By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : June 23, 2020 3:36 pm
Progresses seven-unit U.S. Gulf Coast mega project to the cusp of completion says the CEO
Sasol has announced that the Guerbet alcohols unit at the Lake Charles Chemicals Project ("LCCP") achieved beneficial operation on 19 June 2020. The new Guerbet unit is Sasol's second Guerbet alcohol production site, with the other located in Brunsbuettel, Germany. This means that 100 percent of LCCP's specialty chemicals units are now online, and that 86 percent of total nameplate capacity of LCCP is operational. The Guerbet unit is the sixth LCCP production unit to be brought into production, and has a nameplate capacity of 30,000 tons per year, using Sasol's proprietary technology.
The LCCP Ziegler unit, which achieved beneficial operation on 16 June 2020, is an extension of the existing Ziegler plant in Lake Charles and adds to existing Ziegler capacity from Brunsbuettel in Germany. It is the largest of its kind in the world, adding nameplate capacity of 173 000 tons per year of alcohol and 32 000 tons per year of alumina. The Ziegler unit is the most technically complex of the units in the LCCP and is also based on Sasol's proprietary technology.
The last remaining unit to come online at LCCP will be the low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant, which was damaged during a fire in January 2020. This is on track for beneficial operation 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.
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 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.