Rabat – ORNX Green Hydrogen has selected US engineering and technology company KBR to carry out the pre-front-end engineering design (Pre-FEED) phase of a large-scale low-carbon ammonia project planned for the southern Moroccan city of Laayoune.
The study will be supported by funding from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), KBR said in a statement.
Under the project, KBR will provide technology licensing and Pre-FEED services for a facility expected to produce around 560,000 metric tons of ammonia annually. The project will use approximately 900 megawatts of electrolyzer capacity to produce hydrogen.
The development is expected to combine renewable power generation, hydrogen production, and ammonia synthesis in one large-scale platform. It will make use of Laayoune’s renewable energy potential and access to port infrastructure.
KBR also supported ORNX in its engagement with USTDA and helped develop the grant application that secured funding for the Pre-FEED study.
“KBR is proud to support ORNX and USTDA on this important low cost ammonia initiative in Morocco,” Jay Ibrahim, president of Sustainable Technology Solutions at KBR, said.
He added that the company’s ammonia technology could help accelerate the project’s development, improve plant performance, and reduce execution risks.
ORNX President and CEO Peter A. Gish said the funding will support the completion of the Pre-FEED studies by KBR and a consortium that includes GE Vernova, Electric Hydrogen, and Terabase.
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The project is expected to move toward the FEED stage and, later, a final investment decision.
The development comes as Morocco seeks to expand its renewable energy and green hydrogen industries, as well as drive investment in the country’s southern regions. Morocco has identified hydrogen and its derivatives as a strategic area for investment and aims to develop large-scale projects targeting both domestic and international markets.
Low-carbon ammonia is increasingly being considered for use in fertilizer production, shipping and other industrial sectors.
KBR said its ammonia technology has been used in more than 260 projects worldwide, including new plants, upgrades and expansions.
Last month, the USTDA signed an agreement with ORNX to fund the technical study for the ammonia plant. US Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III, speaking from Laayoune, said the grant reflects the importance of US investment in Morocco’s southern provinces.
“American companies continue to demonstrate unmatched leadership and technology in developing and producing the energy that powers the global economy, including in Morocco,” Buchan said, adding that projects like this create opportunities for US exports and jobs in both countries.
