Petrobras expects to restart operating activities at its Araucária Nitrogenados SA (ANSA) fertilizer plant, located in Brazil’s southern state of Paraná, in the second-half 2025.

ANSA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petrobras, has been mothballed since 2020, the state-owned company said Jun. 6 in a press release.

ANSA is located next to Petrobras’ Presidente Getúlio Vargas Refinery. ANSA can produce 720,000 tons/year of urea, 475,000 tons/year of ammonia and 450,000 m³/year of Automotive Liquid Reducing Agent.

All procedures required to reopen the plant will be immediately initiated, including the release of notices for the contracting of maintenance services and critical materials, Petrobras said in the release.

Also, with the decision to reopen the plant, Petrobras authorizes ANSA to enter into an agreement to hire its former employees, conditional on the agreement being ratified by the Superior Labor Court.