Pampa Energía approves $2.7 bn urea plant in Bahía Blanca

Pampa Energía gave final investment approval for a US$2.7 billion mega‑plant to produce granular urea in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The project will be the largest urea facility in Latin America, with a combined annual capacity of 2.1 million tonnes and a construction period of about 41 months, targeting start‑up in late 2029.

The plant will be built on an 80‑hectare site connected to Vaca Muerta gas pipelines and will include an ammonia unit, storage silos and a desalination plant. During construction it is expected to generate more than 3,500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect positions; once operating, about 300 permanent jobs will remain. Pampa projects the facility will contribute roughly US$1 billion a year through import substitution and exports, with Brazil identified as the main export market.