Sasol’s 30,000 tons/year Guerbet alcohol plants at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP) in Louisiana achieved beneficial operations on June 19, the South African company said. Three days earlier, it also reached beneficial operations at the Ziegler alcohol unit at the same complex which can produce up to 173,000 tons/year of alcohol and 32,000 tons/year of alumina.
Sasol defines beneficial operations as 72 uninterrupted hours of on-specification production. Both alcohol units are the world’s largest of each kind. The startup is in line with Sasol’s recent guidance that the two units will come online before end-June. Sasol’s LCCP now has six online units that represent more than 86% of the complex’s total production.
Brad Griffith, Sasol’s executive VP, said that the units would strengthen the company’s existing asset base. The new Ziegler unit will help Sasol to meet the growing demand for tailor-made, high-purity alumina products. Alkoxide-based alumina products can be used to produce catalysts, ceramics, abrasives, and films.
