Director: SOCAR Carbamide plant fully meets Azerbaijan’s urea demand

The SOCAR Carbamide plant operated by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) fully meets Azerbaijan’s domestic demand for urea, with local consumption accounting for 12 per cent of the facility’s total output.

Plant’s director, Kutay Durna, made the remarks during an event held to mark the plant’s inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, according to domestic media.

Durna said that in 2024, the plant exported its products to Türkiye, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, and Canada. He noted that logistical constraints currently limit export geography, adding that without such difficulties, the plant could also supply the US market, given the high quality of its products. The plant’s annual production capacity stands at around 650,000 tonnes.

The SOCAR Carbamide plant supplies urea for Azerbaijan’s agricultural sector, ensuring full coverage of domestic needs.

The facility, whose construction began in 2011, was officially opened on January 16, 2019. The project was initially financed from the state budget. At a later stage, the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), along with Société Générale of France, Deutsche Bank of Germany, and UniCredit of Austria, provided state-guaranteed financing totalling €500 million. In addition, SOCAR allocated approximately €100 million to cover taxes, customs duties, and other project-related expenses.

The plant is capable of producing between 650,000 and 660,000 tonnes of urea annually, using 435 million cubic meters of natural gas as its main feedstock. Prior to the commissioning of the facility, Azerbaijan relied on imports of nitrogen fertilisers. Since the launch of the SOCAR Carbamide plant, domestic demand has been fully met, while more than 70 per cent of production is exported.

By Tamilla Hasanova