Sasol's testimony to US House of Representatives

Sasol's senior group executive for global chemicals and North American operations André de Ruyter testified on Thursday (20 June) before a joint hearing of the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Power and the Subcommittee on Commerce‚ Manufacturing‚ and Trade on the benefits of Sasol's US projects for the manufacturing and energy sectors

In his testimony‚ De Ruyter highlighted the opportunities created by the US shale gas revolution for Sasol's further growth and investment in the US market and the role of Sasol's transformational technologies in unlocking the value of these resources.

"Sasol's gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility‚ the first of its kind in the US‚ will be a game-changer for America's energy future‚" De Ruyter said. "While natural gas is a major energy source for global power generation‚ it has lacked the versatility to address transportation needs. Now‚ with our proven GTL technology‚ natural gas can be transformed into a range of high-quality fuels and chemical products‚ maximizing in-country value."

Sasol announced in December last year that it would begin front-end engineering and design (FEED) work for a world-scale ethane cracker and an integrated GTL facility‚ to be located near the town of Westlake‚ Louisiana.

Positive economic impact

De Ruyter also emphasised the positive economic impact the U.S. projects will have on Sasol's South African operations.

"The benefits of these projects will also extend back home‚ where we will continue to grow and create value for our shareholders‚ 70% of whom are located in South Africa‚" De Ruyter said. "The projects are a compelling example of how bilateral trade can yield substantial foreign direct investment in the US‚ which represents a win-win for both the US and South African economies."

The GTL facility will convert natural gas into four million tons per annum (mtpa)‚ or 96‚000 barrels per day of high quality transportation fuel‚ including GTL diesel. GTL diesel is a cleaner-burning‚ high performance fuel with significant emission reductions. Unlike other proposed alternative fuels‚ GTL diesel can be used in existing vehicles and fuel delivery infrastructure without modifications.

The world-scale ethane cracker will produce an estimated 1.5 mtpa of ethylene‚ helping to strengthen U.S. manufacturing‚ boost exports and spur economic growth. The ethylene produced in the chemical facility will be used to produce a range of high-value derivatives‚ further strengthening Sasol's position in the global chemicals market.