August 28, 2026 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- Blue Point One, a joint venture between CF Industries Holdings, Inc., JERA Co., Inc. (JERA) and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui), has broken ground on a new low-carbon ammonia production facility in Modeste, Louisiana.

The project represents a $3.7 billion investment by the three joint venture partners and is expected to produce approximately 1.4 million metric tons of ammonia annually when it begins operations in 2029. Upon completion, the facility is expected to rank among the world’s largest ammonia production plants.

CF Industries, which holds a 40 percent stake in the joint venture, is partnering with JERA, which owns 35 percent, and Mitsui, which holds the remaining 25 percent. The facility is being developed at CF Industries’ Blue Point Complex, which has additional space for potential future expansion.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, US Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle, US Representative Julia Letlow, as well as Louisiana state and local government officials.

Large-scale low-carbon ammonia production

Blue Point One is being designed with an average annual production capacity of 1.4 million metric tonnes and is expected to use autothermal reforming (ATR) technology. The process produces hydrogen for combination with nitrogen in the ammonia manufacturing process.

The project is also designed to capture and permanently sequester approximately 98 percent of the carbon dioxide generated during production. According to the project partners, this is intended to give the facility a substantially lower environmental footprint than conventional large-scale ammonia production facilities.

Carbon dioxide generated at the plant is expected to be transported and permanently sequestered through a joint venture between 1PointFive, a subsidiary of Occidental, and Enbridge.

The facility is intended to serve both established agricultural markets and emerging applications for ammonia in the energy sector. The project is also expected to support domestic fertiliser supplies while creating additional capacity for US ammonia production and exports.

Investment and employment

In addition to the $3.7 billion investment by the Blue Point One partners, CF Industries plans to invest a further $550 million over four years in shared infrastructure at the site. The infrastructure is intended to support future expansion of ammonia production and fertiliser manufacturing capabilities.

Linde is investing more than $400 million in a new on-site air separation unit, which will supply the oxygen and nitrogen required by the Blue Point One facility.

The project is expected to create more than 100 permanent manufacturing positions once operational. During construction, an estimated 3,900 jobs are expected to be supported over a four-year period.

The development is also being positioned as an important investment in Louisiana’s industrial and manufacturing base, with local officials highlighting its potential contribution to employment and regional economic activity.

CF Industries President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Bohn said the project brings together US energy resources, engineering capabilities and international partnerships. He also pointed to the facility’s potential to strengthen domestic nitrogen supplies for American agriculture, expand export capacity and create employment in Louisiana.

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said the project builds on the state’s established industrial capabilities while supporting domestic fertiliser production and the manufacture and export of products considered important to the US economy and national security.

Strengthening the low-carbon ammonia supply chain

For JERA and Mitsui, the project represents an opportunity to establish infrastructure for a lower-carbon ammonia supply chain connecting the United States with international markets.

Irtiza Sayyed, JERA global energy solutions chief executive officer and JERA senior managing executive officer and chief operating officer of the Low Carbon Fuels Business, described the groundbreaking as an important milestone toward establishing a reliable low-carbon ammonia value chain. He said the project reflects the importance of partnerships and practical infrastructure in scaling lower-carbon energy solutions.

Mitsui President and Chief Executive Officer Kenichi Hori said the development would build on the company’s long-standing relationship with Louisiana while contributing to a low-carbon ammonia supply chain serving the United States, Japan and other markets.

The project also has significance for the surrounding communities. Ascension Parish president Clint Cointment highlighted CF Industries’ long-standing involvement in local community initiatives and said the new investment could create jobs, strengthen the regional economy and support the development of next-generation industrial activity.

Donaldsonville Mayor Leroy L. Sullivan likewise pointed to CF Industries’ nearly six decades of activity in the community, noting the potential for the Blue Point One investment to generate employment and broader economic benefits for Donaldsonville, Modeste and surrounding areas.

With construction now underway, Blue Point One is targeting commercial operations in 2029. If completed as planned, the facility will add significant low-carbon ammonia production capacity in the United States while linking agricultural, industrial and emerging energy markets to a new carbon management infrastructure network.