plant produced about 85,000 metric tons of ammonia and 55,000 metric tons of urea a month.

The company said those challenges had cut the site’s free cash flow contribution over an extended period. It expects the closure to improve free cash flow and return on invested capital.

Nutrien said the move will not change its 2026 nitrogen sales outlook, with North American plants expected to meet customer demand.

The decision lands in a tight Atlantic nitrogen market. Fertilizer Daily reported this week that U.S. nitrogen inventories are heading into 2027 below average.

Nutrien has not said whether it will sell or dismantle the Point Lisas assets.

Source: Reuters via BNN Bloomberg

Key facts about the Nutrien Trinidad shutdown