REVAMP OF FERTILIZER PLANT

Rieckermann helps company to meet Indonesia’s growing fertilizer demands using updated technologies

Rieckermann has been consulting and working closely with a fertilizer company in Indonesia that needed a technology upgrade to their production plant. The company had been operating a 15-year-old urea reactor that could have caused severe production issues if not fixed. Due to its age, the reactor walls were corroded to such a degree that they would not have lasted another plant turnaround period. Therefore, the revamp needed to be done quickly with a high-quality solution to ensure smooth future operations. Rieckermann delivered the solution within the agreed time frame, which was a priority for the fertilizer company as the urea market price has been very high, and a delay in the project would result in a significant loss of revenue for the client.

In Southeast Asia, there is a growing demand for agricultural and chemical products. Predominantly, these products are derived from fertilizer plants producing ammonia, urea, and other chemicals. Within the Southeast Asian region, Indonesia is one of the largest fertilizer producers and the industry has been well-established for many decades.

However, many aging fertilizer plants in Indonesia require a revamp or replacement as their technologies are outdated and unable to meet today’s environmental regulations. They also lack sufficient capacity to meet the growing demand, and the rise in gas prices reduces the efficiency of the plants. Moreover, Indonesia is facing supply restrictions with new greenfield projects having been canceled.

To determine the best solution for this fertilizer production plant, Rieckermann worked in close cooperation with their partner, the Christof Group, a specialist in medium and high-pressure equipment in the petrochemical and fertilizer industry. It was determined that 3 out of 5 reactor segments had to be relined with new, more durable material. To do this, the reactor had to be cut open, dismantled, transported to a nearby workshop, relined, tested, and then re-installed on the customer’s production site – all within the timeframe of the plant’s turnaround. Thanks to the newly relined reactor, the client can now benefit fully from high product prices and operate the process with a significant lower risk of material failure.

Rieckermann effectively managed the cooperation between all involved parties and coordinated site activities through their locally present team. They also identified and validated a local manufacturer to provide the non-essential materials and sufficient workshop space. Moreover, Rieckermann is proud to have successfully supported the client with essential site visits and discussions, which took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when traveling was still quite restricted for many.