DAP production hit by shutdown at MissPhos unit

28 January 2008 10:33  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--US phosphate fertilizer producer Mississippi Phosphates Corporation (MissPhos) is to shut down one of its sulphuric acid plants for around one month following problems with its boiler, substantially reducing fertilizer output, the company said.

 

Until the idled sulphuric acid plant was returned to service, the company said late on Friday that DAP production would be limited to approximately 900 tonnes/day. The Pascagoula plant has the capacity to produce just over 2,000 tonnes/day.

 

MissPhos had originally planned a two-week turnaround in February for maintenance but said it was shutting down the plant to replace internal components of a boiler following a major failure.

 

The company did not specify when the plant would go into turnaround.

 

The news comes at a time when US phosphate fertilizer production is already widely believed to be adversely affected by a lack of sulphur supply. International fertilizer prices are also skyrocketing due to tight supply, high input costs and strong demand. 

 

The affected plant is one of two 1,500 tonne/day sulphuric acid plants at the company’s phosphate fertilizer facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The acid is used as a feedstock to produce diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer.

 

MissPhos serves both the domestic and international DAP markets.

 

By: Mike Nash
+44 20 8652 3214

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