BASF, Yara Pick Freeport, Texas

BASF and Yara have picked Freeport, Texas, as the site for their 750,000-metric-ton-per-year ammonia plant, which will take advantage of low-cost natural gas feedstocks from shale. BASF intends to use the ammonia to make downstream chemicals. The company is also mulling a U.S. methanol-to-propylene plant (C&EN, May 12, page 16). Yara wants to boost its presence in the U.S. fertilizer market.