Name of the Project
Sasol Fischer-Tropsch wax expansion project (FTWEP).

Location
The project is located at the Sasol One site, in Sasolburg, in the Free State, South Africa.

Client
Sasol Performance Chemicals.

Project Description
The project involved the two-phase construction of a new wax plant.

The FTWEP will produce hard and medium waxes, liquid paraffin and waxy oils for use in various industrial applications, including hot-melt adhesives, polyvinyl chloride processing, inks, paints, coatings and asphalt applications.

Total production of all wax products is expected to increase by about 65%.

The plant will be able to produce up to 137 000 t/y of wax within two years.

Potental Job Creation
A total of 49 service providers and about 5 500 construction workers were employed during the duration of the project. About 37-million hours were worked.

Value
The total project cost for both phases is estimated at R13.6-billion.

Duration
The project started in 2010. The first phase of the project was commissioned in June 2015. The second phase was commissioned in the first half of 2017.

Latest Developments
Phase 2 of petrochemicals company Sasol’s FTWEP has successfully been commissioned in its entirety and has been running stably for six months.

“With completion of this project, South Africa is now one of the leading countries of wax production globally,” Sasol joint president and CEO Bongani Nqwababa said at the inauguration on February 6.

The FTWEP is one of a number of major capital investments the company has made in South Africa.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Foster Wheeler (front-end engineering design); Global Engineering and Construction, a subsidiary of Foster Wheeler (engineering, procurement and construction management); Group Five Civil Engineering (civil and structural works); Energy & Chemicals Group, a subsidiary of The Shaw Group (basic engineering support for the two wax production units, with the company designing the proprietary equipment and optimising the technology); Heaton Valves Africa (valves supplier); Turner & Townsend (client's consultant); Kentz (mechanical and piping work) and Aveng Grinaker-LTA (Work Pack 3 Phase 2 and Work Pack 6 Phase 2 electrical and instrumentation projects).

On Budget and on Time?
The project is proceeding as scheduled.

Contact Details for Project Information
Sasol Chemical Industries, tel +27 11 441 3841 or fax +27 11 441 3287.