Industrial and medical gas company Air Liquide is currently installing a new liquid argon production plant at petrochemicals giant Sasol Synfuels’ Secunda plant, which is scheduled for commissioning in 2010.

Air Liquide Southern Africa CEO Alain Larousse says that the company has built a strong relationship with Sasol over the past 30 years and this is the sixteenth air-separation unit it has supplied to the petrochemicals producer. This is the first time that the two companies have coinvested in a plant, as Sasol has traditionally bought the equipment and technology from Air Liquide and 
operates the air-separation plant on its own behalf.

“We had an interesting discus-
sion at the beginning to ensure that the argon production does not interfere with Sasol’s production, and the Air Liquide engineering division worked to ensure that the plant improves Sasol’s production in terms of reliability and energy consumption,” he says.

Larousse explains that the key product for Sasol is the oxygen, which is used to make coal-to-liquid fuel. Air Liquide aims to extract the argon gas, which is produced as a by-product in large air-separation units designed primarily for the production of oxygen and nitrogen, without disturbing Sasol’s activities.

Before the global financial 
crisis, there was a shortage of argon in South Africa and Air Liquide decided to take a long-term view and build a production plant. He says that, with its completion, the company will provide consumers in the country with a secure supply of the gas.

The plant has been built over the past two years and is reaching the final stages of construction. Larousse explains that the main unit was constructed in Europe and is being shipped to South Africa. The argon recovery unit is the first of its kind to be installed at the Secunda plant.

He adds that the plant is probably the biggest in the country and on the African continent, and it extracts 3 500 t of oxygen and argon a day. Air Liquide aims to sell the entire argon production from the plant to the relevant markets, which includes the welding and automotive industries.

Larousse comments that, while the financial crisis has resulted in a drop in company argon sales, he expects a global recovery during 2010 and 2011. Infrastructure projects will consume many welding gases and the country’s energy
investment will also provide 
opportunities.

He adds that the crisis has been challenging for all gas companies in South Africa, as the market has been shrinking since last year. Further, it is important for the company to follow a strategy of securing sourcing. The company 
aims to achieve global growth and is also investing in a 190-t/d air-separation plant in Namibia.

“Air Liquide is a capital-intensive company and has invested a large amount of capital in the plant to secure it. ”