THE SYNTHETIC AMMONIA INDUSTRY IN THE USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01093A000100050004-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 6, 1999
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 8, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

7k.rYcc Ky x.117 rn.
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
PROVISIONAL REPORT NO. 5
(CIA/ER PR.5)
THE SY'IC M4 NIA INDUSTRY IN THE 'USSR
8 October 1951
This doensinent is a working paper The data and conclu-
sions contained herein do not necessar33y represent the
final position of ORR and should be regarded as provi-
sional only and subject to revision. Additional data
or eomment which may be available to the user is soli.
oi? This report contains Wormation available to
ORR as of 1 September 1951.
THIS DOCK" CONTAINS INFORMATION 'ECTING THE NATIONAL
DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE
18, SECTIONS 793 AIM 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS A ENDED.
ITS TRANSMISSION OR RELATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RED"
CEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAWa
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. .~ .~ _ CONS ENTULL
CO 'TENTS
1
Sum ".'y a ? ? ? ? ?
o In'i. 'adua',jou ? a? e a Q? e ?? 0 ? a? ? w ? e w a e' e? ? a ~.
3.* Natu o and U000 o a?? w a a? a? a?? a a r a e a O e a .
20 I .?tory of tho Industry o ? ? o o a ? ? a ,a o ? a ? o ? e ? e ' 2
ma Fitz a Fiva YQar Plan (1928.-32) Q a ? ? ? ? ? e ? ? ? 0 2
be Second Five Year P1.wu (1933-87) ? a e ? ? Q a ? ? ? ? e-6
Turd vivo Year Pi= (i9sa.2 Qp? mA?Q?? ~,
rburth Five Year P1n (1946?'50) ? . e e o a s ? e ? ?
X? Opormt:Lon
m o a e a a a a a a a o e??? o ? a? ~+ a e a Q
L +*e'ch++am+logy 00 0a ' * * e a s e 0004000 6000,0600 3
2 G InpLrb 1'tequli? an"a ,Q ? O O 0 a ?
O a e a a? O e O a 0 0 0
1110 Av .1r bi1a tjoo;'.r ? O a d O 0 A to a e 4 O Q ? ? ? a e O ? O O 0 a o 7
1o Dom ta':1o Production 0 o ? ? a a w ? ? e e a o e a a 0 0 o a O
s tt3'! na . Sources
e e o w w .e ? Q w w a e a o o a? a O a o er
Wtollitos a w? o? a a a a?
Non-B1oo Couutr ci 0-0&0a0 a? 0? a '0 0 0 0 0 0 a o 9
3o Stockj i1+e$ 0 O a ? O Q a a ? a Q w a e o e ? o ?
4o Substituxbo v e e? e a? e e? s? r?? e? e ~a o o e o 0 a 0 9
No Te ,uiv n1Z
a a a 0 a a 0 0? a a 0 a a 0 a a? a? a a 0 0 0 0 10
10 CaV,111 32 0 O 0 a a ? ? ? 0 O a 0'0 O a ? - 1 ? ? ? 0 . 0 0 0. 0 10
20 - 1 i]s.to-vy 0 00 0000000 0,00 a??? O ? e O O *0 00
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So i rtz O 0 a a a O a O O O Q O a a 0 w O O O a O O w O ? a a 1-1
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To Cap bilibics3 VuInorabiliticso, and Intention
Io Capabilitioz o e 0 e 0 0 ea 0'0 e o 0 +e e~ a??? a a a o 0 ii
20 ?Vii1ner b jitioz 0 0, 0 ea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a a e o 0 0 0
Appendix A*' Method of Computing Soviot Production of Synthetic
Armnisk ? a ea en eo 0 0 0 v e D 0 0 0 0 e 0 0 0 0 0 e a 13
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Before the Inauguration of the First Five Year Plan in 192 the USSR
Produced no synthetic ammonia, all require ents being supplied eeluaivoiy
by snportao Considerable emphasis has been given to the co tion of
synthetic ammonia plants, however, and estimated production has increased
from about 15,000 to 20,0 metric tons (N) in 1932 to about 550,000 tons
(N} in 1951. Satellite production of synthetic ammonia in 1951 is estimated
at approximately 430,000 metric tows ( No synthetic ammonia is imported
from non"Plee countries.
The largest peacetime Bon er of synthetie ammonia is the nitrogenaw
fertilizer industry. most of the balance is consumed in the manufacture
Of nitric acid and other chemicals. The supply of synthetic aaaanonia Ji] 1
not be a factor limiting ash course of action.by the Savietsp and present
productive capacity is capable of supplying requirements in the event of a
major mar. The average annual Soviet supply dwing World war f. 1nolg
Lend-Lease shlpmOnts, was about one-third of that now available. The Soviet
synthetic ammonia industry Is ce apletely self-sufficient and therefore is
not vulnerable to economic warfare? Because of the limited n ber of pro.
ducing plants in this industryq how er, it is vulnerable to strategic
bot+ibiQ
lm
1D 1Ca_a tlsca.
Ammonia 3s a basic indana al. chemical being the cheapest fin of
combined nitrogen and the raw material used In more than 75 went of an
nitrogenous products. A colorless gas with a char cteristic peat ffine11
ammonia is produced principal by the high --' erature reaction, of paw
nitrogen and hydrogen ardor pressure in the presence of a suitable catalyatQ
An produced by this process, it is known as synthetic n oniae Ammonia
also is produced as a by-product in the coking of coal., but such amen aD
known as byu,rod t ammonia, is produced in much smaller q icntities than
the symthetic,
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Synthetic mmonla, is produced a n d shipped i n t i o foal, amoaja
liquor and liquid anhydrMg ammonia. Cc aercai,al ( ades of amm
ueualiy contain 28 percent ammonia. Liquid routs mania is dry
a mmo a gas campreae~d to liquid form and shipped at 114 p?c1g '(70 CF)
in pressure tank cars or cylinders. The an rdfrouc form is shoat 99 per-
cent pure and for most purposes in the US has virtually auporaede ammonia
liquor.
In peacetime, aynthatie amnia is used principa' in them ,.
facture of nitrogenous fertilizers, nitric acid,, and is trial a plosives.
Liquid anhydrous arrm or a is the most Important commercial refrigerant
because of its low cost and high therm o efficiency. Other Important
uses of liquid anus ammonia are as a low-mat alkali in choal
processes, in the hardening of certain steel alloys, in water purification,
ari in the manufacture of organic chemicals such as urea., aniline.. beta-
phthylamine, h ethylene~~,ets a (the base for RD /), etc. in
vartime, synthetic ammonia 3s i apansable beeauso it is required in the
man tf acture of all ncnatc c military e2plosiveao
2.s of `fie 1.
a* FirMID I~iv P~1?
Wore the First Five Year Plan (1928.32) the soviet Union pro.
duced no synthetic ammonia, eLU requirements being supplied a slucively by
imports., The retarded development of the electric power and calaium carbide
industries had precluded use of the early are and cyanede proses for
pr o& ing ammonia. The Soviets roali.,c d the fundamental ecor o mtc importance
of this industry, hover, and started cone tiom at Ozer nak of a
Casale-type plant, which went into operation in .1928. Extensive plan s
f.ere
orzal.ated in the 1928-32 period for the deve1 vent of the nitrogen i astry$
and considerable foreign aid, both in engineering tee ques and In equipment,
was enlisted in the construction of plants at Born ,k1, Stalinogorake Gorlovka,
and Stalinom Also during this period, construction probably was start on
the Dneprodzer shinsk plant. Despite feverish activity, hoovers only two
synthetic ammonia plants were in operation at the end of 1932 , the
Dzerztainak and Bere miki plants - and produe;t1on tamed from about 15,000
to 2,000 metric tons (N) annually.
2/ Pounds per SqUars inch, gauge presau mo.
~./ A powerful military high explosive developed during World War 1.
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During the Second Five Year Plan (1933-37) the plants at
Dnepr? zerthinnks, Stalinogorak, Gorlovka, and Stalino were put into operation., and construction was begun on plants at Kemerovo and Chirchik.
Construction of a plant at ?lagnitogorsk was planned during this periods
but a well- Wormed sourco has stated that construction of this plant had
not began in 1937. Thus., at the end of 1937,0 it is believed that six
synthetic ammonia plants a in operation, producing at an annual rate of
about 200,000 to 225,000 metric tons (N). Some confusion exists with
respect to the. stratus of plants at Magnitogorsk,, Lisichansk, Ddrbent, Sizmgait,
and Kamensk. During this period, plans for their oonstruation apparently
were made, but it is doubted that any actual construction was undertokenm
During the Third Five Year Plan (1938.42), plants at Kemerovo,
Ch1rchik, and probably at Nizhne Tagil- were put into operation. Co nti,i
tion of installations at Lislchansk and Kamensk possibly was begun before
the German invasion, but it in believed that nsither of these plants was
pr iei in significant quantities. Censtruatior? of plantar using natural
gas as the source of hydrogen planned for Dexbent and Sumg t. 3=9
information indicates that these plantar were built and put Into operation
betweon 1938 and 1940, but their exist ace has not been confirmed,, and it is
assumed that they never got past the planning stage. Postwar efforts of the
Soviet Purchasing Commission in the US to purchase a complete synthetic
ammonia p l a n t which w o u l d o p o' a t e o n h y d r o g e n d e r i v e d from natural gas lend
support to this views, as It is unli.kcaly that the Soaiets would have been
interested in than purchase of a plant of this type if such an installation
was wady operating In the USSR. As previously mentioned, the plant at
MRagn1togorsk was not son under construction in 1937? and it is assumed that
this plant likewise never gat beyond the planning stage. Thus In early 19/4,
Just before the German invasion, there probably were nine ~ p1?auts In eraatio
in the USSR, producing, at an an "l rate of about 350,000 metric tons (N),
Becausee, of Saar conditions the plants at Dneprcdaer n ke Stal ino-.
gorsk, Gor1ovk, and Stalin suspended operations in 1941 therms reducing
Soviet synthetic ammonia capacity by about 185,000 metrjc~tons (N).. or say
prox aata 53 percent. This capacity teas not + pletel,y lost,, hen ^er$ sine
considerable equipment was evacuated from these plants to oxistfng installations
farther cast, In adddition$ It is believed that some equipment also may have
been evacuated from the plants at Name sk and Lisicharrnk.
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Production of. synthetic a in the TJSSR during World War
II is ostimted as follot, the 3nerea a fry 1942 to 1945 res tting
principally from expansion of capacity at the Ohirb1k and Kemi o plants:
Eatmt i Soviet Production of Synthetic Ammonia
1941-45
1941
200
1942
175
1943
225
1944 .
250
1945
30
Fo11oWIng the expulsion of the Go- -=n az` Prom Soviet terri ,
con tr ctioj of damaged and evacuated plants was began immediately., and the
Fourth Five Year Plan 1946.50) was dram up. Although as published the Plan
made no mention of synthetic a mnon1a, it probably provided for o : storm
Lion of da i ged plans, possibly for expansion of tha lusta at .ou at
Chirc ; for completion of plants at Lioldba-ack and Cuba; and
for construction of new plants at Kirova , Dzerrzhi ek, a Puatav L The
status of plans for reconstruction at Kaneisk are rnknoan.
'The overall plans for the industry during this period probably
were too ambitious,, and despite the acquisition of dismantled German and
Manchurian equiput nt and the aid of German technologists, it is be3leved that
the goals were only partially realized, Achievements can be m-mmarized
briefly. The Sta1lnogorsk plant, i .icb was not damaged and not a raplete3
ra ov p : por?tedly resumed cpoi'at1ons about the beginning of 1945 and Is now
in full. p 3uetion. The Gorlovka and Dneprodzerzhinsk plants resumed produc-
tion on a partial basis in 1946 and early 194,7, reapcct1ve3 , and are now
believed, to be producing at about their prewar rates. A note plant was reporte &
l.y projected for early 1949 at Staaalino, replaaeitr the one which undoubtedly was
destroyed. Sawa evidence indicates that the plant at Chirchik m have bean
=T anded since 1945. The plant at at Kfrovakan apparently has t yct been
cc npie ed but may cone into operation In 1951. The Lis 1eha nsk ,1 nt
Is believed to have begaan, pr ction in May or June 1951. The Gub&kha pmt
,ma last reported as under construction in 1945, and its prevent status is
unlmoiwm. It possfb] r could be in operations, but no information is available.
A near. theti.c ammonia plant,, part of a 1act ni ( ion) plant' was reportedly
~4-I-
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5-, ?.R-EAT
put into operation at Plant No. 96, DZgrZhinak, about April or May 1949.
This plant apparently was constructed with dismantled equipment fran the
7euna. Works at Morssburg, Gwmazq. Another synthetic ammonia plant has
been reported under construction at Thistavi, Georgia SSR, Costs ction
was reported to be proceeding slowly in November 1949, homers and cnly
the foundatiow of the bu3l.d1.nga were eipleted. Estimating the otimplea.
Lion date in tha ,light of postwar construction of other. plants of this
type, the. Rust v3 plant probably will not start production before 19530
Production during the period of the Fourth Five Year Plan is est ttm-d
as follows,, Appendix A presenting the methods used in waking these estimatesz
Esth ated Soviet Produotion of Synthetic Ammonia
1946.x.
~
,Oara~, ~w~o PRA
1946
323
1947
368
1948
440
1949
489
1950 .
534
1951
550
The thetic ammonia process most widely used throughout the world
toJaYv including the USSR, is the original Haber-Bosch process with varies
modifications.. Other proceas . es in use are the N (Nitrogen Engineering
Corporation), Claude, Casale, Fanner, and Mont Cenis. These processes are
basically the * sai a as the Haber-Bosch process with various modifications of
temperature, press .re, catalystcs, method of hydra and nitrogen r a facture,
ate. The synthetic are and de processes are now outdated. In
all of them processes the aouroe of the nitrogen for the ammonia synthesis
Sae generally from an air liquefaction plant, frce producer gas or f'rc m the
"blew gas" fram a water-gas gensrato a The principal sources of drogen
for ammonia synthesis are water gas, cokk enn gasp eleabrolysia of 'cater,
electrolysis of brine,, and natural gas,,
Sln;thetie sonia and methanol can be produced in the aem? type of hi
Pre"ure oqui ? nt With onxy minor ch gss0 Conseqaent3y?, maW plants are
bits t w :h convertible units.
Q, 5-
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In the USSR the percentage of hydrogen obtained frcn eacch source is
estimated to be a p p r o d a t e l y as f a n o w a water gas, 4 3 percent; eok
gas, 41 percent; and electrolysis of ten, .16 percent. No ammonia plants
In the USSR are known to be operating on hydrogen derived from brine
electrolysis or from natural gas. The catalyst used In converting the
nitrogen and hydrogen gases to ammonia is, almost without e3eaption, iron
ps?c oted by oxides of metals such as alumim m, zirconium or siliaon, 'and
potassium,
2. Irma . ~e
For a production of 231,000 metric tons (N) of oynthetio ammaonla from
plants using the water-gas procesz, input requirements are estimated as
follows:
Coke 50090O0 Metric Tons
aeetricity 800 Million Kilo watt ho,
Direct Labor 5 KtUUon Man-hoars (Based
on US Production Standards)
For an output of 2198,000 metric tons (N) of synthetic ammonia frcu
plants using the coke-oven gas process, input requirements are estimated
as follows
Bituii none Coal, P-'ashed,
for the Mamfac-ture of
21.9 Billion Cubic Feet
of Hydrogen 3.3 million Metric Tons
Electricity 750.0 IU on K3'io tfi..boos
Direct Labor 5.0 Million Ma hours
For a Production of 84,000 metric tons (N) of synthetic s csnia,
using the water eloctrolyais process for hydrogen, input requirements amount
to the fo11owi. g:
Electricity 1.45 B lion Kilowatt?hours
Direct Labor
3?95 Xilllion Man-hours (Basel
on US Production S . ds)
Tire eca gas from Bich this drogen is ex acted Is a y-c a
in the acture of coke and therefore does not constith an additional
repent for coeL
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,~ ~37~~~9vt~~~m
lm c~s$3c Px? ac
Soviet production of synthetic ammonia in 1950 is estimated at
5340000 metric tons (N) (ranges 450,000 to 550,000), and 1951 production
is about 5500000 metric ton (N) (range: Oa000 to-6O0,000). The
following table summarizes the estimated capacity and production of Soviet
yethet1c ammonia plants:
Bat imated Capacity and Production
of Soviet ynthetic A ida Plants
1951
P1 t awmak. ~ : ^ TcaW~~_ ~a
chics~
WIP
Daaprodzershinek
Gorlovka
Lisichansk (Verkhne)
Sense
. Subtotal
~~etz~3 ~~s 3?~~ a3. ?~
~~r k
I~:~~~3.usk
S" . gorak
ZZ
Ud
Chisel Plant Kalinin 40 33
Chemical Plant Stroy N.A. N.A.
Chemical Cnbine Stalin 107 9y -
$ub"total
JL
13orezra
N .zh Tagil
Subtotal
l e ovo
%btotnI
Chemical Camber
Voroshilev
N. A.
Niter F S zo
Mf an 3
ju
Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant 60 50
Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant 86 72
Mokh troy N.A. (Probe. 16
ably about 50)
Nitrating Plant larpova 9 7
129
50
57
108
42
-M 7 4W .
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Estimate Capacity and Production
of Soviet Synthotio ,onia Plits
1951
(Continued)
Eff Eat3E.ts tsd P ent of
aisa1 C `?cs
Ohlrdhik
Electro h cal Combine 100
Stalin
Subtotal
22
Three nov plants are under construction. An installation at vatkan,,
Transcauca us, with a probable capacity of about 501,000 area tons (N) a year
may begin producing in 1951. A plant of unknown capacity at . tavi p
Tvans-
caucasusp is reportedly in the early stages of construction, wbile the status
of construction of a plant at Cubakha, Urals, is tr owno It is believed that9
in the event of a general war, maxim= output for 1951 at the most would be
about 600.,0 00 tome, or 50,000
tons
more than estimated 1951 production. Such
an i o e probably could ba attained by getting the lKiroVakan p1+nt ii
operation more quickly and by intensified production at Lisiolaansk and the
other plants now in aporation4
aQ M 0
No information is available on Soviet imports of synthetic Ana
from the Bloc countries. Satellite production of synthetic amnonla in 195:ig
however, is estimated as follow
84
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ti ated Satellite Production of Synthetic A mania
1951
M. f
Iff)
East Germany
oo
Poland
55
Czechoslovakia
40
Hoary
12
Mix ehur a
.12
Rya
10
Bulgaria
North China
i
U. a 2c c M?
No synthetic aamonias Is imported from non-BI.oe countries.
Western restrictions on shipment of a droua ammonia to Soviet Moo co
tries probably have little or no effect on the peacetime economies of these
eountriessp but relaxation of controls might permit greater stockpiling of
explosives and food for the m1lita. r forces. The embargo on equipment for
the manufactt of anhydrous arrmoniap on the other hand, dcsfinitel7 retaeeds
the Soviet war potential. Supplies potentially available from countri,&I
that might be overrun by the USSR cannot be detemined m 2U-1 a study of
this indtatry, in Western 1krops, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia has
been made.
High-pressure tankage is.required for stoke of aytbetic soniae
?rhieh precludes building up Einy large reserves of this chemical, Ramie o of
a relatively ssmall quantity in the industrial pipeline., it can safely be
assumed that there axe no reserves of bathetic ammonia in the Soviet Bloc.
4@ Subs'~,iisass.
There are no aubsti tut s for t aetlc amor4a* The ammonia produced
as a byproduct In the cow of oval cannot be regarded as a subctittate for
synthetic zon1.a, because it is produced in relatively small volume and in
the form of a weOt solutioi with water rather than in the gases form of
the synthetic product.
9-9 -
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IVQ air nt ao
1. SLYLUMS
fo11 a
The principal diet end 'rases of esthetic ammonia am estimated as
Estimated P imipa1 Soviet End Uses of Synthetic Ammia
1950
Range of Variation
R
ent- -1
LLOMMIt..
Pertili.zers (c ludd
235
200 to 270
44.
Nitric Acid)
Nitric Acid
177
157 to 197
Macefaneous ,
1,22
100 to I1"
23
The most important miscellaneous uses are mentioned below
. The largest ccn ev of synthetic ammo do d lu
g p ? the is the
nitrogenous fertilizer industry. The 1950 production of r itrogen n fertili.zors
in the USSR is estimated to have been about 1.42 million mstrie tons., of which
about 249,000 tows were produced from coke byproduct emonfa in theform of
onivaza su1p - The g 1.17 mil .ion tons of nitrogenous fertilizers
vo??a1d have required about 235,000 tong of nitrogen in the form of esthetic
ammonia, Qc1uAiva of tat synthetic ammonia oxidized to nitric acid for the
manufacture of fertilizers,
The largest peacetime use for synthetic ammonia' is in the manu-
facture of nitric acid, which is used In the production of fertilizers,
exploolvesp plastics, insecticides, Inorganic nita?atoa (ai ver,, copper? sodium)
o
dye it mediates,, and many other c eaa'tia1 products. The 1950 pro:wtion of
uric acid in the Sove t Union Is estimated to have been about 715,,00 metric
tons, which wed have required app 1mately 377,000 tons of ammonia nitrogen.
The assumption here is that an nitric acid in the USSR is p uced by the
oxidation of ammonia and, none from ssa1tpeter,,
The rem g 122?000 tons of synthetic ar ate, or 23 pert ont of
total productions u2douuV were consumed in the manufacture of such
chemicals as urea, soda ash, cyanidos, ammordum chloride, ammonlum carboxa to
and bicarbo tr$ a azinani mm Perchlorate; In the manufacture of zy1ontype
3.0
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fibers and plastics and of paper, in ammonia refrigeration mite; In ter
troa' nt; in the rubber industry (to preserve latex); in metallurgy (case
hardening and bright annealing); and in the petroleum Industry (to prevent
corrosion in tams storage of sous crudes, to treat 1 ibe oil., and to make
MM and gasoline)
2 ;~., tom,
No 3 lcrm atlon Is available conesr g Soviet military re r etta
for eythotic amonia, either for ma r'tercaanee of stand-by forces, for limited
'ms s or for a major var. Using the availability of raw materials as
a basis, It has been possible, ho ver, to make a rough estimate of the Soviet
m=ires potential for tho production of explosives a Synthetic Gaon require-
ronts to meet this maximum explosives production program are a ted at
about 250000 me uric tors (N). After allocation of this amount, for ?mpiosives
production, an estimated 30O, tons will be available 1951 to meet
indua?tri.al., fertilizer, and indirect military requfremen'tsd It is bel ev?ed.,
therefore, that sufficient ammonia will be .available kn the USSR to sustain
a major w r0
30 hwartq.
No inform tjon is available concerning Soviet a rt of emetic
ammoniac Since this product must be abippal in heavy pressure containers,,
it is unlikely that the Soviets carry on any foreign trade In-this coimrodltye
V. 1i LOC11,11,121011 t 410
t
The s pply of synthetic ammonia available to Soviet moo countries in
1951 is estimated at frcmr 900,,000 to 1.1 million metric tons (N)t- The s apply
of this essential chemi.cai, therefore, will not be a factor 1ting azW
course of action by the Soviets, and present productive capaa ty 3e o ble
of supp1 g aequfremer is in a long and vigorous war. The average
annwA
Soviet supp3r during World War IIv including LendLse ehlp!ne , was about
one-third of that now available.
2.
a tto
The So36t s .etic anemia industry Is C eqAot i self afficle L and,
therefore, is not vulnerable -to economic warfare. h-3s does not mean hov er,
that export controls on products derived from ammo uia or on plant equipment
should be relaxed, since this would allow more rapid stockpi.,l:tng and the
ce pa.2ssiori of production capacity.
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Because of the limited number of pxvdualng plantar tbis industry
is vu' rab1? to atrategie bzbiug, buts, on -the other hahd:, the geographic
locations of at least three large plants are such that this v alnerability
might be limited, No studies have been made of atock ilea of explosiveas
a mauzition, and other produc ;s derived from ammonia, so that no estimates
can nov be made regarding the 1? th of time before restriction of supply
would affect tho Soviet Tdw- potential,
Operations in the esthetic a nia industry alch might indicate
Sovte`: prepant .ons for tar are (a) an increase in the production of Don..
centrated nitric aoido which would be necsessaz for a large expiosive
progr (b) a cease in the production of ammonium nitrate; (c) a
nati ceable or unusual. shox tapo of a mn tmi atc fertilizer; (d) cossa.
tian Or r3striction of rto of nitroge fertilizers; and (e) Una.,
do of nitric; aoid to eiolosives plants rather than to fertiliz plants.
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APPENDIX A
10 LIOD -_C4 TIM SMIM ~PRODUCTIP CE,
L'.0 timates of Soviet production of synthetic Sonia were computed on
they fol. o ring vases ? A study of the eight plants in operation in 1940
(Ch1rch1k did not start operations until 6 November 1940 and thus dick. not
contribute to the annual - total) revealed that 1940 production was about
340000 metric tons M. Using this figtro as a base, production in
1.94 , 19479 And 1948 was calculated from the Information that the output
in these years was 95 percent, 1O8 perrcant, and 130 percent (planned) a
h espeetively, of 1940 proehiction.
The maxima annual capacity Of the nine lants7 believed to be operating
in 1949 3s estimated at 635,000 metric tons (X)- Part of this capacity
undoubtedly is assigned to the production of ethanol2 but available in.
fornstion. is not sufficient to make a firm estimate of this percentage.
In the US, about 20 to 30 percent of the Synthetic aimnonia capacity is
devoted to methanol production. Because of the relatively greater USSR
production of methanol from wood distillation a the relatively lower
dowel opsneWc, of their solvents and plastics industries., it is estimated that
only about 10 percent of the USSR synthetic ammonia plant capacity is
devoted to the production of synthetic methanol, Production of syi hetic
methanol by azeonia plants thus would amount to approximately ?0,$000 metric
tons in 1949, reducing the total USSR capacity for ' hetic ammonia prod ce.
tion to 574,,560 -ton !l) in 1949, Therefore,, assuming that the Soviets have
now acquirod sufficient skill to operate 'hose plants within pr?acticai limits
of their designed capacities and that the industry an a whole has attained
an operating efficiency of 85 percent of installed capacity, Soviet pro&c
tion ? of sthotic ammonia in 1949 would have amounted to 49,Ot00 metric
tons (N), an increase of 11 percent over the estimated 194 production of
14409000 tons,,
The estimate of 1950 production was based on the ?as m mption that an ad.
di t tonal 45,000 metric teas of nitrogen uo 1d be available from increased
operating efficiency of the et.sting plants., particularly of the rehabilitated
plants at Dneprodzerzhinskj. Gorlovka, and Stalin; from the now plants at
Dzerzhinsak; and possibly f'rc n the now plant at .si ?an..k (Vcrkhne)0 This
would bring the 1950 production up to 534004 nitric tons (M., as ngrease
of 9 percent over 1949 production and 57 percent over 1940 production. No
sped tfic information concord the 1950 plan for saynthe ie ammonia production
blare been released 1 the Soviet Union, Indirect evidence Is available' how-
ovor, from the official sstatexnGnt that "the law provides for an increase In
the production of mineral f"ortilizers to gtaarantoos by 1950.2 L8 times an
much -nitrogenous fertilizer as was produced before the vane" Because of
Soviet preparations for wear and the consequent :increase in the manufacture of
e.vlosives in 19402 the peak ye3sa for the production of nitrogen fertilizers
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k4"+F' --j
'Obr-bly was either 3933 or 3939. - (Multiplying the estimated 1939 nthe?tic
'? a production of 3009000 metric tone (N) by 1.8 ggvos a 1950 planned
Figure of 540,000 tuns, which closely checks with the figure of 534,TOOO tone
estimated above.
Production of synthetic ammonia in the Soviet Union in 1951 probably
will reach. 550,000 metric tons (N), an increase of 16,000 tons, or about 3
percent, over the esti -ted 1950 production. This increase .will come almost
e-atiraly from the plant at Lisichanak (Verkhne), believed to' have been
completed in late 1950 or early 1951,
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