crude mining oil refining machine in south africa

                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
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  • What is Natref Refinery?
  • Natref, South Africa's only inland crude oil refinery is a medium sized technologically advanced refinery, highly efficient in refining heavy crude oil. The Natref refinery is a joint venture between Sasol Oil (Pty) Ltd and Total South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
  • Is Natref a surviving oil refinery in South Africa?
  • Natref is the last surviving oil refinery in South Africa. Three others were closed in the past two years. These refinery closures and the possible permanent closure of the Natref refinery are shots fired in the long running contestation between the oil refiners and the government, which has been trying to introduce cleaner fuels specifications.
  • When did the SAPREF refinery open?
  • The Sapref refinery was commissioned (began operating) in 1964 in the port city of Durban. It contributed 35% of South Africa’s refinery capacity and refined 180,000 barrels of imported crude oil per day. It was South Africa’s biggest refinery, until it was temporarily closed in 2022 after floods damaged the plant. It never reopened.
  • Could BP and Shell sell South Africa's oil refineries?
  • It was also possible that those refineries currently associated with international oil majors that had signalled a desire to withdraw from refining, such as BP and Shell, could seek to sell their South African refining assets, he said. BP and Shell currently own the 165 000 bbl/d Sapref refinery in Durban, which is South Africa ’s largest.