News Fertilizer
Partnership aims to improve fertilizer production in Western Canada

thyssenkrupp Uhde and Genesis Fertilizers have agreed to a conceptual design study for the development of a fertilizer complex to be located near Belle Plaine, Sask.

The proposed plant will be designed to utilize the latest production technology available for nitrogen fertilizer production, along with design options to also enable significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions while exploring renewable-based hydrogen, electricity options and carbon capture. The plant will be designed to produce approximately 1,500 MTPD (metric tonne per day) of ammonia, with downstream production of urea, urea ammonium sulphate and DEF (diesel exhaust fluid). The production of nitric acid and UAN (urea ammonium nitrate) is also being considered.

“Our primary goal is to build the most cost-efficient production and supply of nitrogen fertilizers to the farmers in Western Canada based on the most advanced technologies available while considering the carbon impact,” said Jason Mann, president and CEO of Genesis Fertilizers. “This project signifies that the transition of the fertilizer industry to become more environmentally friendly has started.”

This partnership announcement initializes the conceptual design or Pre-FEED (front-end engineering and design) stage which will complete the design basis of the plant, including capacities, technology selection, product mixes, mass balance of inputs and outputs, block flow diagrams and carbon footprint optimization. The product formulations this plant will produce are expected to streamline fertilizer handling in Canada, leading to a notable reduction in the overall carbon footprint associated with fertilizer production.