Home

Sasol schedules major upgrade of synfuel plant

May 13, 1996

South Africa's Sasol Ltd. plans to upgrade its synthetic fuel plant at Secunda in an 820 million rand ($185 million) project due for completion in 1999. At Secunda, 180 km southeast of Johannesburg, Sasol produces 150,000 b/d of synthetic crude oil from low grade coal using the Fischer Tropsch gas/syncrude process. Sasol will replace 16 reactors at the plant with six new ones. The new units will be fluidized bed reactors, said to be vastly superior in performance to existing circulation bed

South Africa's Sasol Ltd. plans to upgrade its synthetic fuel plant at Secunda in an 820 million rand ($185 million) project due for completion in 1999.

At Secunda, 180 km southeast of Johannesburg, Sasol produces 150,000 b/d of synthetic crude oil from low grade coal using the Fischer Tropsch gas/syncrude process.

Sasol will replace 16 reactors at the plant with six new ones. The new units will be fluidized bed reactors, said to be vastly superior in performance to existing circulation bed reactors.

A 10,000 b/d fluidized bed syncrude unit has been in commercial operation at Secunda since June 1995. Because it involves only one free standing pressure vessel, it is said to be easier to operate and maintain.

Sasol said the new reactors are being installed to maintain present production volumes while increasing yields by 30% and lowering production costs. The first will be commissioned in May 1998.

There is a provision to expand production if demand for syncrude increases, but this would also require debottlenecking of downstream units.

Cutting costs

Hannes Botha, managing director of Sasol Synthetic Fuels, said, "The new SAS reactor technology will enable us to reduce our operating costs. It will eliminate replacement of high wear components.

"The system uses significantly less catalyst and is easier to operate and maintain. Recovery of energy is more efficient, and an additional 1,000 tons/hour of steam will be generated.

"It is foreseen that this project will significantly contribute to lowering the cost of production of synthetic crude oil in the longer term. This transformation process is aimed at countering the effect of the reduction in our tariff protection."

South Africa's new government is reducing price protection for synthetic fuel producers as the country opens its doors to international trade after years of trade boycotts (OGJ, Dec. 25, 1995, p. 29).

Sasol, along with Haldor Topsoe AS of Denmark, recently has begun marketing a development of the Fischer Tropsch process to produce diesel fuel from natural gas.