Woodside achieves first ammonia production at Beaumont plant

The Beaumont New Ammonia (BNA) facility, located in southeast Texas, has produced its first ammonia following the completion of systems testing, representing the first phase of operations commissioning of the facility, according to Australian energy company Woodside Energy (Woodside) on Monday (29 December). 

Commercial production of ammonia from BNA is expected to begin following handover to Woodside from OCI Global (OCI) in early 2026. Production of lower-carbon ammonia is targeted to start in the second half of 2026.

Woodside Energy’s vice president, Rick Beuttel, reportedly told ENGINE that ammonia produced at the Beaumont facility would be available for bunkering, alongside other sectors.

The company said demand for lower-carbon ammonia continues to develop globally, with strong interest from customers in Europe and Asia as they pursue energy security and decarbonisation objectives.

Woodside has also finalised agreements with leading global customers to supply significant volumes of conventional ammonia from the BNA facility.

Deliveries will commence in 2026 and continue through year-end, under contracts that reflect prevailing market prices. Additional agreements are being advanced to align with expected BNA output, including for lower carbon ammonia.

Woodside Vice President Beaumont New Ammonia Kellyanne Lochan, said: “We are pleased with the results of the commissioning and systems testing completed to date. These outcomes confirm the facility’s production readiness and our ability to move toward commercial start-up following handover. 

This milestone also reflects the disciplined work of both the OCI and Woodside teams.”

In the lead-up to handover, the project will continue with additional verification, performance testing, and operational preparedness activities. OCI and Woodside remain focused on ensuring the facility safely and efficiently enters full operations, in line with regulatory and contractual requirements.

BNA has a production capacity of 1.1 million metric tonnes (mt) per annum and is designed to support growing demand for ammonia, lower-carbon ammonia and hydrogen-adjacent products. 

Once operational, BNA has the potential to approximately double US ammonia exports, contributing to regional economic growth and supporting American energy leadership.

Photo credit: Woodside Energy
Published: 30 December, 2025