KBR has secured a major technology contract from SABIC Agri-Nutrients (SABIC AN) for a new 3,500-metric-ton-per-day ammonia plant in Jubail, strengthening the US engineering and technology company's position in Saudi Arabia's expanding fertilizer sector.

 

Under the contract, KBR will provide technology licensing, basic engineering design, proprietary equipment and catalyst supply for the single-train facility. Samsung E&A will serve as the EPC contractor, with the plant expected to produce 1.2 million metric tons of ammonia annually.

 

The project is set to significantly expand SABIC AN's fertilizer production capacity, increasing its urea output from 4.8 million to 7.4 million metric tons per year.

 

KBR said its Purifier ammonia technology will enable lower carbon intensity per ton of ammonia compared with conventional process designs, adding an emissions-efficiency dimension to the large-scale project.

 

The award ranks among the largest ammonia-capacity plants licensed in Saudi Arabia and represents KBR's largest ammonia technology license by capacity in the Middle East and Africa.

 

The project also aligns with Saudi Arabia's industrial development ambitions under Vision 2030, while increasing the Kingdom's fertilizer production capacity as global demand for agricultural inputs continues to grow.

 

“This award confirms the strength of our Purifier ammonia technology and the trust that leading producers such as SABIC AN place in KBR to deliver reliable, high-performance solutions at world scale,” said Stuart Bradie, President and CEO, KBR. “We are proud to support SABIC AN’s growth ambitions and help expand fertilizer production capacity in the Kingdom while contributing to global food security.”

 

The deal marks KBR's second large-scale single-train ammonia award of 2026, following a 3,430 MTPD plant in Latin America.

 

KBR said its ammonia technology has been deployed in more than 260 grassroots facilities since 1943. The company is also advancing plant efficiency and operational performance through technologies including KBR INSITE, its physics-enabled AI advisor for smarter operations.