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Petrobras to resume construction of UFN-III

  • : Fertilizers
  • 24/10/25

Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras will resume construction of its nitrogen-based fertilizer unit UFN-III in Tres Lagoas, in central-western Mato Grosso do Sul state.

Petrobras' board of directors approved the restart of construction today. The unit — halted in 2014 — is 81pc complete and was initially scheduled to start operating in 2015. The company expects to invest R3.5bn ($614mn) to conclude the unit, whose operations may start in 2028. Petrobras will now start a process to contract third parties to resume building works.

The announcement comes after Petrobras started a binding phase for the sale of the unit in August 2022, following a potential sale of the asset that was canceled in April 2022.

The decision is in line with the company's five-year strategic plan, which foresees increasing investments in the fertilizer sector.

Petrobras announced in August investments of $159mn to restart its Araucaria Nitrogenados fertilizer unit. It also signed an agreement with Norway-based global fertilizer producer Yara to consider a potential partnership in Brazil's fertilizer sector and another agreement with Brazil's agriculture research center Embrapa to study the development of renewable feedstock for lower-carbon products such as fertilizers and biofuels.


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24/10/25

Seca no Brasil: Níveis dos rios voltam a subir

Seca no Brasil: Níveis dos rios voltam a subir

Sao Paulo, 25 October (Argus) — Os embarques brasileiros de grãos e fertilizantes seguem em risco devido ao baixo nível dos rios ao longo das principais hidrovias, uma vez que a pior seca na história do Brasil continua dificultando a navegação. Porém, os rios registraram recuperação esta semana, devido ao aumento das chuvas no país, com seus níveis subindo novamente após quase um mês de quedas consecutivas. Hidrovia do Madeira A hidrovia Madeira liga Porto Velho, capital do estado de Rondônia, ao porto de Itacoatiara, no estado do Amazonas, e é a segunda maior da região Norte. Em outubro, o porto de Itacoatiara deve receber cerca de 70.634 toneladas (t) de fertilizantes, de acordo com dados de lineup da agência marítima Unimar. O nível do rio Madeira em Porto Velho aumentou para 91cm em 23 de outubro, ante 46cm em 18 de outubro, de acordo com dados do monitoramento do Serviço Geológico Brasileiro (SGB). Porém, a navegação permanece suspensa no porto, depois da Sociedade de Portos e Hidrovias do estado (SOPH) interromper as operações em 23 de setembro porque o Rio Madeira registrou seu menor nível desde que o monitoramento começou em 1967. Hidrovia do Solimões-Amazonas A hidrovia Solimões-Amazonas é a principal do Norte do Brasil, movimentando cerca de 65pc dos volumes da região, segundo o Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes (DNIT). Ela liga a capital do Amazonas, Manaus, à capital do Pará, Belém. Em 23 de outubro, o nível do Rio Negro estava em 12,56m no ponto de monitoramento do SGB em Manaus, acima dos 12,46m de 18 de outubro. Isso ainda supera o menor nível histórico de 12,7m registrado em 121 anos de monitoramento. Hidrovia do Tapajós-Teles Pires É uma hidrovia importante para transportar os volumes produzidos na porção norte do estado de Mato Grosso até o porto de Santarém, no Pará. O porto de Santarém deve receber 130.234t de fertilizantes em outubro, de acordo com dados de lineup da agência marítima Unimar. A hidrovia Tapajós-Teles Pires também enfrenta uma situação crítica. A Agência Nacional de Águas e Saneamento Básico (ANA) declarou escassez hídrica no Rio Tapajós em 23 de setembro. O clima mais seco do que o normal reduziu os níveis dos rios — especialmente no trecho entre as cidades de Itaituba e Santarém, no Pará — para abaixo dos níveis mínimos históricos. O nível do Rio Tapajós no ponto de monitoramento de Itaituba, onde está localizado o ponto de transbordo para a hidrovia em Miritituba, estava em 1,03m em 23 de outubro, acima dos 92cm em 18 de outubro, mas ainda abaixo da mínima recorde de 1,32m, de acordo com dados do SBG. No ponto de monitoramento de Santarém, o Rio Tapajós estava em 27cm, um nível considerado de seca. O nível era de 28cm em 18 de outubro. O mínimo histórico no local é de -55cm abaixo do ponto de referência do porto. Um nível abaixo de zero não significa que o rio está seco, mas indica condições extremamente baixas. Hidrovia Tocantins-Araguaia A hidrovia Tocantins-Araguaia abrange os Rios Araguaia e Tocantins. Ela vai da cidade de Barra do Garças, em Mato Grosso, pelo Rio Araguaia, ou da cidade de Peixes, no estado do Tocantins, pelo Rio Tocantins, até o porto de Vila do Conde, no Pará. Soja, milho, fertilizantes, combustíveis, óleos minerais e produtos derivados são transportados pelas hidrovias do Norte. O porto de Vila do Conde deve receber 245.500t de fertilizantes em outubro, de acordo com a Unimar. O SGB possui dois pontos de monitoramento no Rio Araguaia. Na cidade de Nova Crixás, em Goiás, o rio estava em 3,11m em 23 de outubro, acima dos 2,85m de 18 de outubro e superando o mínimo histórico anterior de 3,10m. Na cidade de São Félix do Araguaia, em Mato Grosso, o rio estava a 2,71m, acima dos 2,56m de 18 de outubro, se recuperando dos níveis extremos de seca e se afastando da mínima histórica de 2,51m. Por João Petrini Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.

Pupuk Indonesia receives final sMOP offers


24/10/25
24/10/25

Pupuk Indonesia receives final sMOP offers

Athens, 25 October (Argus) — State-controlled fertilizer group Pupuk Indonesia has received six offers to supply 220,000t of standard MOP at $310-311/t cfr in its e-auction tender today. The offers were submitted by BPC, Canpotex, APC, K+S, Food Security Solutions/Uralkali and Fertistream/Eurochem. The lowest offers were submitted by BPC and Canpotex. Initial offers under the first round, which closed on 18 October, were submitted in the range of $315-323/t cfr. The tender requests delivery between December 2024 and April 2025. It requested 175,000t to be shipped to Gresik port for Petrokimia Gresik in lots of 25,000t, with the first shipment to arrive in January 2025. Another 10,000t is to be shipped to Cigading port for Pupuk Kujang in a single lot for arrival by 1 December, and another 35,000t to be shipped to Lhokseumawe port for Pupuk Iskanda Muda in lots of 20,000t for arrival by 3 December. By Nykole King Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Ukraine's Rivneazot restarts CAN production


24/10/24
24/10/24

Ukraine's Rivneazot restarts CAN production

Athens, 24 October (Argus) — Ukrainian fertilizer firm Ostchem will resume calcium nitrate (CAN) production at its Rivneazot plant in November, after it was forced to shut in August. The closure allowed for maintenance and reconstruction of several units — including the energy supply system — Rivneazot chairman Mikhail Zabluda said. The CAN line is now back at capacity, Zabluda said, running at 38,000 t/month. Rivneazot AN production restarted earlier this month . AN and CAN production was halted following damage to the region's energy infrastructure from shelling, according to Zabluda. Rivneazot, in northwest Ukraine, is producing 40,000 t/month of AN and also running its 650 t/d ammonia line and 1,000 t/d nitric acid unit. By Nykole King Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Indonesian rice field growth to lift fertilizer demand


24/10/24
24/10/24

Indonesian rice field growth to lift fertilizer demand

Singapore, 24 October (Argus) — Indonesia's government plans to launch a program to develop around 3mn hectares (ha) of new rice fields from next year, which will likely lift domestic fertilizer demand in 2025. The first phase would involve developing around 1mn ha of paddy in Merauke, West Papua. This is expected to create local demand of around 500,000 t/yr for urea and NPK fertilizers, according to a source at state-controlled fertilizer group Pupuk Indonesia. President Prabowo Subianto supports this paddy expansion program to bolster Indonesia's national food security. The expansion plan also includes increasing the number of harvests from one harvest each year to around 2-3 harvests annually. Pupuk Indonesia is building a 1mn t/yr granular urea plant in Fakfak Regency, West Papua, which is expected to be completed in 2028, targeted to cater to potential growth in demand from expansions in rice planting areas. The group is also building a 400,000 t/yr prilled urea plant Pusri 3B in Palembang to replace its older prilled urea units. The plant is expected to come on line in 2025. Pupuk Indonesia is required to continue producing large volumes of subsidised fertilizers for the domestic industry. The government allocates approximately 25 trillion rupiah/yr ($1.6bn/yr) to aid farmers in obtaining affordable fertilizers, according to Pupuk Indonesia. The government increased the fertilizer subsidy allocation by around 14 trillion rupiahs this year to benefit more farmers. Pupuk Indonesia will distribute around 9.55mn t of subsidised fertilizer allocation in 2024, with around 4.63mnt consisting of urea fertilizers, 4.42mn t of NPK fertilizer including special formula NPKs, and 500,000t of organic fertilizers. Subsidised fertilizer allocations have also increased across all regions, with West Java receiving 1.21mn t, Central Java 1.51mn t, East Java at 1.92mn t, South Sulawesi 798,200t, and Lampung at 803,700t. Pupuk Indonesia currently has a fertilizer production capacity of over 14.6mn t/yr. The increase in domestic demand for fertilizers like urea and NPK could potentially result in fewer exports from Indonesia in 2025, as more production is prioritised for the domestic markets. By Dinise Chng Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australia's Jan-Aug urea imports beat 2023 record high


24/10/24
24/10/24

Australia's Jan-Aug urea imports beat 2023 record high

Sydney, 24 October (Argus) — Australia's urea imports over January-August surpassed record-high levels in the whole of 2023, GTT data show, because of exceptional grain output and favourable weather conditions. Urea imports into Australia reached 3.35mn t in the first eight months of the year, already breaking the previous record high of 3.18mn t of imports in the whole of 2023 (see graph). Urea imports were notably at 768,800t in June, up by 66pc compared to the same month of 2023 when 463,200t was imported. Market participants have attributed the large increase to exceptional grain output across Australia, especially in New South Wales and Queensland, which has been supported by favourable rainfall. One urea importer noted imports could have been higher last year but many farmers put off their urea purchases, because of an El Nino forecast which failed to materialise, and this slowed imports. Saudi Arabia has been Australia's largest supplier so far this year at 597,000t, followed by the UAE, Indonesia, Qatar, Oman and Malaysia with 571,400t, 539,200t, 497,300t, 493,500t and 309,600t respectively. Imports from Indonesia have been notably much higher this year, more than tripling from 172,900t in the whole of 2023. But imports from China dropped significantly from 118,000t to just 17,000t on the back of export controls. Australian urea imports typically peak in the middle of the year before trailing off until January and then picking up again. Australia imported 625,200t of urea from September to the end of the year in 2023. Assuming imports stay at that level or are surpassed, as has been the case for most months this year, total imports could reach 4mn t, double the 1.99mn t of urea imported in 2019. Australia became entirely dependent on imports for urea in December 2022 after fertilisers and chemicals producer Incitec Pivot (IPL) shut down its Gibson Island fertiliser plant in Brisbane, Queensland. Market participants expect urea imports to remain strong until Australian fertilizer producer Perdaman's A$6bn ($4bn) urea project at Burrup Peninsula, Karratha Western Australia project is completed. Construction of the project started in late April and is expected start producing around 2.3mn t/yr of urea in 2026. The plant has a 20-year agreement with Woodside's Scarborough Gas Project to utilise its natural gas as feedstock while the plant also has a 20-year urea offtake agreement with IPL , with urea expected to be marketed to domestic and international export destinations. By Tom Woodlock Australia urea imports (t) Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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