The U.S. shale gas revolution, coupled with the current wide differential between gas and oil prices, has created attractive opportunities for Sasol's continued growth and investment in the U.S. market.
Sasol's transformational GTL and chemicals technologies will help unlock the potential of abundant natural gas resources, provide the U.S. with world-class, cleaner-burning fuel, contribute to the country's energy security and support expanded domestic manufacturing.
The final investment decision for the ethane cracker and derivatives project was made in 2014. Sasol also announced it was delaying the final investment decision on its proposed large-scale, US gas-to-liquids project to conserve cash in response to lower international oil prices.
A world-scale ethane cracker and derivatives project
Sasol is constructing a world-scale petrochemical complex near our existing site in Southwest Louisiana. The $8.9 billion project will roughly triple the company’s chemical production capacity in the U.S. and enable it to build on its strong positions in robust and growing global chemicals markets.
At the heart of the project is an ethane cracker that will produce 1.5 million tons of ethylene annually, benefiting from significant economies of scale. The complex also includes six chemical manufacturing plants. Approximately 90 percent of the cracker's ethylene output will be converted into a diverse slate of commodity and high-margin specialty chemicals for markets in which Sasol has a strong position, underpinned by collaborative customer relationships.
Sasol has selected Fluor Technip Integrated, a joint venture of two world-class firms, as the primary engineering, procurement and construction management contractor.
Site preparation is underway and the company expects that the facility will achieve beneficial operation in 2018.
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