KBR to supply tech for Enaex's green ammonia project in Chile

Explosives and blasting services provider Enaex SA has selected the K-GreeN technology offered by ammonia process licensor KBR Inc (NYSE:KBR) for deployment as part of the HyEx green ammonia project in Chile.

KBR announced this on Monday, saying that Toyo Engineering Corporation will handle the front-end engineering and design (FEED) work based on the US company’s proprietary technology and basic engineering design.

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Ammonia is the main raw material for Enaex, which uses it to produce the ammonium nitrate needed for its blasting services and exports. However, ammonia imports currently account for about 90% of the company’s total carbon footprint in the production process, it estimates.

In an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint, the company has partnered with utility Engie Latam SA to develop the HyEx project. The latter's role is to supply green hydrogen produced by a 26-MW electrolyser. Enaex will use this hydrogen to produce 18,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year in 2025 as part of the project's first phase.

The second phase, planned for 2030, envisages the production of about 700,000 tonnes of green ammonia with hydrogen from a 2.8-GW electrolysis plant.

The project received environmental approval last spring.