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Refineries & Retail News

Future of oil refining in South Africa highly uncertain

By: Terence Creamer 30th April 2021 South Africa’s oil refinery sector is expected to undergo significant changes in the coming five years, with Engen having already indicated that it will repurpose its refinery site in Durban as a fuel importation terminal and with global and domestic shifts likely to place significant pressure on... →

South Africa's energy transition

30th April 2021 Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about more signs that the energy transition is starting to have a real impact in South Africa with Engen's planned refinery closure, moves by the eThekwini municipality to buy electricity from independent power... →

South Africa's energy transition

Engen to shut refinery and repurpose KZN site as an import terminal

By: Terence Creamer 23rd April 2021 South African petroleum products group Engen announced on Friday that it would shut the Engen Refinery and convert the site, located south of Durban, into an import terminal and product storage facility by the end of 2023. Engen said the refinery-to-terminal (RTT) repurposing initiative was based... →

Fuel price breather could be on the cards for financially burdened consumers, according to the AA

By: News24Wire 15th April 2021 The current data shows the prospect of a 32 cents-a-litre drop in the price of diesel. Financially burdened South African consumers might get a fuel price breather in May, the Automobile Association said on Thursday. This is due to stability on international petroleum markets and a stronger... →

Cylinder market expected to grow

9th April 2021 The global liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder manufacturing market is projected to reach a market size of about $4.7-billion by 2026, with an average growth rate of about 3.6% during the forecast period, according to a report issued by market intelligence provider Transparency Market Research... →

EXPANDING GAS The growth in the global LPG cylinder manufacturing market is driven by increased disposable income, urbanisation and demand for convenience

Sasol, Eskom achieve dismal results in emissions benchmark study

By: Donna Slater 24th March 2021 Investor engagement initiative on climate change Climate Action 100+ (CA100+) issued its first Net Zero Company Benchmark of the world’s biggest corporate emitters, including petrochemicals and chemicals producer Sasol and State power utility Eskom. However, in a response to questions by... →

Policing forum set up to crack down on ‘rampant’ illegal fuel trading

By: Creamer Media Reporter 17th March 2021 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has established the Public Petroleum Products Act Compliance Forum in a bid curb “rampant” illegal fuel trading. The forum is made up of petroleum industry stakeholders, including wholesalers and retail associations, and law enforcement... →

Sasol says unit's dollar-denominated notes offering oversubscribed more than 3 times

By: Reuters 12th March 2021 South African petrochemical firm Sasol said on Friday an offering of dollar-denominated senior notes by its unit was oversubscribed more than three times for a total orderbook of $4.60-billion. The offering consisted of $650-million of senior notes due 2026 and $850-million of senior notes due... →

Petrochemicals plant demolition under way

By: Darren Parker 12th March 2021 Demolition contractor Jet Demolition is wrapping up a petrochemical demolition project valued at about R20-million. Jet Demolition project manager André Botes tells Engineering News that the project, which started in September last year, was a welcome relief from an extremely challenging 2020. →

COLD CUTS Jet Demolition holds a number of highly specialised cold-cutting demolition tools and attachments for its fleet of demolition machines.

Production plant upgrade heralds next-gen coolant

By: Darren Parker 12th March 2021 Local petroleum and petrochemical products manufacturer African Oil Blending Corporation (AOBC) has secured about R130-million to repurpose and upgrade its Harrismith lubricant blending production facilities, in the Free State, pivoting to manufacture water-based and monoethylene glycol- (MEG-)... →

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COOL STUFF South Africa is a good location for water-based coolants because ambient temperatures seldom drop below freezing point

Eskom, Sasol face government ultimatum to meet emission limits

By: Bloomberg 10th March 2021 Eskom Holdings and Sasol, South Africa’s two biggest polluters, must comply with emission limits even if it costs them tens of billions of rand, Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said. The companies, which use coal to produce electricity and gasoline respectively, have sought to avoid... →

Probe finds Mpumalanga, Gauteng hydrogen sulphide levels above WHO recommendations

By: Schalk Burger 1st March 2021 An ongoing probe by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) to determine the cause of the high levels of air pollution reported in Mpumalanga and Gauteng during the week of February 11 to 17 has determined that sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels were in compliance with ambient... →

Expect steep fuel prices in March, AA warns

By: News24Wire 26th February 2021 Fuel users need to prepare for steep hikes across the boards with petrol prices expected to climb by 66 cents per litre, while diesel and illuminated paraffin will be up 57c/l and 49c/l respectively, according to the Automobile Association. The AA on Friday issued a statement outlining its fuel... →

Death of diesel looms as carmakers accelerate to electric future

By: Reuters 26th January 2021 The world's biggest diesel engine factory in Tremery, eastern France, is undergoing a radical overhaul - it's switching to make electric motors. From less than 10% of output in 2020, electric motor production at Tremery will double to around 180 000 in 2021, and is planned to reach 900 000 a... →

Staying local pivotal for Mozambique LNG project

By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 15th January 2021 Local content and employment are integral to one of the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects under way on the continent, says petroleum refining company Total Mozambique country chair Ronan Bescond. The Area 1 Mozambique project is one of three LNG projects that are under way along the... →

RONAN BESCOND Foreign companies that want to work on the project must value local partnership

Almost half of South Africa’s oil refining seen shut until 2022

By: Bloomberg 11th January 2021 South African plants owned by Glencore and Petroliam Nasional that make up 43% of the nation’s oil-refining capacity are expected to stay shut until at least 2022, according to energy consultant Citac. Astron Energy, a unit of Glencore, has yet to restart the 100 000 bl.d Cape Town refinery after... →

South African fuel prices to rise across the board this week

By: African News Agency 4th January 2021 The retail price of fuel in South Africa will increase by up to 43 cents a litre from Wednesday, while the wholesale cost of diesel will rise by as much as 55 cents, the mineral resources and energy department said on Monday. In a statement, it said the retail price of illuminating paraffin,... →

One injured, six treated for smoke inhalation after Engen refinery explosion

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th December 2020 One person has been injured and taken to hospital, while six have been treated for smoke inhalation, following Friday morning's explosion at an oil refinery in Wentworth, Durban. Engen spokesperson Gavin Smith told Engineering News that the fire on site had been extinguished during the morning. →

Engen refinery

Price of oil to increase, gold to remain high going into 2021 – Fitch Solutions

By: Donna Slater 20th November 2020 With the brent crude oil price continuing to rise in November, following reports of a second highly effective Covid-19 vaccine nearing emergency approval in the coming weeks, financial risk management, solutions and insights company Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research (Fitch... →

Britain to ban new petrol cars and vans by 2030 on road to net zero emissions

By: Reuters 18th November 2020 Britain will move up a ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and is eyeing 250 000 new jobs as part of a green industrial revolution, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he tries to meet Britain's net zero emissions climate target. Johnson is seeking to show his government is on... →

Sasol's board agrees to 20% fee reduction

By: Reuters 18th November 2020 South Africa's Sasol said on Wednesday its board agreed to a 20% cut in the fees proposed for approval at its 2020 annual general meeting due to erosion of shareholder value over the past two years and challenges still facing the petrochemical firm. The fee reduction will remain in place until a... →

Sasol working to reset business for low-carbon world

13th November 2020 Financially and environmentally beleaguered energy and chemicals group Sasol is working to reset its business for a low-carbon world. Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer unpacks the emerging strategy. →

Sasol working to reset business for low-carbon world

NGOs call on global investor climate initiative to intervene in Sasol shareholder issue

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 10th November 2020 Nongovernmental organisation Just Share, supported by shareholder activist organisations ShareAction (UK), Majority Action (USA), Follow This (Netherlands) and the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), has written to Climate Action 100+ (CA100+) − the world’s largest investor... →

Vivo Energy resumes dividend pay on improved trading

By: Reuters 30th October 2020 Africa-focussed fuel retailer Vivo Energy said on Friday volume improved in the third quarter from the second as COVID-19 restrictions eased and it would pay a previously withdrawn 2019 final dividend. UK-listed Vivo said it was cautiously optimistic for the rest of the year and into 2021, as no... →

Recognition of LPG benefits in energy mix growing

16th October 2020 For many years, the benefits of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for South Africa “have been largely, frustratingly, moot”, according to a statement from industry association LPG South Africa (LPGSA). The doubt surrounding LPG’s benefits stems from an historically inconsistent and unreliable supply... →

BIG BOY Bidvest Tank Terminal’s large-scale mounded LPG storage facility in Richards Bay was scheduled for completion this year

Sasol tax break, subsidy support boosts pollution, group says

By: Bloomberg 13th October 2020 Sasol got a R8.1-billion profit boost last year thanks to the country’s fuel subsidies and its exemption from a South African carbon tax, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development. In a report, the institute says that Sasol’s proprietary coal-to-fuel technology is a... →

The Secunda coal-to-liquids plant in Mpumalanga.

Fuel prices set to drop this week

By: African News Agency 5th October 2020 The price of fuel will decrease this week, with diesel and paraffin users set to benefit the most, the mineral resources and energy department said on Sunday. As of midnight on Tuesday, the price of petrol 95 octane, both unleaded and lead replacement, will drop by 32c/l, while the price of... →

Long-term demand structure for petroleum unclear

By: Darren Parker 4th September 2020 It is expected that the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to negatively affect liquid fuels demand in the short term, but whether this represents a long-term structural shift is not yet clear, says South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) executive director Avhapfani Tshifularo. Before... →

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NO NEED TO IMPORT Reduced demand will see South Africa becoming somewhat self-sufficient in terms of fuels production if all refineries are operational

Heavy equipment demobilised after project completion

4th September 2020 Heavy equipment lifting and transporting company Mammoet recently began demobilising equipment it had deployed at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical complex in Lekki Free Zone, in Nigeria. The demobilising of the equipment began in July. →

BIG DELIVERIES The components for the refinery project consisted of multiple shipments delivered to the purpose-built Dangote Quay Lekki in Lagos

New proportioning system ideal for refineries

By: Darren Parker 4th September 2020 Fire-suppression systems developer FireDos launched the third generation (Gen III) of its foam proportioners for fire extinguishing systems globally at the end of last year. The technology has since been made available in South Africa through local partner and distributor DoseTech. The Gen III... →

A NEW GENERATION The Gen III foam proportioner can handle all types of foam agents, even highly viscous, alcohol-resistant and fluorine-free foam agents

Africa’s richest man is betting more than he’s worth on a vast oil refinery

By: Bloomberg 28th August 2020 On a peninsula east of Lagos, 30 000 workers are employed on a project that holds out the promise of transforming Nigeria’s economic fortunes. It’s here that Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, plans to spend more than his net worth of $13.5-billion building one of the world’s biggest oil... →

Fuel price feeds inflation spike as SA consumers take another hit

By: African News Agency 26th August 2020 Statistics South Africa, a governmental organisation, reported on Wednesday a spike of 3.2% in the consumer price index, which was higher than June’s 2.2%. The increase in CPI, a financial instrument used to measure inflation, was reportedly driven by a hike in fuel prices which came as the... →

Six months set aside for merger of CEF’s oil and gas subsidiaries into ‘Newco’

By: Terence Creamer 18th August 2020 The process of merging the State-owned entities of PetroSA, Igas and the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) into an “integrated national petroleum company” will formally begin on September 1, with six months having been set aside for the creation of a Newco that is “commercially viable”. All three... →

Photo by Creamer Media
The PetroSA GTL refinery in Mossel Bay

Sasol will execute rights issue in 2021 calendar year as it refines ‘ticket size’

By: Terence Creamer 17th August 2020 Debt-laden chemicals and energy group Sasol confirmed on Monday that it was preparing to execute a rights issue during the second half of its 2021 financial year, despite reporting that it was on track to deliver disposals of greater than $2-billion and exceeding its initial cash conservation... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler

Sasol swings to R91.3bn annual loss on lower oil prices, writedown

By: Reuters 17th August 2020 South African petrochemicals group Sasol reported an annual loss on Monday, hit by a writedown of R111.6-billion and a drop in oil and chemical prices due to the coronavirus outbreak. The world's top producer of motor fuel from coal reported a loss of R91.3-billion for the full year ended June... →

Fuel prices set to increase in August despite strengthening rand, says AA

By: News24Wire 29th July 2020 The Automobile Association says fuel prices are set to increase in August despite the strengthening rand. The association was commenting on unaudited month-end fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund. "As matters currently stand, petrol is likely to increase by between nine and 16... →

Sasol narrows immediate asset-disposal focus to ‘top ten’ list

By: Terence Creamer 3rd July 2020 Chemicals and energy group Sasol has developed a list of ten major assets that will be prioritised for sale in the coming weeks and months as it moves to streamline the business into what is being termed ‘Sasol 2.0’, while also raising proceeds to help it reduce a $9.5-billion debt burden. In... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Sasol CFO Paul Victor

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