Testing Sasol Temane

ECOSERV completes campaign at a technological oasis in the Mozambican bush

On 8 March 2005, ECOSERV consultants Bryan Taylor and Gary Hall boarded a charter plane bound for the harsh Mozambican bush, 60km inland from Vilanculos and 1000km north of Maputo. Excellent food and air conditioned quarters kept their spirits up despite oppressive heat and snakes. But this was no glamorous bush holiday, this was a two-week stack and ambient testing stint at Sasol’s state-of-the-art natural gas plant in Mozambique.

“Sasol Temane is an amazing facility,” says Gary. “It is literally in the middle of the bush and is completely self-contained. They generate their own electricity, purify their own water and have built their own hospital. The plant is run by top engineers who work from 6am to 6pm, typically 14 days on and 14 days off.”

The plant refines natural gas that Sasol extracts from deep underground wells. The natural gas is pumped to the facility for refining, where all condensate and impurities are removed. Once it meets strict quality standards it is pumped via an 860 km pipeline to the Sasolburg and Secunda petroleum refineries.

“This is a brand new plant,” says Bryan. “It was commissioned last year and is state of the art. It is a modern pilot project with a very high profile in the eyes of rest of the world. It is funded by the World Bank and testing is done according to World Bank requirements and guidelines.”

Bryan and Gary were responsible for compiling an inventory of Sasol Temane’s emissions from two compressor stacks, three electrical power generator stacks, and one incinerator stack. The majority of testing was for dioxins and particulates from the incinerator stack. They also conducted ambient monitoring of SO₂ , NO₂, NO using passive monitors, dust bucket fallout, and PM₁₀.

“For the monitoring on the incinerator stack we used method 5, 26A and 23 with dry gas testing and combustion efficiency testing conducted at numerous other points on the site,” says Bryan.

Bryan also trained Sasol personnel in the collection of PM10 sampling and dust bucket fallout. “They are now responsible for collecting samples and sending them on to us,” he says.

ECOSERV conducted Temane’s initial pilot study in terms of the EIA requirements and once the latest test results are in, will be able to compile ‘Before and After’ comparative data.

Preparing for the campaign in Mozambique took two weeks of logistics planning. Equipment was transported by road and had to clear customs and be at the plant prior to the arrival of the ECOSERV team.

“Our equipment performed well and everything went smoothly,” says Gary. “Sasol looked after us well and gave us all the help we needed. It is a very pleasant place to work.”

Bryan’s only gripes were about the heat – which exceeded 50°C during some days – and the presence of snakes.

“What snakes?” laughs Gary. “Sasol personnel regularly encounter puff adders and spitting cobras but we only saw one snake, a tiny cobra. Bryan is just scared of snakes!” We should note that Gary is a trained ranger who has developed his own snake-friendly catching device. More than a few of us would sympathise with Bryan.