This will be the last piece on coal today and possibly the most important.
From Mining Weekly (South Africa):
South Africa has as many barrels of oil equivalent in its coal reserves as Saudi Arabia has in its oil reserves, says Sasol CEO Pat Davies.
South Africa thus has an opportunity to convert more of its coal into petrol, diesel and jet fuel, as is currently being done at a rate of 150 000 barrels a day (bbl/d) in Secunda.
Currently 3,5-billion people in India and China consume less than 0,01 bbl/d.
...But as China and India grow, consumption is expected to rise to the same levels as those of the developed world, with the US level at 0,07 bbl/d.
Oil demand in China and India alone is expected to rise to 17-million bbl/d compared to world demand of 80-million bbl/d.
...GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
Greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions represent a principal strategic challenge to Sasol and many other coal users around the world.
Its the old balance between development on the one hand and environmental protection on the other. We need to do both, says Davies.
Sasol is committed a 10% reduction in GHG emissions per ton of product off its 2004 base.
In switching away from coal to natural gas in Sasolburg, it eliminated six-million GHG tons.
It has also introduced a world first in the registration of its clean development mechanism project at Sasol Nitro.
This involves nitrous oxide abatement at its two nitric acid plants in Sasolburg and Secunda.
This will cut GHG emissions by a million tons of CO2 equivalent a year.
Sasol is the first company globally to register a nitrous-oxide abatement project that converts nitrous oxide into harmless nitrogen and oxygen gases.
The project is expected to earn income through the sale of carbon credits, a share of which will be invested to benefit community projects....MUCH MORE
