Linde to Invest Over $400 Million in Louisiana to Support World’s Largest Low‑Carbon Ammonia Facility
Industrial gas producer Linde plc has reached a long‑term agreement with the Blue Point Number One joint venture—comprising CF Industries (40%), JERA (35%) and Mitsui & Co. (25%)—to build, own and operate a world‑scale air separation unit (ASU) in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The ASU will supply high-purity oxygen and nitrogen to support the operations of the 1.4 million tonne‑per‑year low‑carbon ammonia plant, also known as Blue Point Number One.
The investment surpasses $400 million, with construction slated to begin in 2026 and full operations expected by 2029 . Once completed, this ASU will be the largest in the Mississippi River corridor of southeast Louisiana, complementing Linde’s gas infrastructure across the Gulf Coast.
Linde’s ASU will supply oxygen to the autothermal reforming (ATR) unit, which converts natural gas into hydrogen and captures up to 95 % of CO₂ emissions. The microbiogas produced is then combined with nitrogen to synthesize ammonia. The ATR and carbon capture systems, managed in partnership with Occidental’s 1PointFive, are central to ensuring the facility’s low‑carbon profile.
Sean Durbin, Linde’s Executive Vice President for North America, remarked that the project will enhance the company’s Gulf Coast industrial gas network and support the establishment of a reliable low‑carbon ammonia value chain. Christopher Bohn, COO of CF Industries, emphasized that Linde’s technical and operational expertise makes it a strategic partner for advancing clean energy infrastructure.
The Blue Point facility, with an estimated total investment of around $4 billion, is expected to be the world’s largest ammonia production plant by nameplate capacity upon completion in 2029. Sponsored partly by incentives such as tax exemptions and state programs in Louisiana, it will serve as a key export hub for low‑carbon ammonia, an emerging clean fuel with applications in maritime transport and power generation.
The project will also bring significant economic benefits. The ASU alone is expected to create 15 direct jobs earning above-average wages, in addition to approximately 50 indirect positions. It will reinforce RiverPlex MegaPark’s evolution into a major industrial and decarbonization hub, which already includes Hyundai’s planned steel mill and Linde’s existing facilities in Geismar, Lake Charles, Sulphur, Vidalia, and St. Charles Parish.
This initiative represents a decisive step forward for clean fuel supply chains, leveraging cutting-edge industrial gas and carbon capture technologies. It highlights Louisiana’s growing role as a center for energy transition investments and the broader global shift toward low‑carbon industrial solutions.
