Morocco's Planned Ammonia Project Expected to Use ~900 MW Electrolyzer Capacity

KBR has been selected by ORNX Green Hydrogen to provide technology licensing and pre-front-end engineering design (Pre-FEED) services for a world-scale, low-cost ammonia project planned in Morocco’s Laâyoune region, a development expected to use roughly 900 MW of electrolyzer capacity and produce about 560,000 metric tons of ammonia per year. The Pre-FEED study is being supported by funding from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). KBR will integrate its ammonia technology with the project’s planned power generation, hydrogen production and ammonia synthesis elements as ORNX advances toward FEED and potential final investment decisions.

"KBR is proud to support ORNX and USTDA on this important low cost ammonia initiative in Morocco," said Jay Ibrahim, President, Sustainable Technology Solutions, KBR. "As a global leader in ammonia technology, KBR is uniquely positioned to help developers accelerate project"

The engagement places KBR in a central technical role during an early but critical phase of the project. The Pre-FEED stage will establish initial scope, concept layouts, high-level cost estimates and key technical alternatives ahead of a formal front-end engineering design. KBR said it played an instrumental role in supporting ORNX’s engagement with USTDA and in the development of the successful grant application that secured the Pre-FEED funding.

ORNX’s planned development is designed to leverage Morocco’s renewable energy resources and port access to deliver low-carbon ammonia to international markets. The roughly 900 MW of electrolyzer capacity cited for the project would be among the larger single-site electrolysis deployments globally, aimed at producing hydrogen feedstock for ammonia synthesis at scale. The stated ammonia output — approximately 560,000 metric tons per year — positions the facility as a world-scale producer if the project progresses through FEED and to a final investment decision.

• Project planned output: ~560,000 metric tons of ammonia per year
• Planned electrolyzer capacity: about 900 MW
• Pre-FEED funding: supported by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)
• KBR global footprint: approximately 37,000 employees and operations in more than 28 countries
• KBR ammonia technology track record: implemented in more than 260 projects worldwide

Market reaction to the announcement was modestly positive on the day of publication, with KBR shares rising roughly 1.42% in the trading session cited. Analysts and market-watchers will likely treat the Pre-FEED award as an early but important validation of ORNX’s ambition while noting the remaining steps before construction — notably a completed FEED, financing arrangements and a formal final investment decision.

Looking ahead, the Pre-FEED will need to clarify capital expenditure estimates, project timelines, electrolyzer supplier arrangements and the balance between on-site renewables and grid or merchant power sources to meet the electrical demand implied by 900 MW of electrolysis. For KBR, the assignment reinforces its positioning in low-carbon ammonia and hydrogen projects, complementing a portfolio of technology deployments and recent project selections. For ORNX, successful completion of the Pre-FEED and subsequent moves toward FEED will be the next milestones to watch as the project seeks to translate initial technical concepts into a financed, constructible development serving export markets from Morocco’s Atlantic coast.