The Canada GTL Project

Transcription

1 The Canada GTL Project September 2012

2 About the Canada GTL Project The Canada GTL (Gas-To-Liquids) Project is led by Sasol Canada Holdings Ltd. ( Sasol Canada ). The Project team is currently reviewing the results of a feasibility study which assesses the economic, technical, regulatory and market feasibility of a GTL facility in Alberta. GTL, or Gas-to-Liquids, converts natural gas into high-value products such as GTL diesel fuel, GTL naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Natural gas produced in Canada will be monetized over an extended period (25+ years), resulting in overall economic growth in Strathcona County, Alberta and Canada. The project is in its preliminary stages. Sasol will make a decision on whether to proceed to front-end engineering and design of the facility late in About Sasol Canada Sasol Canada is a division of Sasol Limited, a world leader in the commercial production of liquid fuels and chemicals from coal and natural gas. Sasol Canada owns a 50 per cent working interest in two long-life natural gas fields in British Columbia and is pursuing the opportunity to build Canada s first gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility to convert natural gas into high-quality transportation fuels. Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sasol has operations in 38 countries and a workforce of nearly 34,000 worldwide. Sasol is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Sasol is also listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. We welcome your feedback about the Canada GTL Project. Please contact us at with any questions or comments regarding the proposed facility. THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 2

3 The GTL Facility Natural gas is one of Canada s largest energy resources. It is considered to be the cleanest and most efficient of the three major fossils fuels (coal, crude oil and natural gas). As technology has unlocked previously inaccessible resources, natural gas has also become an increasingly plentiful and affordable energy source in North America. A GTL facility would add value to western Canadian natural gas by converting it into other high-quality petroleum products that are often in short supply, most notably diesel fuel and naphtha. The Canada GTL Project has selected a site for the facility in Strathcona County, northeast of Fort Saskatchewan, in Alberta s Industrial Heartland. As a multi-billion dollar investment, the facility will launch a new industry for Alberta, promote economic diversification and create new employment opportunities. GTL is advanced hydrocarbon processing technology that offers attractive integration opportunities with the existing refining and petrochemical sectors. Project Description The Canada GTL Project has secured an option to purchase a site in Alberta s Industrial Heartland for the potential GTL facility. The proposed project area is approximately 526 hectares (~1,299 acres) in Strathcona County, approximately 4 km northeast of the centre of Fort Saskatchewan and approximately 40 km northeast of the centre of Edmonton, Alberta. The proposed site secured by Sasol is in an area zoned for heavy industrial development. The site is located within the entire Section 19, Township 55, Range 21, W4M, as well as the W ½ of Section 20, the N ½ and portions of the S ½ of Section 18, and a portion of the NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 55 Range 21, W4M. The site is very well suited for a GTL facility, because of its proximity to rail, pipeline and road infrastructure, the availability of a local skilled labour force, and the ability to minimize environmental impact. Alberta s Industrial Heartland is the nation s largest processing centre for petroleum, petrochemical and chemical industries, offering potential synergies with other related industrial operations. THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 3

4 The site will include GTL process units, a product storage facility, a water treatment facility, warehouses, office space and parking. Visually, it will be similar in appearance to the other large petroleum processing facilities in the region. If the GTL facility is approved, both by government regulators and by Sasol, construction could begin in 2015, with a target for first production before the end of the decade. The project would likely be built in phases, with initial capacity of 48,000 barrels per day of diesel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas, and eventual capacity of 96,000 barrels per day. In its first phase, the project could create more than 500 new technically skilled jobs in Alberta s Industrial Heartland and approximately 5,000 jobs during peak construction periods. Subsequent expansion to a 96,000 barrel per day facility would create additional employment. Changes to the proposed facility structures, layout and equipment may occur as the planning process progresses. As part of the Canada GTL Project s commitment to maintaining open dialogue with interested stakeholders, the project team will seek public input and keep the community informed as the facility design progresses North Saskatchewan River 830 EDMONTON STURGEON COUNTY STRATHCONA COUNTY Proposed site 15 CALGARY FORT SASKATCHEWAN THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 4

5 Gas-to-Liquids Conversion Sasol is a world leader in the commercial production of liquid fuels and chemicals from coal and natural gas. GTL technology would add value to Canada s clean, abundant natural gas reserves by converting natural gas into diesel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas in a cost-efficient and environmentally responsible way. Sasol is a world leader in GTL technology Sasol has produced liquid fuels from both coal and natural gas for over 60 years with its proprietary conversion process. ORYX GTL, Sasol s joint venture with Qatar Petroleum, is a 32,400 barrel-per-day GTL facility in Qatar. GTL technology will add value to natural gas Western Canada has an abundance of natural gas, which can be converted using GTL technology into marketable longer-chain hydrocarbons like diesel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas. GTL production will support hundreds of permanent, construction and indirect jobs, infusing money into communities and creating demand for goods and services. GTL is a cleaner-burning transportation fuel GTL diesel is cleaner-burning than conventional diesel, reducing emissions of particulates, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and other pollutants. GTL fuels are virtually free of sulphur and aromatic compounds. Unlike other proposed alternatives to conventional gasoline, GTL fuel can be used in vehicles and fuel delivery infrastructure without expensive modifications. Sasol is a world leader in the commercial production of liquid fuels and chemicals from coal and natural gas. THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 5

6 Process Overview GTL technology comprises proven chemical processes to convert natural gas into liquid fuels and related petrochemical feedstocks. A GTL facility requires a secure, long-term supply of natural gas. During the first phase, the plant would use approximately 500 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, which would be transported to the facility by one of the existing pipeline system operators in the area. The heart of GTL technology is the conversion of synthesis gas into a waxy synfuel through Sasol s proprietary conversion process. Synthesis gas or syn-gas is a blend of hydrogen and carbon monoxide that can be used as the building block for producing more complex molecules, such as those needed to make high-quality GTL diesel, GTL naphtha and some liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Sasol s proprietary conversion process, incorporated into both GTL technology and coal-to-liquids (CTL) technology, was first developed during the 1920s and has been advanced by Sasol in South Africa since the 1950s. In the early years, Sasol focused on improving CTL technology, and began to develop the current generation GTL technology in the 1980s. From this commitment, the group s unique GTL technology was born: the Sasol Slurry Phase Distillate (SPD) process. Methane STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Upstream Natural Gas GTL Naphtha Air Separation Oxygen Natural Gas Reforming Syn-Gas Proprietary Conversion Process Waxy Synfuel Product Upgrading GTL Diesel LPG Oxygen Nitrogen to Atmosphere Water By-product THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 6

7 Products, Transportation and Markets The GTL facility will include storage tanks for products and will make use of the existing transportation infrastructure within Alberta s Industrial Heartland. Diesel Western Canada is the primary market for diesel due to the facility location and the strong local market for diesel fuel. Diesel shortages have occurred in western Canada in recent years. GTL diesel can be sold directly as a high-quality product or marketed as a premium refinery blend component in the western Canadian refining hub. Rail will be used to transport the product to market. Pipeline transportation is an alternative method for distribution. Naphtha Naphtha a mixture of light hydrocarbons will be the Canada GTL Project s second major product output. In many regions around the world, naphtha is used as a cracker feedstock for producing certain chemicals. The GTL naphtha will be a high-value product in Alberta, where it will be used as bitumen diluent. The naphtha produced by the GTL facility will likely be transported to the Fort McMurray area via pipeline. Rail transportation is also a viable alternative. LPG The GTL facility will produce relatively small quantities of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which comprises gaseous hydrocarbons or petroleum gases such as propane, butane and pentane that are pressurized in liquid form. While various markets exist for LPG across North America, the GTL facility s LPG output will likely be sold entirely in the Edmonton area via pipeline. Alternatively, the product could be railed to potential identified markets in Canada. THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 7

8 Approximate Project Timeline The Canada GTL Project team is in its early stages, undertaking preliminary engineering and environmental studies. If approved by government regulators and Sasol, the Canada GTL facility will likely be constructed in two phases with the first phase producing product by the end of the decade. The timeline below gives approximate windows for the project development as currently conceived; these dates could shift as the regulatory process unfolds and the plant engineering begins. Throughout this process and beyond, the Canada GTL Project will continue to work with the community, and to lay the groundwork for a constructive and mutually beneficial relationship that will last for decades to come Feasibility Study FEED Sanction Front-end Engineering & Design (FEED) Construction Start-up & Operation Final Investment Decision Regulatory Process Public Consultation THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 8

9 Sustainable Development Sasol is a respected company that strives to adhere to the highest global standards of corporate responsibility. Sasol is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. The Canada GTL Project will take an integrated approach to managing and optimizing the economic, social and environmental impacts of the project. Economic Considerations The Canada GTL Project will create significant direct and indirect economic benefits for Strathcona County, Alberta and Canada. As a multi-billion dollar investment in Alberta, the economic opportunities will range from metal fabrication shops in the Edmonton area to specialized service providers elsewhere in Alberta, across the country and beyond. In terms of direct employment, a 48,000 barrel per day project will create more than 500 new, technically skilled jobs and approximately 5,000 jobs during peak construction periods. Additional employment will be generated upon expanding the plant to a 96,000 barrel per day facility.the project will also generate very substantial tax revenues for all levels of government. Among the project s less obvious benefits, it introduces an advanced hydrocarbon processing technology to Canada, launching a new industrial sector in the process. GTL is a manufacturing rather than a resource extraction technology, adding value to raw natural resources. All products from the first phase of the project will be distributed in western Canada. The technology also offers attractive potential synergies with the existing refining and petrochemical sectors in Alberta s Industrial Heartland, adding to the region s potential to become a globally significant hydrocarbon processing hub. Finally, GTL technology offers an alternative market for natural gas, bringing an associated economic benefit to Alberta and British Columbia as major natural gas producers. Improved drilling technology has unlocked huge natural gas resources across North America, driving natural gas prices downwards and negatively impacting the Alberta and British Columbia economies. A 48,000 barrel per day GTL facility would add value to some 500 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, strengthening the local market for natural gas in the process. Social Considerations Sasol will work to maximize the positive social impacts of the project while minimizing any negative impacts. In particular, the availability of a large and highly skilled local labour force was a key variable in selecting the project site in Strathcona County. With its proximity to Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park and Edmonton, the site location enables construction workers to live at home rather than having to live in temporary accommodation. The project team will work with the local community to understand any concerns around such local-level impacts as noise, dust, odour or increased traffic, and to respond to those concerns wherever feasible. The Canada GTL Project is also committed to building a positive long-term relationship with its neighbours, including participating in local business and community groups and supporting community-building organizations and events. THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 9

10 Environmental Considerations The Project will use all reasonable means to minimize potential environmental impacts and is committed to working with regional stakeholders and organizations to develop solutions to both project-specific environmental challenges and cumulative environmental impacts from industrial development in the region. Because the GTL facility uses natural gas as its feedstock, its emissions of local air pollutants such as sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides are considerably less than those of a conventional refinery. The facility does emit carbon dioxide, however, which is a greenhouse gas. As an option to offset its greenhouse gas emissions, the project team is considering investing in technology to make the plant capture-ready, which means that its very pure stream of carbon dioxide emissions could be captured for use in enhanced oil recovery or for permanent underground storage. On a full life-cycle basis, greenhouse gas emissions from GTL fuels are similar to or somewhat less than emissions from conventional fuels. In terms of water use, the facility will be both a user and producer of water. Water is used for cooling and to generate steam, and the conversion process creates water as a by-product. The project team plans to source its required water from existing river water intakes and water licenses, to avoid impacting the North Saskatchewan River with a new intake system. The project s land impact will largely be limited to the plant site in Strathcona County. The site is located on land that has been designated for industrial use. Project-specific safety, health and environmental standards will be developed and rigorously applied. At minimum, these standards will comply with all Alberta regulatory requirements and support Sasol s objective of a Zero Harm health and safety culture. Compliance to all safety, health and environmental requirements will be regularly audited by Sasol. As well, the facility will develop a comprehensive emergency response plan and processes to protect human safety and the environment. Compliance to all safety, health and environmental requirements will be regularly audited by Sasol. THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 10

11 Environmental Impact Assessment The Canada GTL Project will work closely with the community and with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment that determines baseline conditions in the area and estimates potential effects of the project on people, land, air, water and historic resources. The Project will also interact with local organizations such as the Northeast Capital Industrial Association (NCIA) and Alberta s Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA) that work with industrial operators in the area to track and mitigate the overall environmental impacts of industrial development in the region. Both organizations assisted in the development of a cumulative effects environmental management plan and are working in conjunction with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development on a wetland management plan. The area also has well-established air and groundwater monitoring networks and systems in place. The Canada GTL Project will work with communities, organizations and neighbouring companies to comply with these plans and mitigate the overall effects of the project on the area. Community Engagement The Canada GTL Project is committed to maintaining an open dialogue with the local community throughout the project development process. The Project has already begun working with the Alberta government, regulators and local community leaders to explore the full impact and benefits of a GTL facility. The project team will seek to understand any concerns that neighbours or affected stakeholders may have and to develop collaborative and appropriate solutions in the early stages of project development. Our public consultation process includes one-on-one meetings, stakeholder group meetings and open houses. If you have any questions about the Project, feel free to contact us at THE CANADA GTL PROJECT 11

12 To learn more about the Canada GTL Project, please visit the Sasol Canada website at If you have any questions regarding the Canada GTL Project, we welcome your opinion and feedback. Contact: Community information line: