Page 14 - AfrOil Week 41 2021

AfrOil PROJECTS & COMPANIES AfrOil

Instead, it is changing direction to a new sustain- establishing the Southern Africa green hydro-
able solutions business, a break from its original gen economy.”
business model, and looking towards projects Sasol has been engaging with the Infrastruc-
such as Boegoebaai to lead it into a greener ture and Investment Office of the Presidency to
future. develop a hydrogen economy in South Africa.
The Boegoebaai green hydrogen develop- The company continues to advance several cat-
ment has been designated a strategic integrated alytic projects to develop both local and export
project in the South African National Develop- opportunities in the region. This Boegoebaai
ment Plan and is located in the Namakwa Spe- project is one of a number of green hydrogen,
cial Economic Zone (SEZ). It is 60 km north of ammonia and power-to-X (P2X) opportunities
Port Nolloth. being assessed by Sasol as part of the new strat-
Sasol has partnered with South Africa’s egy announced at its recent capital markets day.
Industrial Development Corp. (IDC), which Sasol’s strategy is aligned with South Africa’s
will provide joint funding for the feasibility ambitions to establish the country as a signifi-
study. As the lead project integrator, Sasol will cant green hydrogen production and global
bring together strategic partners along the value export hub.
chain and other enabling role-players that will “We believe Southern Africa is well posi-
drive industrialisation of the Northern Cape. tioned to play in the global green hydrogen
These include potential customers, funders, economy due to key structural advantages,”
investors, technology suppliers and South Afri- said Mabelane. “In particular, our proprietary
can green energy providers. Fischer-Tropsch technologies and renewable
“We are very excited to be leading this feasi- endowments are some of the best in the world.”
bility study as part of unlocking South Africa’s She added: “There is potential to create an
potential to be a global green hydrogen and ecosystem anchored on localisation to enable
green ammonia export player with the potential long-term, sustainable benefits for communi-
for sustainable aviation fuels in the future. ties and the country. The Boegoebaai project
Sasol Energy VP Priscillah Mabelane said the has the potential to provide a significant num-
project will also be anchored by local demand ber of long-term sustainable jobs, infrastructure
for green hydrogen. “It is a tangible step forward investment and skills development in the coun-
for Sasol, as we seek to play a leading role in try, enabling a just transition,” ™

Eni reportedly aims to quit offshore

exploration venture with Sasol

SOUTH AFRICA ITALIAN oil and gas group Eni plans to exit an kilometers deep, oil companies have also been
oil exploration venture off South Africa’s south- frustrated by delays in passing South Afri-
east coast, Bloomberg reported. ca’s draft oil exploration and production law,
On October 13, the news agency cited two Bloomberg commented. ™
anonymous sources as saying that Eni was pull-
ing out due to concerns over the technical chal-
lenges of drilling in deep waters, according to
two people familiar with the decision.
The project was in the development phase,
with no formal commitments from parties
involved.
The other partner in the venture is South
Africa petroleum and oil giant Sasol, which was
not available for comment as of press time.
The two companies teamed up in 2014 to
drill the ER236 exploration permit off the coast
of the KwaZulu-Natal province, with the Italian
major taking a 40% stake and agreeing to serve
as operator.
Sasol won the rights to explore the offshore
block from the Petroleum Agency of South
Africa in 2013.
Aside from the technical difficulties of drill-
ing for hydrocarbons in waters between 1 to 3 ER236 is offshore KwaZulu-Natal province (Image: Sasol)

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 41 13•October•2021