CF Industries breaks ground on massive Louisiana ammonia plant

Construction has officially commenced on the Blue Point Project, a low-carbon ammonia facility in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The project, valued at approximately $3.7 billion to $4 billion, is a joint venture between CF Industries, Japan-based JERA Co. Inc., and Mitsui & Co.

Expected to be operational by 2029, the plant is projected to become the world’s largest low-carbon ammonia facility, with an annual production capacity of 1.4 million metric tons. The facility will utilize autothermal reforming technology and carbon capture systems.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins noted that the project is a priority for increasing the affordability and availability of fertilizer. The plant is expected to support roughly 6.7 million acres of U.S. corn production. Officials emphasized that increasing domestic production is a matter of national security, as the United States currently imports approximately 50 percent of the 20 million tons of fertilizer used annually.

The construction phase is expected to support approximately 3,900 jobs, with more than 100 permanent positions created once the facility is online.