Tag Archives: ammonia

MCi Carbon progresses carbon capture and utilisation plant at Orica Kooragang Island site

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Australian clean technology developer MCi Carbon has, today, held a foundation ceremony for its carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) plant ‘Myrtle’, currently under construction at Orica’s Kooragang Island site.

Funded by a A$14.6 million ($9.7 million) federal government grant, the plant is aimed at scaling up the development and demonstration of an engineering process called mineral carbonation, which transforms captured carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into building products and other valuable materials.

The technology has the potential to provide a cost-competitive solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries globally and contributing to the circular economy, according to MCi Carbon.

Orica Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sanjeev Gandhi, said the project, which is expected to be operational by 2025, aligns with Orica’s sustainability and commercial goals.

“The energy transition requires careful planning and policy coordination between governments, regulators, energy suppliers, consumers and the broader private sector,” he said. “This ceremony today is a great example of business and government working together to drive innovation for a better tomorrow, as we transition towards a lower carbon future, together.

“We are proud to partner with MCi Carbon, industry, academia and the government as they scale this important technology.”

The CCU plant will source its CO2 directly from Orica’s ammonia manufacturing facility, capturing around 1,000 t of the greenhouse gas annually. In addition to supplying the feedstock, Orica has supported the project by providing land, access to utilities and significant technical expertise.

Partnering with MCi Carbon is the latest example of Orica’s commitment to decarbonising its operations. Recently, the company completed a A$37 million project to install tertiary abatement technology on the Kooragang Island site’s three nitric acid plants, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50%. That equates to 11% of all chemical process across Australia.

The tertiary abatement project will continue to eliminate 567,000 t of CO2 equivalent from the site each year, which is equal to the emissions from 50,000 homes.

Enaex and NYK to explore low-carbon ammonia fuel options in copper concentrate shipping

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Enaex says it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the international shipping group NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd (NBP), del Grupo NYK to assess the feasibility of providing low-carbon ammonia as a fuel for ships set to carry copper concentrate.

Over the next decade, NBP plans to build between 10 and 15 Handymax bulk carriers, which will use low-carbon ammonia as their main fuel. The first of these ships is expected to arrive in Chile in 2027, to be used to transport copper concentrate produced by Codelco from Mejillones, in the Antofagasta Region, to countries in the Asian market.

Juan Andrés Errázuriz, CEO of Enaex, said: “Our company’s first value is to care for life and, as part of that commitment, we are concerned about mitigating the impacts on climate change. Therefore, we are constantly working to reduce CO2 emissions and, to date, we have reduced more than 90% of emissions in our production process. Going further along this path, we are now focused on collaborating in the reduction of emissions in the transportation of raw materials.”

According to the MoU, Enaex will have to provide the low carbon ammonia for these vessels, as well as make available for loading the facilities of its terminal in Mejillones, which until now are only used for unloading ammonia.

Errázuriz said: “Our company already has experience in the transport and production of low-carbon ammonia. At our Cachimayo plant in Peru, we are producing green ammonia and we have also imported blue ammonia from the United States.”

According to the new carbon neutrality goals established by the International Maritime Organization, the shipping industry is projected to be one of the largest consumers of low-carbon ammonia in the future.

The understanding agreement was signed Errázuriz, Hitoshi Nagasawa, President of NYK, and Masashi Suda, President of NBP, at Enaex’s offices in Santiago.

Ma’aden receives DNV accreditation for low-carbon ammonia

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Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has been certified by the international assessor DNV as having produced 614,000 t of ultra low carbon ammonia, representing the largest quantity accredited in the world to date, it claims.

This is a significant step forward in Ma’aden’s plans to grow and transform its business to become an ESG role model in the Kingdom, the company said.

This accreditation highlights Ma’aden’s commitment to operational excellence and increasing its portfolio of premium products as the company positions itself in key global markets at the same time as driving the decarbonisation of supply chains across the fertiliser industry and supporting sustainable food production.

Ma’aden says there is significant potential for it to consolidate its presence as a leading producer of ultra low carbon ammonia. This follows Ma’aden’s ambitious program to ship over 138,000 t of “blue ammonia” to major global markets, including the European Union and China, signalling the company’s growing activity in global value chains.

Robert Wilt, CEO, Ma’aden, said: “We are now at the forefront of supplying the world with a lower carbon fuel source that has potential to support the global energy transition. It’s great to see our plans for growth and transformation not only being realised and putting Ma’aden on a sustainable path for the future, but also having the potential to help drive Saudi Arabia’s green ambitions.”

Geir Fuglerud, CEO of DNV SCPA, said: “This accomplishment stands as a testament to Ma’aden’s dedication to environmental stewardship and its commitment to a sustainable future. This achievement not only aligns with global sustainable developments goals but also demonstrates Ma’aden’s industry leadership position in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Orica and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries team up to tackle decarbonisation

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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Orica have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore potential opportunities for collaboration on emission-reduction initiatives, aligned with Orica and MHI’s shared decarbonisation ambitions.

The collaboration will leverage MHI’s reputation for manufacturing excellence and innovation, as well as Orica’s existing presence and emerging opportunities in the global renewable hydrogen and ammonia markets, the companies say.

The collaboration covers various areas of mutual interest, including:

  • Exploring technology deployment opportunities for renewable hydrogen and renewable ammonia production near Orica’s facilities in Newcastle and Gladstone, Australia;
  • Creating demand opportunities for renewable hydrogen and renewable ammonia in the power generation, maritime, industrial and agricultural industries;
  • Investigating activities to further reduce emissions from Orica’s existing operations.

Orica says it is building a strong pathway towards achieving net zero emissions by latest 2050, while positioning the business for a lower carbon world. Orica’s continued partnerships and investment in decarbonisation and the production of renewable hydrogen and renewable ammonia will support Orica’s sustainability goals and also support the individual goals of existing and future customers, including in key Asian growth markets such as Japan.

Orica Chief Development and Sustainability Officer, Andrew Stewart, said: “We are delighted to partner with MHI, a company that shares our vision and commitment to a more sustainable future. This collaboration signals another step towards building Orica’s climate resilience and opportunities to support further growth while supporting our customers to achieve their ESG goals. We look forward to working with MHI to explore potential emissions reduction opportunities for our organisations and our customers.”

On the signing of the MoU, Dr Hitoshi Kaguchi, Senior Executive Vice President at MHI responsible for energy transition and the expansion of growth fields, said: “It is a great honour to be able to collaborate with Orica, a leader in decarbonising hard to abate industry and developing low carbon fuel value chain in Australia. We are looking forward to contributing to Orica’s net zero ambition through our reliable technology in the future.”

Orica makes headway on decarbonisation plans, cuts 20% cut of GHG emissions from Kooragang Island

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Orica says it has achieved another milestone in its decarbonisation journey, eliminating the first 250,000 t of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) from its Kooragang Island manufacturing facility with an Australian first deployment of tertiary catalyst abatement technology (pictured).

The installation of three tertiary abatement reactors at its Kooragang Island facility has eliminated the equivalent of 20% of the plant’s total greenhouse gas emissions, for the period from November 2022 to August 2023. This means that for every tonne of nitric acid produced at the facility to produce products for many businesses across New South Wales, including the mining, agriculture, health and food industries, there has been a reduction in nitrous oxide emissions of over 95% compared with 2019 levels.

To facilitate the project, the NSW Government’s Net Zero Industry and Innovation Program co-invested A$13.06 million ($8.33 million), together with Orica’s A$25 million financed by the Federal Government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The Clean Energy Regulator also approved the project as eligible to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units.

Orica Group Executive and President Australia Pacific, Germán Morales, said: “This is another proud and critical milestone in Orica’s decarbonisation journey and ambition to achieve net zero emissions by latest 2050.

“We are accelerating action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, ensuring a sustainable future for our manufacturing facilities and supporting customers in achieving their sustainability goals. We are already seeing the benefit of this technology at our Kooragang Island facility, with an annual estimated reduction of 500,000 t of carbon dioxide equivalent. Now, as we continue our decarbonisation efforts, we will focus on installing the same proven technology at our Yarwun facility.”

Having invested to deliver significant reductions in net operational Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions across some of its major manufacturing facilities, Orica says it is expecting a total reduction of at least 19% at the end of its 2023 financial year, from 2019 baseline levels. This supports Orica’s accelerated climate target to reduce net operational Scope 1 and 2 emissions by at least 45% by 2030, from 2019 levels.

Orica’s Kooragang Island facility is presently one of NSW’s largest industrial users of gas – using approximately 10-15% of total NSW gas per year. The next step for Orica in reducing these site-based emissions will be the use of renewable hydrogen as a feedstock, rather than natural gas used today. Orica hopes to further reduce its Scope 1 emissions while producing low-carbon ammonia for possible export and freeing up domestic gas supply for Australian households.

Partnering with Origin Energy on the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, Orica is aiming to deliver a commercial-scale renewable hydrogen supply chain in the Newcastle industrial and port zone. The Hydrogen Hub will be located next to Orica’s Kooragang Island manufacturing site in Newcastle, in recognition of the competitive advantages of a strategic location on the Port of Newcastle and an established end market. It is also the only ammonia plant operating on Australia’s east coast with direct access to a deep-water port and the Port of Newcastle’s Clean Energy Precinct.

Penny Sharpe MLC, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage, today announced funding from the NSW Government’s Hydrogen Hubs Initiative of A$45 million to progress the proposed Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub on Kooragang Island. The NSW Government funding announcement follows a A$70 million contribution from the Federal Government announced in mid-July.

Orica and Origin recently signed a joint development agreement to progress plans and co-fund the proposed Hub through front-end engineering design, and continue to engage with the local community through the recent public EIS exhibition process.

Morales said: “We are deeply committed to continuing support for our customers by future-proofing our regional manufacturing, jobs and economies. As we progress plans to develop the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, by leveraging our unique location, existing operations, experience and end markets, we will not only address some of our most material greenhouse gas emissions but also create future markets for Orica while supporting our customers as the world transitions.”

Vale and Wabtec look to decarbonise Carajás Railroad operations with battery power and ammonia

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Vale has announced a partnership with Wabtec Corporation to advance the decarbonisation of the company’s rail operations. The deal includes an order for three of Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery locomotives and a collaboration to test ammonia as a potential clean, alternative fuel to replace diesel.

The three 100% battery-powered FLXdrive locomotives will be used on the Carajás Railroad (EFC), which runs the world’s largest iron ore train consisting of 330 railcars transporting 45,000 t.

Today, three to four diesel locomotives pull the train. Once delivered, the FLXdrives will join the diesel locomotives to form Brazil’s first hybrid consist pulling the train uphill for 140 km in Açailândia, in the state of Maranhão, where fuel consumption is the highest. The FLXdrives will replace the two diesel locomotives, known as “dynamic helpers”, that are used to pull the train uphill today, Vale says.

Wabtec will build the FLXdrive locomotives at its plant in Contagem (state of Minas Gerais). The locomotives’ delivery is forecast for 2026.

Vale’s Director of Energy, Ludmila Nascimento, said: “Initially, we are maximising energy efficiency, replacing the diesel locomotives in the dynamic helper with battery ones, but the idea is that, in the future, the other locomotives on the train can be fueled by ammonia. This way, we would have a clean operation at EFC. This agreement is the first of many that we are seeking in order to accelerate the decarbonization of our railway operation.”

Vale and Wabtec will work together on a study to use ammonia as a clean alternative fuel, which does not emit CO2. The study will initially be carried out as lab tests to validate performance, emission reductions and feasibility. Among the advantages of ammonia is the fact that it allows the locomotive a longer range than other carbon-free fuels. In addition, ammonia has a high-octane rating and an established large-scale distribution infrastructure, according to Vale. The two companies will carry out the study in a laboratory over the next two years.

The FLXdrive locomotive’s energy management system recharges the batteries along the route as the train brakes.

Alexandre Silva, Manager of Vale’s Powershift Program, said: “It’s what we call regenerative energy produced by dynamic braking. Today, that energy is lost when a traditional locomotive brakes. In the downhill sections, we will be able to recharge the batteries, without having to stop the train’s operation.”

Vale introduced the Powershift Program to study alternative technologies to replace fossil fuels with clean sources in the company’s operations.

The FLXdrive locomotives are estimated to save 25 million litres of diesel per year, considering the consumption of all the railway’s trains that use the dynamic helper. These savings would reduce carbon emissions by approximately 63,000 t, the equivalent emissions of around 14,000 passenger cars per year, it says.

Danilo Miyasato, President and General Manager of Wabtec for Latin America, said: “Technological advances in battery power and alternative fuels are accelerating the decarbonisation journey for railroads. Vale’s innovative approach to adopting alternative fuels for its locomotives will benefit its customers, shareholders and communities. The FLXdrive provides Vale productivity, safety, fuel economy and emission reductions for its rail network.”

In 2020, Vale announced an investment of between $4 billion and $6 billion to reduce its direct and indirect emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 33% by 2030. Today, Vale’s rail network represents 10% of the company’s carbon emissions. The initiative is one more step towards achieving the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, in line with the ambition of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to below 2°C by the end of the century.

The company also committed to reducing its net emissions from its value chain (Scope 3) by 15% by 2035.

WEC Projects to help trap sediment at Lucara Diamond’s Karowe mine

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Following its successful expansion of the sewage treatment plant at the Lucara Diamond’s Karowe mine in Botswana, WEC Projects has secured further orders from the client, it says.

This time, it has been engaged for the design and construction of a sedimentation trap, tanker filling station and associated infrastructure, including storm water drains and fencing.

Karowe, where a 1174.76 ct, high-quality white gem diamond, the third largest found in Botswana, was recently recovered, is near the village of Letlhakane in the arid eastern Kalahari Basin where temperatures average 35°C. As a result, water is scarce, so much so that the Government of Botswana has imposed severe water restrictions on companies operating in the region.

WEC Projects originally designed and built artificial wetlands which the mine uses to treat its effluent, removing contaminants such as BOD, ammonia, suspended solids and heavy metals, to a standard for reuse as process water.

The new sedimentation trap will be used in the water recycling process of the mine’s drilling operations. The effluent is pumped from the underground drilling areas to a concrete trap and clarification unit where it is dosed with alum and a polymer to enhance the settling of the solids. The effluent overflows from the trap to the plant’s oil skimmer to remove floating oil. The system treats an average of 34 cu.m/d of effluent but can be expanded up to 150 cu.m/d, if required, according to WEC Projects.

The polished water is drawn from the tanker station and disinfected by dosing chlorine. Although the water is not suitable for human consumption, it is reused in applications such as dust suppression.

WEC Projects Contracts Manager, Ruan Kellerman, said: “This project is a fairly standard one for WEC Projects, except for the wetlands section which was certainly the largest of its kind we have undertaken. Our clients, many of whom are located in some of the driest and hottest areas of Africa where water is scarce, rely on us to come up with agile solutions for water reuse. We can provide solutions capable of treating water to process water reuse standards all the way up to potable standards.”

BQE Water to provide plant operations services for Minto Mine water treatment plant

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BQE Water has entered into an Operating Services Agreement with Minto Metals Corp to provide plant operations services for an existing water treatment plant at Minto Mine, some 240 km northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon, through to 2024.

Under the agreement, BQE Water will be responsible for clean water production at the Canadian mine where the final effluent must meet stringent requirements not only for metals but ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to protect the aquatic life in the receiving environment. Included in the operations services provided by BQE Water will be on-site technical supervision, coordination with Minto’s environmental and metallurgical team to maximise the volume of water discharged into the environment, operator training, and on-site and off-site engineering support.

BQE Water’s compensation will be composed of a base monthly fee and a supplemental fee for the volume of water treated that meets discharge specifications. It is estimated the plant will treat and discharge 400,000 cu.m of mine water for the remainder of the year and approximately 750,000-1,000,000 cu.m of mine water in each subsequent year of the current contract.

“We are highly appreciative of the responsiveness and technical proficiency provided by BQE Water to address the concerns we had with our water treatment plant,” Loralee Johnstone, the VP of Environment and Social Governance for the mine, said. “The transition to their operations has been systematic and transparent, with the resulting operational work surpassing our expectations.”

David Kratochvil, BQE Water’s President & CEO added: “We value the opportunity to help Minto achieve its environmental and social governance goals. We also look forward to collaborating with the Selkirk First Nation to achieve sustainable and transparent water management at the mine.”

As part of its role at Minto, BQE Water has engaged in discussions with the mine and the Selkirk First Nation about creating an active role for the local community to participate in clean water production at the site to ensure the continued protection of land and water for countless generations in the future.

The Minto mine has been in operation since 2007 with underground mining commencing in 2014. The current mine operations are based on underground mining, a process plant to produce high-grade copper, gold and silver concentrate and all supporting infrastructure associated with a remote location in Yukon.

FFI and IPL’s Gibson Island ‘green ammonia’ plans progress to engineering stage

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Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) will progress planning for the conversion of IPL’s Gibson Island ammonia facility to run on green hydrogen to its final stages, electing to commence front end engineering design as well as executing a framework agreement to govern the project through to a final investment decision, Fortescue Metals Group says.

With studies having confirmed its feasibility, the proposed project could see the construction of a new circa-500 MW hydrogen electrolysis facility at the site to produce green hydrogen as well as the retrofitting of IPL’s existing ammonia manufacturing facility to run on the green hydrogen produced on-site.

IPL’s Gibson Island facility will cease traditional fertiliser manufacturing early in the new year. As part of IPL’s decarbonisation strategy and in line with FFI’s goals to help heavy industry decarbonise, the Brisbane ammonia manufacturing and port facility conversion would be a world-first, Fortescue claims.

The two companies said last year they were partnering on a project to conduct a feasibility study to convert the ammonia-production facility to run on green, renewable hydrogen.

IPL Managing Director and CEO, Jeanne Johns, said the company was pleased to create a pathway to a more sustainable future for the Gibson Island ammonia manufacturing facility after traditional fertiliser production ceases.

By virtue of running on green hydrogen, the facility could ultimately produce up to 400,000 t/y of green ammonia, which can be exported to international markets as well as used in fertiliser or to help decarbonise local industry through its potential use as a low-carbon fuel source for ports, airports and heavy transport.

Front end engineering design (FEED) is a critical phase in development and will firm up technical specifications and cost, underpin procurement, as well as mature the project to final investment decision (FID), targeted for 2023. The FEED phase is anticipated to cost around A$38 million ($24 million), with the federal government, through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, contributing A$13.7 million.

FFI CEO, Mark Hutchison, said around 100 jobs would be supported across the project in the lead up to FID, with first production, subject to FID, expected around 2025.

“Progressing this project into this final assessment stage is an important milestone in what will be a world-first conversion of an existing facility to become an industrial-scale producer of green hydrogen and green ammonia,” Hutchinson said.

“This collaboration aims to put Queensland and Australia ahead of the pack – not only in terms of the scale of production and supply of green hydrogen and green ammonia, but also in terms of demonstrating to the world that projects like this are feasible and that Australia has the foresight, the commitment, and the know-how to invest in and deliver them.

“We’re so pleased to have the support of a partner in IPL who are as invested as we are in developing real-world solutions to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and equally appreciate the support of the federal government who are a key enabler of us progressing the project to its final development phase.”

Johns said the announcement was a significant step forward for sustainability with IPL and FFI leading the global charge.

“The potential conversion of Gibson Island to green ammonia shows our commitment to pursuing opportunities to help create a more sustainable world in the new and emerging opportunities stemming from green ammonia,” Johns said.

“We are very pleased to be able to partner with FFI on what would be a world-first project, and I extend my thanks for the partnership and support from both the federal and Queensland governments.”

The parties are also working with the Queensland Government to understand how the project could benefit local energy markets and support the delivery of the Queensland Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan and broader development objectives.

Vale clears another hurdle in pursuit of lower-carbon fuel adoption in shipping operations

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Vale says it has achieved a major advance in the adoption of alternative, lower-carbon fuels for shipping, with the company’s design to incorporate multi-fuel tanks on iron ore carriers having received an Approval in Principle (AIP) from the leading classification society, DNV.

The independent assessment performed by DNV verifies the technical feasibility of the design and indicates that, based on this system, developed in partnership with Norwegian companies Brevik Engineering AS and Passer Marine, vessels chartered by the mining company could be adapted to store fuels as liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol and ammonia in the future.

The multi-fuel tank design is part of the Ecoshipping program, developed by Vale to adopt new technologies and renew its fleet with the aim of reducing carbon emissions from shipping. A preliminary study for ships of the Guaibamax category estimates that emissions reductions can range from 40-80% when powered by methanol and ammonia, or up to 23% in the case of LNG.

Currently, dozens of second-generation VLOCs (Very Large Ore Carriers) already in operation, with 400,000 t and 325,000 t capacities, have been designed for future installation of an LNG system, including an under-deck compartment to receive a tank with capacity for the entire voyage. Having received the AIP for the multi-fuel tank design, a pilot project will now be developed in the coming months for the implementation of this system on a Guaibamax.

Vale says it has invested heavily to incorporate state-of-the-art efficiency and environmental innovation in the shipping area. Since 2018, the company has been operating second-generation Valemaxes and, since 2019, Guaibamaxes, with capacities of 400,000 t and 325,000 t, respectively. These vessels are among the most efficient in the world and can reduce CO2-equivalent emissions by up to 41% compared with a capesize ship of 180,000 t built in 2011, the company claims.

Vale’s Shipping Technical Manager, Rodrigo Bermelho, said: “The multi-fuel tank system removes some of the main barriers to the adoption of alternative fuels, which include regulatory and infrastructure uncertainty in defining the optimal fuel. It is a solution for the future, but one that could also impact existing ships, many of which have more than 20 years of service life ahead of them. Allied to other energy efficiency technologies in progress at Vale, such as rotating sails and air lubrication, it allows us to have more efficient vessels with very low carbon emissions.”

In addition to adopting alternative fuels, Vale says it has developed innovative energy-efficient technologies: last year, it presented the first ore carrier equipped with rotating sails and the first Guaibamax ship with air lubrication installed. These initiatives are part of Ecoshipping.

Vale has announced investments of up to $6 billion since 2020 to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33% by 2030. The company has also committed to a 15% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2035, related to the value chain, of which shipping emissions are part, since the ships are not owned by the company. The targets are aligned with the ambition of the Paris Agreement.