Qatar's Energy Minister and chief executive of QatarEnergy Saad Al Kaabi said the country will become the world's largest exporter of urea fertiliser by the end of the decade. AFP
Qatar's Energy Minister and chief executive of QatarEnergy Saad Al Kaabi said the country will become the world's largest exporter of urea fertiliser by the end of the decade. AFP
Qatar's Energy Minister and chief executive of QatarEnergy Saad Al Kaabi said the country will become the world's largest exporter of urea fertiliser by the end of the decade. AFP
Qatar's Energy Minister and chief executive of QatarEnergy Saad Al Kaabi said the country will become the world's largest exporter of urea fertiliser by the end of the decade. AFP

QatarEnergy to double urea production amid growing demand


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QatarEnergy will build a urea production complex that will more than double Qatar’s output of the key agricultural fertiliser, as the world's increasing population drives higher demand for food.

The project includes building three ammonia production lines that will supply feedstock to four new urea production trains in Mesaieed Industrial City, which is about 40km south of Doha.

The new facilities will boost the Gulf country’s urea production to 12.4 million tonnes per annum from about 6 million currently, QatarEnergy said in a statement on Sunday.

Production from the project’s first new urea train is expected before the end of the decade, the state-run energy company said.

The "mega project ... will make the state of Qatar the world’s largest urea producer, playing a crucial role in ensuring food security for hundreds of millions of people”, said Saad Al Kaabi, chief executive of QatarEnergy and Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs.

“Developing this project in Mesaieed Industrial City will ensure the optimum utilisation of the excellent existing infrastructure for the petrochemical and fertiliser industries, including the city’s export port, which is one of the largest fertiliser and petrochemical export facilities in the Mena region. It will also establish Mesaieed as the urea production capital of the world.”

Gulf fertiliser producers have been boosting output and seeking new markets after saturating the regional sector.

Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) is one of the largest integrated single-site producers of ammonia and urea, with a current production capacity of about 4 million tonnes per annum of ammonia and 6 million tonnes per annum of urea.

In 2022, QatarEnergy Renewable Solutions and Qafco joined forces to build the Ammonia-7 Project, which will have a capacity to produce 1.2 million tonnes per annum of blue ammonia. It is expected to start production in the first quarter of 2026.

Fertiliser prices have been falling since late 2022, partly on softening demand and a decline in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Urea is the most widely used nitrogen fertiliser in the world, accounting for about 60 per cent of global demand.

A farm worker sprays fertiliser at a paddy field in Sungai Besar, Malaysia. EPA
A farm worker sprays fertiliser at a paddy field in Sungai Besar, Malaysia. EPA

However, the market for urea has become tighter this year, thanks to lower exports from China, the world’s largest producer of nitrogen and phosphorus.

The Asian country, the world’s second-largest economy, has imposed limits on the export of urea to meet surging domestic demand.

Last month, the UAE’s Fertiglobe said it expected to benefit from the absence of Chinese urea supplies.

“Typically, they could do three to four million tonnes of exports [annually], but in the first half of this year, they've done less than 200,000 tonnes,” Ahmed El Hoshy, Fertiglobe’s chief executive, told The National.

“China being absent from the market and kind of having a very strong domestic market is definitely constructive,” he added.

The global urea market is expected to reach about $160.78 billion by 2032, up from $131.54 billion in 2022, according to Precedence Research.

Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars

The%20specs
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Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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War and the virus

Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km

Price: Dh133,900

On sale: now 

How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

The five pillars of Islam
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

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Updated: September 01, 2024, 2:09 PM`