UREA
Advanced Technologies shaping the next generation of fertilizer plants
Why Urea Matters
- Full suite of sustainable solutions for nitrogen-based fertilizers
- Over 75 years of licensing and engineering experience
- Energy-efficient loops and low-emission designs
- Strong integration with ammonia and nitrate platforms
Urea is the most widely used nitrogen fertilizer in the world, supporting global agriculture and food production. Its high nitrogen content, low cost, and ease of storage and transport make it the fertilizer of choice in both developed and emerging markets.
However, urea production is energy- and emissions-intensive, relying heavily on natural gas and steam.
As decarbonization targets intensify across the fertilizer industry, producers face a growing challenge: how to keep their plants competitive and compliant, while reducing environmental impact and unlocking new value streams.
Industrial Applications of Urea
Although urea is best known for its role in agriculture, its industrial applications are increasingly important. Urea serves as a key intermediate in:
- Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF / AdBlue®) for NOₓ reduction in transport
- Melamine and resins for the plastics and coatings industries
- UAN (Urea Ammonium Nitrate) solutions for precision liquid fertilizers
- Adhesives and specialty chemicals
Nextchem Technologies For Urea
At Nextchem, we offer a wide range of solutions in Sustainable Fertilizers & Nitrogen-Based Fuels through our subsidiary, Stamicarbon.
As the global market leader in urea technologies, Stamicarbon is constantly innovating and introducing new solutions to extend plant life, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and optimizing energy consumption.
Whether you are conceptualizing a new plant, optimizing an existing one, or planning a renovation, we provide end-to-end support throughout your plant’s entire lifecycle. Learn more about our service lines and innovative urea solutions:
Stamicarbon, the nitrogen technology licensor of NEXTCHEM, has delivered numerous projects worldwide covering technology licensing, plant optimization and revamping for urea, ammonia, and nitric acid production.
Nextchem provides:
- Plant assessment
- Feasibility studies
- Technology licensing
- Proprietary Equipment
- Revamps and plant debottlenecking
- Full Life Cycle Support
Download the leaflet to discover all the key feature about our tecnology.
FAQ
What do I need to make urea?
A urea plant is typically part of a fertilizer complex. To be able to produce urea, ammonia and carbon dioxide are needed besides the standard utilities as feedstock. The ammonia and carbondioxide are typically delivered from the adjacent ammonia plant. A urea plant is often built as part of an ammonia-urea complex.
Urea can be delivered at various forms such as prilled product, granulated product, pastilles and in various liquid formulas amongst others DEF, AdBlue etc.
How can I increase my urea plant’s capacity?
Oue subsidiary, Stamicarbon, has well-proven designs for almost every capacity increase desired for all urea technologies available on the market with references to back it up.
In case sufficient ammonia and carbon dioxide are available Stamicarbon can directly offer designs to maximize the utilization of the available feedstock.
In case there is no sufficient feedstock Stamicarbon works together with reputable ammonia licensors to offer a combined solution for the desired capacity increase.
How can I lower my OPEX (using minimum CAPEX)?
- In urea melt plants:
Improved urea conversion leads to more urea with the same supply of feedstock and less energy consumption. Optimize steam balance to minimize energy consumption (carbon footprint) by a smart process to process heat integration designs.
- In urea finishing plants:
Less downtime by improving process design. Less downtime means more output and less maintenance/inspection/repair costs. Reliability is the key word. Applying E-type material and/or Stamicarbon process solutions in your melt and/or finishing section can already lead to substantially lower OPEX.
Can NX Stami™ Urea be integrated into existing plants?
Yes, our tailor-made approach is not only aimed at minimizing OPEX and CAPEX figures but also takes into account the alignment with the current plant (tie-ins and TA planning). Based on decades of experience our revamp designs are aimed to minimize the production time lost to implement the upgrade/revamp.
Do your revamp services reduce the environmental load?
Yes, reducing the environmental load of the urea melt and granulation plant is of utmost relevance and is one of the highlights of our technology development. The focus is on ammonia vapor and urea particulate emissions.
For both substances, Stamicarbon has available emission reduction technologies designed to be the best practice of the future. For ammonia emission reduction Advance Treatment can offer zero ammonia emission from the urea melt plant, while our MMV scrubber can reduce the emission of urea dust particulate from the granulation to the lowest in the world.
All technologies are available for new and existing urea plants and are often also available for non-Stamicarbon urea plants.
How long will my plant be shut down during a revamp?
For bigger capacity revamps Stamicarbon works closely together with its licensed contractors. The combined experience results in the shortest possible shut-down time needed to implement a revamp.
Ammonia
A sustainable solution for ammonia production using renewable energy or with carbon capture
Nitrates
Smart, low-emission nitric-acid solutions for all lifecycle stages
Hydrogen
From refineries to steel, hydrogen is powering the shift to low-carbon production