Fertial SPA Algeria has announced that it has awarded KBR a contract to conduct a study that will improve safety, reliability and energy efficiency of the two Algerian ammonia plants in Annaba and Arzew.

The outcomes of the study will also increase the overall ammonia production capacity by 50 percent and be introduced in a phase-by-phase approach for the 1970’s vintage plants. The undisclosed contract value was booked into backlog in KBR’s fourth quarter of 2013.

“I am confident that the commercial potential of our technology revamp assessment will help our customer achieve its objective of a more efficient operation with greater production capacity,” said John Derbyshire, President, KBR Technology. “KBR is focused on building our long-term relationship with Fertial SpA and we are pleased to have been selected to perform the first phase of this revamp project.”

During the first phase of the revamp project, KBR will define the technical scope and pinpoint the commercial requirements prior to licensing its technology.