PR84505

HOUSTON, 23 June /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

    -Six units now online comprise more than 86% of LCCP's total output

    Sasol today announced that the Guerbet alcohol unit at our Lake Charles

Chemicals Project (LCCP) achieved beneficial operations on 19 June 2020. This

follows three days after achieving beneficial operations on the Ziegler alcohol

unit, bringing the online capacity of LCCP's specialty chemicals units to 100

percent and LCCP's total online nameplate capacity to 86 percent.

    The beneficial operations of these LCCP facilities progresses Sasol's

seven-unit U.S. Gulf Coast mega project to the cusp of completion," said Sasol

President and Chief Executive Officer, Fleetwood Grobler. "The additional

capacity strengthens Sasol's leadership position in the specialty alcohol and

alumina markets, which is core to the company's Chemicals growth strategy."

    "Our investment in Lake Charles – including the additional ethoxylation

capacity that began operation in January 2020 – combined with the startup of

our new ethoxylation unit in Nanjing, China in 2019, strengthens our existing

asset base," said Sasol Executive Vice President: Chemicals Business, Brad

Griffith.

    "With this expansive global footprint, we continue aligning our business

with powerful global megatrends to identify high-value growth opportunities we

can support with our unique chemistries. These megatrends underpin our strategy

of providing solutions to a growing and urbanising middle class focused on

health, hygiene and sustainability. Through collaborative innovation with our

customers, we are committed to developing sustainable solutions which form a

part of the developing circular economy," said Mr Griffith.

    The Ziegler and Guerbet alcohols expand Sasol's position in having the

broadest integrated alcohols and surfactants portfolio in the world. Sasol is a

recognised leader in chemicals for essential care markets such as laundry, home

care, personal care and hygiene.

    Sasol is also well-positioned to offer specialty, performance-based

chemicals and tailor-made solutions to customers in a wide range of industrial

applications including agrochemicals, abrasives, metalworking and lubrication,

oil and gas, automotive, and paints and coatings.

    The LCCP Ziegler unit is an extension of the existing Ziegler plant in Lake

Charles and is the largest of its kind in the world adding nameplate capacity

of 173,000 tons per year (173 ktpa) of alcohol and 32,000 tons (32 ktpa) of

alumina. This addition strengthens Sasol's significant economies of scale,

leveraging the company's deep technical and operating experience.

    The Ziegler unit supplements Sasol's global production of alcohols and

aluminas, adding to existing Ziegler capacity in both Lake Charles and

Brunsbuettel, Germany. The unit is the most technically complex of the units in

the LCCP and is based on Sasol's proprietary technology. Benefited by the most

modern technology and years of experience with this unique process, the Ziegler

unit started up smoothly, within market guidance through the sterling efforts

of our project and operations teams.

    The additional alumina capacity from the Ziegler unit will enable Sasol to

supply the increasing market demand for tailor-made, high purity alumina

products used in a variety of market applications such as catalysts, films,

ceramics and abrasives. The expansion will support the growth aspirations of

customers requiring Sasol's unique alkoxide based alumina products.  

    Sasol's new Guerbet unit on the U.S. Gulf Coast is the company's second

Guerbet alcohol production site; the other is also located in Brunsbuettel. The

unit in Lake Charles is the largest Guerbet alcohol plant in the world and has

a nameplate capacity of 30,000 tons per year (30 ktpa).

    The Guerbet unit is a two-fold scale-up of Sasol's proprietary technology

used in Brunsbuettel. The project and operations teams from both Lake Charles

and Brunsbuettel worked exceedingly well to bring the Guerbet unit onstream

without problems. The positioning of Sasol's Guerbet alcohol production sites

in Europe and North America is unrivaled and provides our customers with

expanded access to a more efficient and sustainable global supply chain.

    The last remaining unit to come online at LCCP will be the low density

polyethylene (LDPE) plant. This is on track for beneficial operations by the

end of September 2020, as per previous guidance.  At the end of May 2020, the

LCCP capital expenditure was tracking the previously communicated guidance of

US$12,8 billion.

    To date, the LCCP has generated more than 800 full-time quality

manufacturing jobs, with up to 6,500 people on site during construction, with

nearly US$4 billion spend on construction to Louisiana businesses and nearly

US$200 million paid in local and state taxes.

    About Sasol:

    Sasol is a global integrated chemicals and energy company. Through our

talented people, we safely and sustainably create superior value for our

customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. We integrate sophisticated

technologies in world-scale operating facilities to produce and commercialise

commodity and specialised chemicals, gaseous and liquid fuels, and lower-carbon

electricity.

    Issued by:

    In South Africa:

    Alex Anderson

    Senior Manager: Group External Communication

    Direct telephone: +27 (0) 10-344-6509; Mobile: +27 (0) 71-600-9605;

    alex.anderson@sasol.com

    In the U.S.:

    Kim Cusimano

    North American Operations Corporate Affairs

    Direct telephone: +1 (225) 776-0758

    kim.cusimano@us.sasol.com

    Source: Sasol Limited