MAIRE has secured a major €1.3 billion contract in Argentina, marking its entry into the country's industrial market with the development of what is set to become Latin America's largest urea production facility.

 

The contract, awarded to MAIRE's subsidiary Tecnimont by Fértil Pampa S.A.U., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pampa Energia S.A., covers the engineering, procurement, commissioning and start-up of a large-scale fertilizer complex in Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires Province.

 

The project will feature a large-scale ammonia plant and two ultra-low energy (ULE) urea production trains, each with its own granulation unit. Together, the facility will produce 6,000 metric tons of urea per day, or 2.1 million tons annually, making it the largest urea plant in Latin America by production capacity.

 

The 80-hectare complex will be built within the Bahía Blanca Industrial Complex, adjacent to Pampa Energia's existing power generation assets. The site offers direct access to critical infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines, high-voltage transmission lines, water intake systems and a deep-water export port, supporting efficient operations and logistics.

 

Tecnimont will lead project execution, while MAIRE's Nextchem will provide the technology package, including Stamicarbon's urea melt and granulation licensing technologies, Process Design Package (PDP), proprietary equipment and the primary reformer for syngas production through KT Tech. KBR will supply the ammonia technology.

 

Of the project's total value, approximately €140 million relates to Nextchem's technology package. Argentine construction company SACDE S.A. will oversee construction, with project completion targeted within 41 months.

 

Beyond expanding Argentina's fertilizer production capacity, the project is expected to deliver significant economic benefits. At peak construction, it is forecast to create more than 3,500 direct jobs, along with thousands of indirect employment opportunities across the supply chain. 

 

The development is also expected to strengthen Argentina's position in regional fertilizer markets while supporting the monetization of the country's natural gas resources.

 

Alessandro Bernini, CEO of MAIRE, commented: “This award marks our entry in Argentina, further diversifying our geographical footprint, and highlights our ability to integrate Tecnimont’s recognized project execution capabilities alongside Nextchem’s technology portfolio to deliver large-scale industrial projects worldwide. 

 

"We are proud to contribute to the development of this strategic fertilizer complex in the region, which will support the monetization of natural gas reserves in the domestic downstream sector, and also strengthen the country’s fertilizer production.”