LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana, June 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasol today announced beneficial operation of its new ethylene oxide (EO) production facility at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP). As announced on 22 May 2019, Sasol achieved beneficial operation of the ethylene glycol (EG) facility. The combined ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol (EO/EG) unit is the second of the seven LCCP production facilities to come online.
"The LCCP continues to transform North America into a major part of Sasol's global business, delivering value for all Sasol's stakeholders," said Bernard Klingenberg, Executive Vice President for Operations. "Our team of Sasol employees, contractors and industry partners continues to deliver the LCCP with the start-up of our second process unit."
He added, "We are working diligently to deliver the remaining five LCCP manufacturing units throughout 2019 and early 2020."
"Ethylene oxide production plays an important role in our alcohol and surfactants growth strategy," said Fleetwood Grobler, Executive Vice President for Chemicals Business. "The startup of this unit allows Sasol to be fully integrated from ethane to ethylene to alcohols to surfactants at our Lake Charles site. It also enables us to produce ethylene glycols using our world-class manufacturing capability and leveraging the expertise and global reach of our marketing partner Helm AG. Together these products will create significant value for our customers."
The unit, which uses Scientific Design technology, has a nameplate capacity of 300,000 tons per year (300 ktpa) of ethylene oxide (EO). EO is used as a raw material to produce two main products: surfactants, which are the active ingredient in many household and industrial cleaners; and ethylene glycols, which are used to make polyester fiber for clothes, upholstery and carpet, as well as automotive engine antifreeze and coolant.
The EO/EG plant will also supply ethylene oxide as a feedstock for Sasol's existing 130 ktpa Lake Charles ethoxylates (ETO) unit, as well as the new 100 ktpa LCCP ETO plant under construction. Beneficial operation of this unit is expected by the end of calendar year 2019.
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 integrated sophisticated technologies in world-scale operating facilities to produce and commercialise commodity and specialised chemicals, gaseous and liquid fuels, and lower-carbon electricity.
Forward looking statement:
Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts and relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, developments and business strategies. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding exchange rate fluctuations, volume growth, increases in market share, total shareholder return, executing our growth projects (including LCCP), oil and gas reserves, cost reductions, our Continuous Improvement (CI) programme and business performance outlook. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 28 August 2018 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
