OCI N.V. announced that Sorfert Algérie, a 2 million metric ton capacity Greenfield nitrogen fertilizer complex owned by Orascom Construction Industries (OCIC.CA) in partnership with Sonatrach, has restarted operations on train one and has begun commissioning works on train two.
Commercial production is expected to commence in August 2013 with exports following suit by the end of the month.
Sorfert was established through a 51/49 OCI S.A.E. and Sonatrach partnership in 2006, with OCI acting as lead Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor and Uhde providing the plant’s state-of-the-art process technology.
Sorfert is capable of producing 1.36 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) of granular urea and 0.8 mtpa of merchant anhydrous ammonia.