KBR to support with upcoming ammonia plant in Gorakhpur

KBR, a global consulting firm offering specialised services to the public sector, has been awarded the contract for the Hindustan Uravarak and Rasayan Limited (HURL) plant; India’s first ammonia plant to be constructed in over a decade. The contract was awarded by the Toyo Engineering Corporation; the plant’s official construction company.

As an economy that is heavily dependent on agriculture, India has an exceptionally high level of urea consumption. While local producers run overtime to supply these consumption levels, domestic production still falls short of the required volume, prompting import activity.

India produces just under 25 million tons of urea annually, and consumes over 30 million. The remainder is often supplied by Oman, China and Iran, among others. Over the last year, however, the government has initiated efforts towards self-sufficiency, hoping to eliminate the necessity for imports by 2022.

To this end, three public sector companies, namely Coal India Limited, NTPC, and the Indian Oil Corporation, have come together to develop HURL in Gorakhpur, initiated in 2016. New ammonia plants were last constructed in India ten years ago, and the new greenfield urea project is the medium to push the country the last mile.

Earlier this year, the task of constructing the plant was awarded to the India arm of Japanese construction firm Toyo Engineering Corporation. Now, Toyo India has selected KBR to support with the project, primarily as a provider of licensing and basic engineering design services.

KBR is a Texas-based firm, conceptualised in 1901 as a provider of engineering and construction services, which has since evolved into a professional services firm with a focus on technology. The firm primarily serves the Government Services and Hydrocarbon sectors, offering support with each stage of the asset life cycle.

Today, KBR operates in 40 countries, serving clients in 80 countries through its expansive staff of 34,000 employees. The firm divides its service offerings into three clearly defined verticals, which include involvement with the public sector, a focus on technology, and an expertise in engineering and construction.

This combination of focus areas has led the firm to assist with projects in a plethora of heavy industrial sectors, including defense, aviation, space, chemicals, petrochemicals, oil and gas, naval architecture, and a number of others. Most relevant to the HURL project is KBR’s experience with ammonia, nitric acid, and other fertilizers.

Commenting on winning the HURL contract, John Derbyshire, President of KPBR Technology & Consulting said, “We are pleased that KBR's ammonia technology has been selected for the first greenfield urea plant being set-up by HURL as part of this initiative by the Government of India. This project will be an important milestone for India to meet its urea demand and KBR is honored and proud to be a part of this project.”

Meanwhile, the managing director of HURL, Arun kumar Gupta said; “HURL project at Gorakhpur shows the commitment and support of Government of India, Niti Aayog, Department of Fertilizer under Indian Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and promoter companies, towards the Indian Fertilizer sector. We believe that with best technologies and project management practices, this project will fulfill our vision of growth, efficiency and building national self-sufficiency.”

The NITI Aayog has been endowed with considerable funds to finance external help, particularly from the consulting industry, which it has put to good use to implement a number of its schemes, including the GST and the ‘Make in India’ campaign.