Nextchem, a subsidiary of Italy’s MAIRE Group, has been selected, through its nitrogen fertiliser technology licensor Stamicarbon, to supply the proprietary urea process technology package for SABIC Agri-Nutrients’ large-scale ‘SAN-7’ fertiliser project in Saudi Arabia, according to the companies. The contract is valued at approximately €125 million (about $144 million) and covers technology licensing, process design, and proprietary equipment supply, using Stamicarbon’s NX STAMI™ urea process technology, it is reported. The grassroots facility is being built in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and will feature two urea production lines, each with a capacity of 3,850 metric tonnes per day (mt/d), according to the report.
The technology supplier in this contract is Nextchem, part of the Italian engineering group MAIRE, while the actual role of process technology licensor is carried out by Stamicarbon, Nextchem’s nitrogen fertiliser technology subsidiary, it is reported. The technology applied is Stamicarbon’s proprietary NX STAMI™ Urea Technology, which is said to offer improved energy efficiency, reliability, and long-term competitiveness compared with conventional urea processes. Nextchem’s scope under the contract reportedly extends beyond technology licensing to include process design and the supply of proprietary core equipment. The client, SABIC Agri-Nutrients, is the fertiliser business unit of Saudi chemical company SABIC, and the SAN-7 project is a grassroots urea fertiliser production facility being built in the Al Jubail industrial area, according to the report. The specific EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor and the overall project investment value were not disclosed in the announcement.
The technology package secured by Nextchem is valued at approximately €125 million, or about $144 million at the reported exchange rate. The SAN-7 plant will comprise two urea production lines, each with a capacity of 3,850 metric tonnes per day, and is described as a grassroots (newly built) facility. The contract was announced on 15 September 2026, with SABIC Agri-Nutrients of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, as the client and Stamicarbon, a subsidiary of MAIRE’s Nextchem, as the technology licensor, according to the report.
The project is said to be linked to Saudi Arabia’s strategy to expand its fertiliser production and export capacity, and is reported to align with the industrial diversification goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
This contract illustrates a case in which a major chemical and fertiliser group licenses its proprietary process technology directly to a newly built grassroots facility, reflecting the competitive landscape among technology licensors in the nitrogen fertiliser sector. The urea process technology market is reported to be dominated by a small number of global licensors, and this award can be viewed as a case in which one of them has reaffirmed the trust of a major Middle East client. Moreover, the fact that the licensing contract was structured to include process design and proprietary equipment supply, beyond a simple technology transfer, aligns with a broader trend of licensors expanding their scope into upstream engineering work in recent fertiliser and chemical plant awards. In the Middle East, new urea and ammonia facility awards aimed at strengthening food security and expanding fertiliser exports continue to be placed, a trend that could have implications across the related equipment and engineering supply chain. Large licensing contracts of this kind are often followed by subsequent EPC awards or long-term maintenance and technical support agreements, which is likely to keep market participants’ attention on this project.
A key point to watch going forward is whether a separate EPC contractor will be selected for the SAN-7 project, and when that award might occur. The specific project schedule, including construction start and mechanical completion, has not been disclosed in the announcement and will require further confirmation. It also remains to be seen whether SABIC Agri-Nutrients is planning additional fertiliser production capacity expansions beyond SAN-7, and whether Nextchem and Stamicarbon will secure further licensing contracts in the Middle East. In addition, how this contract affects Nextchem’s future order intake in the nitrogen fertiliser technology segment is likely to draw industry attention.