NPN partnership will dispose of ammonia plant’s emissions

A pipeline operator that plans to transport carbon dioxide to North Dakota has announced plans to partner with an ammonia plant developer to pick up its emissions from a Grand Forks facility.

Pipeline developer Summit Carbon Solutions and ammonia plant developer Northern Plains Nitrogen announced the partnership this week.  The proposed Northern Plains Nitrogen’s plant would supply low-carbon, nitrogen-based fertilizer products to farmers in the northern United States and Canada.

In December the Grand Forks council gave NPN another six month extension on a Letter of Intent to build the $2.5 billion dollar plant.   The proposed project has been on the drawing board since 2013.  The company has been working to secure needed investors.  City officials are also awaiting the results of a plume aviation analysis because of the NPN plant’s potential proximity to the Grand Forks Airport.  A new site selection is also a possibility.

Summit Carbon expects to annually capture 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide.  The company plans to inject the ammonia plant’s emissions into rocks deep underground in Oliver and Mercer counties where its pipeline system will end.