Why did SAPREF refinery suspend its operations in Durban?
Sapref Refinery ‘s 10 February announcement that it was suspending its 170,000-bpd operations in Durban came as little surprise to the South African downstream sector. According to our sources, the infrastructure owned in equal parts by BP and Shell had not been producing for several months.
Where are the Durban refineries?
The intake stations are the two Durban refineries ¨C the crude refinery at Coalbrook (Natref) and the Sasol 2 and Sasol 3 synfuel plants at Secunda. The network includes a tank farm, at Tarlton, with a capacity of 30 million litres which is used mainly for storage and the distribution of liquid fuels into Botswana.
How many oil refineries are left in South Africa?
South Africa has only one oil refinery left in operation and even that could close within a year following the string of cancelled projects and accidents on out-dated facilities. Sapref Refinery ‘s 10 February announcement that it was suspending its 170,000-bpd operations in Durban came as little surprise to the South African downstream sector.
How will South Africa’s closure affect the oil industry?
The facility had produced approximately 35% of the country’s total oil refining capacity. Its closure will have little impact on the domestic oil market in the short term as South Africa imports 60% of its refined petroleum products from overseas.