Sasols proposed 96,000 barrels per day gas-to-liquids plant in Lake Charles, La., could make as much as 9,000 b/d GTL base oil, according to a presentation at the recent American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers conference in Houston.
Max Vreugde, Sasol North Americas business development manager for GTL base oils, presented, The Outlook for GTL Base Oils in North America, at AFPMs International Lubricants and Waxes Meeting. In the presentation, Vreugde said Sasol is currently looking at making 3, 4, 6 and 14 [centistoke] grades at the Lake Charles plant.
Sasol estimated its capital investment for the project at $11 billion to $14 billion, and expects to make a final investment decision in 2016. When the company first announced the project in December 2012, it expected to make the final investment decision in 2014.
Vreugde said the Lake Charles project start up is expected in two phases: a first phase in 2019, and a second phase – including base oil – in 2020. Originally, Sasol projected the two phases to occur in 2018 and 2019.
The Port Charles plant would be second in size only to Shells Pearl GTL project, which can produce 140,000 b/d of GTL products. Pearls total base oil capacity is 28,000 b/d. The plant cost about $19 billion and opened in 2011.
Based in South Africa, Sasol is an integrated energy and chemicals company with more than 35,000 people working in 37 countries. Its Sasol North America Inc. subsidiary is based in Houston.
