|
22 May 2007
Sasol Limited
(Incorporated in South Africa)
(Registration number: 1979/003231/06)
ISIN Code: ZAE000006896
JSE Code: SOL
NYSE Code: SSL
("Sasol")
The Oryx gas-to-liquids (GTL) venture in Qatar, in which Sasol has a 49% shareholding, has now been operational for more than three months. During this initial start-up period all systems, process units, including the three main technologies, have been successfully tested and have demonstrated design intent. This bodes well for our strategic ambition to grow our business through GTL projects worldwide. Products that meet specification are being produced and the first consignment was shipped to market during April.
As to be expected with a facility of this size and complexity, the plant has experienced start-up operational challenges, most of these limited to individual pieces of equipment. The failure of the steam super heater in the utility section, reported on during the second half of 2006, has been the most
significant to date. This problem has since been successfully resolved.
Operating rates are currently also limited to levels lower than planned. The biggest challenge preventing ramp-up to the planned production rate is a higher
than the design level of fine material that is produced in the process and which then has to be handled downstream of the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) units. This fine
material is constraining the overall throughput of the downstream units. A number of possible causes for this have been identified and plans are in place
to eliminate or remediate these over the coming months. The installation of additional downstream equipment as a back-up solution to increase throughput has
already been initiated and this will be available for implementation towards the middle of 2008.
Over the last fifty years Sasol has successfully developed, implemented and operated several generations of large-scale synthetic fuel plants. Based on this
experience we are fully confident that the abovementioned challenges will be overcome but in the interim they will unfortunately prolong the ramp-up period. Until the production of fine material is reduced, the Oryx joint venture will only generate a marginal cash contribution.
An update on Oryx's performance will be provided at an appropriate time, but no later than Sasol's year end results presentation in September 2007.
"We are very pleased that the Oryx start-up has, despite these challenges, demonstrated the potential of the world's largest gas-to-liquids facility and that the process produces world-class products. The remaining technical challenges will be resolved as speedily as possible so that full production can
be achieved," said Lean Strauss, Group General Manager of Sasol International Energy business.
22 May 2007
Johannesburg
Issued by sponsor: Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited
|