Sasol restarts SA’s Natref refinery, ramping up output

Sasol, South Africa’s biggest fuel producer, restarted the Natref refinery it owns with TotalEnergies SE after delayed oil deliveries last month resulted in a shutdown.

The disruption caused Sasol to declare a force majeure on petroleum products, which remains in effect. The 108 000 barrel-a-day plant is now “online and production ramp-up is in progress,” the company said in response to emailed questions.

Read: Sasol to restart production at Natref by end of July

Natref’s shutdown also meant the whole of South Africa’s oil-refinery fleet was out of action as a series of other facilities suspended production over the past two years. The plants have faced costly upgrades to meet pending cleaner-fuel regulations.

Read: Why SA’s refineries are out of action

South Africa has delayed the implementation of those rules from next year to 2027.

Read: SA’s dependence on fuel imports set to multiply

Sasol welcomed the deadline extension by the energy department as the company continues “to evaluate options” for the Natref plant.