# Carbon dioxide: Production

Why a handful of plants hold a country's CO2 supply

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/production/

Why a handful of plants hold a country's CO2 supply What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.

| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| **World capacity** | not published |  | no public census of merchant CO2 capacity |
| **World output** | about 230 Mt used a year, over 20 Mt merchant |  | IEA (2019, indicative); gasworld (2016) |
| **Capacity utilisation** | not published | Merchant capacity runs as its host plant runs. When UK ammonia stopped in September 2021, CO2 supply fell 60% overnight. | The Chemical Engineer (Oct 2021) |
| **Concentration** | US over 40% of merchant CO2 (2016) | Supply in each country hangs on a few ammonia, ethanol or gas plants; in the UK, CF Industries' two plants made 60% of food-grade CO2 in 2021. | gasworld (2016); The Chemical Engineer (2021) |
| **New capacity** | CCS hubs and e-fuel projects could create new CO2 demand and supply | Low-carbon ammonia projects such as CF/JERA/Mitsui Blue Point will capture CO2 for storage. Green methanol and e-fuels need biogenic or captured CO2. | CF Industries 2025 results; indicative |

#### Top producing countries
 United States 40% · over 10 Mt merchant a year; plus most of the world's EOR CO2

- **China**: not published; largest urea producer, so largest captive user (indicative)
- **India**: merchant demand about 3,565 t a day (about 1.3 Mt a year) in 2024; urea CO2 about 21 Mt (29.32 Mt urea x 0.733)
- **Japan**: among the next largest merchant markets
- **Europe**: among the next largest merchant markets; heavily dependent on ammonia plants
 gasworld (2016); indicative; gasworld India report (2025); Chambal MD&A FY2026 (derived)

#### Largest producers: global

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Linde** CO2 volume not disclosed | UK/US/Germany | not published | 2025 | [Linde 2025 Annual Report](https://www.lobbyregister.bundestag.de/media/42/b1/812501/2025-annual-report-to-shareholders.pdf) |
| **Air Liquide** not retrieved | France | not published | 2025 | [company](https://www.airliquide.com/) |
| **CF Industries** UK ammonia since closed except Billingham imports (indicative) | US/UK | not published | 2021 | [The Chemical Engineer (Oct 2021)](https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/uk-co2-users-agree-short-term-price-fix-to-keep-gas-flowing/) |
| **Ensus** | UK | not published | 2021 | [The Chemical Engineer (Oct 2021)](https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/uk-co2-users-agree-short-term-price-fix-to-keep-gas-flowing/) |
| **Occidental (OxyLowCarbon)** not retrieved | US | not published | 2025 | [company (indicative)](https://www.oxy.com/) |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Linde India** | India | not published | 2024 | [gasworld India report (2025)](https://gasworld.com/story/india-country-report-market-for-industrial-gases-grows-500m-in-decade/2154302.article) |
| **INOX Air Products** | India | not published | 2024 | [gasworld India report (2025)](https://gasworld.com/story/india-country-report-market-for-industrial-gases-grows-500m-in-decade/2154302.article) |
| **Indian urea producers (IFFCO, NFL, Chambal, RCF)** derived | India | 21 Mt CO2 a year captive in urea (derived) | FY2026 | [Chambal MD&A FY2026 (29.32 Mt urea) x 0.733](https://www.indiainfoline.com/company/chambal-fertilisers-chemicals-ltd/management-discussions/3029) |

India's merchant CO2 demand was about 3,565 t a day in 2024, mainly for food and beverages (gasworld). Indian urea plants consume about 21 Mt a year of CO2 captively, and many also recover CO2 from flue gas to balance their ammonia-to-urea ratio (indicative).

#### Position by region

| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| **US** | Largest merchant market (over 40%) and EOR user; 45Q credit of up to $85/t for storage (indicative). |
| **EU** | Merchant CO2 depends on ammonia plants that close when gas spikes; CO2 shortages hit food in 2021-2022. |
| **India** | Merchant demand about 1.3 Mt a year; captive urea use about 21 Mt. |
| **China** | Largest captive user via urea and coal chemicals. |
| **Japan** | Significant merchant market; plans to import CO2-based fuels. |
| **Middle East** | Large captive use in urea; CO2 EOR in Abu Dhabi (Al Reyadah, about 0.8 Mt a year, indicative). |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/carbon_dioxide/links/index.md)