Sasolburg and Ekandustria Operations (SEO)
Sasolburg and Ekandustria Operations (SEO), collectively referred to as Sasolburg Operations, represents one of five Operating Hubs within Sasol South Africa Limited's Southern African Operations. Established as Sasol's founding facility in 1950, SEO encompasses an integrated chemicals manufacturing complex spanning approximately 51.4 km² across three geographically separate but operationally integrated sites: Sasol One Site, Sasol Midland Site, and Sasol Bunsen Site.
The operations transitioned from coal-based feedstock to natural gas imported from Mozambique in 2004, positioning SEO as a high-value chemicals production hub utilizing proprietary Fischer-Tropsch, chlor-alkali, and specialty chemicals technologies. SEO provides centralized utilities including steam, electricity, reformed gas, and synthesis gas to support all business units across the Sasolburg complex, ensuring operational integration and efficiency.
The facility employs state-of-the-art technologies to manufacture a diverse portfolio of base chemicals, performance chemicals, polymers, waxes, fertilizers, and mining chemicals serving domestic and international markets.
Sasol Bunsen Site Overview
Sasol Bunsen Site is a specialized single-product facility dedicated to the production of nitric acid, a critical feedstock for Sasol's ammonium nitrate fertilizer and explosives operations. This site represents a focused, highly integrated component of the Sasolburg Operations complex. Bunsen site is the smallest of the three SEO sites; part of the 51.4 km² overall complex.
Nitric Acid (HNO₃) is produced from ammonia piped from Sasol One Site cold storage area via the Ostwald process, which involves three-Stage catalytic oxidation:
- Stage 1: Ammonia (NH₃) oxidization to nitric oxide (NO)
- Stage 2: Nitric oxide oxidation to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)
- Stage 3: Absorption of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in water to form nitric acid (HNO₃)
