Thought Leadership

Two mega-scale urea fertilizer projects announced this year will be based on KBR’s ammonia technology. Each can support the food production needs of over 40 million people. That’s the scale of KBR’s impact on global food security.

By Henrik Larsen    

Remember the sharp, pungent smell from school chemistry labs? A damp red litmus paper would be held at the opening of a test tube containing the colorless ammonia solution. If the paper turned blue, it proved ammonia was present.  

Ammonia is a compound consisting of one nitrogen atom bound to three atoms of hydrogen atoms in a pyramid-like shape – the chemical formula is NH3. Its key industrial use is in agriculture for fertilizers production. In addition, it is used to make synthetic fibres such as nylon and rayon in the textile industry, and at mining sites.  

It may be invisible and colorless, but the impact of ammonia on agriculture is transformative. It is the main source of nitrogen in fertilizers, which helps boost plant growth and increases crop yields. In turn, this supports food production for over half of the world’s population. By driving agricultural productivity and food production worldwide, ammonia plays a vital role in food security.  

Historically speaking…

The late 19th century saw an increase in population, which resulted in a growing demand for wheat. Growing wheat repeatedly used up the soil’s nitrogen, so farmers needed nitrogen fertilizers to keep crops healthy and productive.

British scientist Sir William Crookes highlighted this growing problem, where the world needed more nitrogen to produce enough food. He called on scientists to find a way to use nitrogen from the atmosphere, paving the way for synthetic ammonia production.

Thus, the first commercial process for ammonia production, Haber-Bosch, was developed during the early 20th century by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch and resulted in two Novel Prizes for chemistry. It directly synthesizes ammonia from hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen at a high pressure and lower temperature enabled by an iron-based catalyst on a large scale.  

The Haber-Bosch process was industrialized in Germany right before World War 1 in 1913. However, during the war synthetic ammonia became crucial because of its dual role – one for boosting crop yield and the other to produce nitrogen compounds that were used in explosives.  

After World War II, there was a sudden rise in the demand for industrial fertilizers. This was driven by factors such as food shortage, population growth and the pressure to produce more food from limited farmland.  

Traditional fertilizer sources like organic nitrates and manure were insufficient to meet this rising demand and this made large-scale production of nutrients like nitrogen very crucial.  

That’s when the Haber-Bosch process became especially critical as ammonia emerged as key feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers and supported the Green Revolution during the 1950s and 70s. The era saw food production increase dramatically as high-yielding crops like rice and wheat were combined with fertilizers and improved farming practices.  

Higher crop yields, faster harvest cycles, and less reliance on crop rotation changed the way food was grown. The Haber-Bosch process transformed modern agriculture forever.

KBR’s ammonia edge

According to Ammonia Energy Association, emerging applications for ammonia are expected to help increase global demand from around 200 MTPA in 2024 to 300-320 MTPA by 2040. Since about 80% of ammonia is used for fertilizer production, this growth will help increase crop yield and support global food security – as the population grows, a larger ammonia supply will be important for meeting rising food demand.

KBR is helping drive this growth. For over seven decades, KBR has played a pivotal part in the global ammonia industry, with its technologies accounting for more than half of the world's licensed ammonia capacity. KBR’s conventional ammonia technologies, Purifier® and PurifierPlusSM, address diverse customer needs across ammonia’s critical roles in global food security and the evolving energy landscape.

KBR is not just part of the ammonia economy; it has helped build and shape it. Today, the company is uniquely positioned to lead the industry's next chapter, as ammonia expands its role from feeding the world to fueling the future.

Feeding the world

KBR’s leadership in ammonia is further demonstrated through two key ammonia and fertilizer projects signed in 2026, each with the capacity to support the food production needs of more than 40 million people globally.

Pampa Energía, Argentina, will be home to Latin America's largest single-train ammonia plant, featuring 3,430 MTPD ammonia capacity and 6,000 MTPD urea capacity. The project is expected to significantly strengthen food security in Argentina and neighboring Latin American countries.

Similarly, SABIC San 7 represents the largest single-train ammonia-to-fertilizer complex in the Middle East and Africa region, with 3,500 MTPD ammonia capacity and 8,000 MTPD urea capacity. The facility will unlock greater value from Saudi Arabia's domestic feedstocks while supporting regional and global fertilizer demand.

The United Nations has projected a growth in world population to 8.5 billion by 2030. KBR's technologies and projects are expected to continue  providing the fertilizer needed to support food production for over 2 billion of those people, reinforcing the company's commitment to feeding a growing world population.

Fueling the hydrogen future

Beyond its critical role in food security, ammonia is an important low-carbon fuel, with the potential to meet 44% of global shipping energy demand by 2050 according to IEA.

As a result, ammonia will continue to play an important role in the future energy transition. It is also the preferred carrier for hydrogen, with 85% of announced international hydrogen trade projects using ammonia.  

Around 40 to 50 ammonia projects are expected  over the next five years. Building on its leadership in ammonia technology, KBR is well positioned to capture this opportunity – by using its ammonia expertise, the company can support and help develop  the growing hydrogen economy.

Conclusion  

Valued at around $85  billion USD in 2026, the global ammonia market is forecasted to reach more than 120 billion USD by 2034 (Source: Fortune Business Insights). While fertilizers will continue to be the main use of ammonia, additional growth is expected to come from low-carbon ammonia and clean energy projects, creating new opportunities beyond agriculture.

As the demand for ammonia grows, startup performance will become an increasingly important measure of plant reliability and efficiency. KBR is recognized for delivering some of the world's largest, most efficient, and most reliable ammonia plants.  

A recent example is the company’s licensee, Indorama, whose Train 3 ammonia plant reached production within just 10 days of natural gas introduction, setting a new world record for the fastest ammonia plant startup ever. The plant then achieved 100% capacity within days, demonstrating exceptional stability and performance from the outset. This milestone highlights the strength of KBR's robust ammonia technology, disciplined execution, and strong collaboration across teams.

Through expertise in project execution, advanced technologies, physics-based AI, and modular plant design, KBR is helping customers deliver the next generation of ammonia facilities faster, smarter, and safer. 

KBR’s ammonia solutions are contributing to feeding the world and we are equipped to fuel the future of the hydrogen economy.