Sasol has unveiled its new cobalt catalyst manufacturing plant in Sasolburg, which will produce material for use its gas-to-liquid (GTL) and coal-to-liquid (CTL) projects in Qatar, Nigeria and Uzbekistan, reports Engineering News.

Using aluminium, cobalt and other metals such as platinum, the one-nanometre cobalt catalyst is highly reactive to synthesis gas molecules.

"This is a milestone for us, as we can now exercise more control over the high-quality product that our international plants need," senior group executive Lean Straus was reported as saying.

All of the cobalt catalyst produced by the plant will be exported, as the firm's domestic GTL and CTL facilities use an iron-based catalyst.

"Given that Sasol's proprietary slurry-phase distillate process was developed in South Africa, it is also important to have the GTL and CTL processes on South African soil for the first time," added Mr Straus.

He also said the firm plans to spend R40 billion on local projects over the next two years.

Earlier this month, Sasol announced the signing of a joint venture agreement with Origin Energy Limited, an Australian integrated energy company, for the purposes of exploring for Coal Bed Methane in Botswana.

Source:

Sasol to spend R40bn over next two years; unveils new cobalt catalyst plant (11/11/11)

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