US-based KBR, a global provider of professional services and technologies, has been awarded an ammonia plant contract by Toyo Engineering Corporation (Toyo) for the Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan (HURL) greenfield urea project in Gorakhpur, India.

Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide licensing and basic engineering design (LBED) services for the project, said a statement.

HURL is a joint venture of three of the most prestigious Indian public sector companies – Coal India Limited (CIL), NTPC Limited (NTPC) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) – in cooperation with Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) and Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited (HFCL), it said.

HURL's Gorakhpur plant is an important milestone for the Government of India towards making India self-sufficient in urea production and is the first initiative of its kind by the Indian Government since the last set of plants were built over 10 years ago.

The foundation stone of the project was laid by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2016.

John Derbyshire, President, KBR Technology & Consulting, said: “We are pleased that our 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 honoured and proud to be a part of this project,” he said.

Arun Kumar Gupta, managing director, HURL, 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 fertiliser sector.”

“We believe that with best technologies and project management practices, this project will fulfil our vision of growth, efficiency and building national self-sufficiency,” he added.

KBR is a leader in ammonia technology and has been involved in the licensing, design, engineering, and/or construction of more than 230 grass roots ammonia plants and over 100 revamp ammonia projects globally, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service