Sasol Plans First U.S. GTL Facility

South African energy and chemicals group Sasol today announced that it has chosen the southwestern region of the State of Louisiana as the site for a planned gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility. The project is slated to be the first plant in the U.S. to produce GTL transportation fuels and other products.

In a press conference today with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Sasol Managing Director: New Business Development Ernst Oberholster said, “We believe Sasol’s proprietary GTL technology can help unlock the potential of Louisiana’s clean and abundant natural gas resources and contribute to an affordable, reliable and high quality fuel supply for the United States.”

“GTL fuels are an important part of the energy mix because they can advance energy independence in a way that is both cost-efficient and environmentally friendly,” said Oberholster. In addition, unlike other proposed alternatives to conventional petroleum-based fuels, GTL fuel is used in existing vehicles and fuel delivery infrastructure without modifications.

Sasol will embark on a feasibility study to evaluate the viability of a GTL venture in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, over the next 18 months. The feasibility study will consider two options of a two million tons per annum and a four million tons per annum facility.

This is the second “first of a kind” announced by Sasol in the U.S. in less than a year: In December 2010, Sasol announced the world’s first Ethylene Tetramerization Unit, also to be built in Calcasieu Parish.

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Source: Sasol, September 14, 2011;