Aug 20 2013
Praxair, Inc., announced today that it has started up a second nitrogen plant at its facility in Kirtland, New Mexico to support growing nitrogen demand in the San Juan basin, which includes southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico.
The new plant, along with an additional liquefier expansion to be completed later this year, will increase total capacity at the site to 300 TPD (tons per day) of liquid nitrogen, in addition to gaseous nitrogen that is being supplied to local pipeline customers under long-term contracts.
Demand for nitrogen continues to grow as local oil and gas operators develop new oil resources in the area. Nitrogen is an inert gas that can effectively replace water that is typically used in hydraulic fracturing.
“Praxair’s new plant will strengthen our supply position in the San Juan basin and help us meet the increasing pipeline and liquid nitrogen demand from customers in this geography,” said Gerald Miller, vice president of the West Region for Praxair’s U.S. industrial gases business.
About Praxair
Praxair, Inc., a Fortune 250 company with 2012 sales of $11 billion, is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric, process and specialty gases, and high-performance surface coatings. Praxair products, services and technologies are making our planet more productive by bringing efficiency and environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and many others. More information about Praxair, Inc. is available at praxair.com.