Industry Support for Technological EducationA Sasol Technology R&D PerspectiveSATN2010 Annual Conference – 1 October 2010

About Sasol Technology R&D

Research and Development Vision

“Leadership in technologies to convert coal and gas to value

added fuels and chemicals”

R&D Activity Areas

• Sasol Technology R&D

• Coal Processing (Coal Sciences and Gasification Engineering)

• Fischer Tropsch : Catalysis, Reactor Design and Process Development

• Refinery and Chemicals Technology Research

• Environmental Sciences and Technology

• Support Services

• Applied Research

• Analytical Technologies

Key Facts - Sasol Technology R&D

• Corporate R & D located mostly in

Sasolburg (590)

• Also centers in :• Secunda (30)

• Netherlands (9)

• Scotland (22)

• Sasol’s Other R&D Activities (Applications Research) :

• Sasol Technology Fuels Research

• Sasol Solvents

• Sasol Waxes

• Sasol Chemie (Brunsbüttel, Marl, Moers)

• Sasol North America (Lake Charles)

Key facts continued…

• Budget (typical)• Operating budget R 800 million p.a.

• Capital cash flow R 200 million p.a.

• Facilities in Sasolburg • Laboratories

• Analytical equipment

• Pilot Plants

• Library

• Maintenance workshops

• External Liaison• Local Universities• Foreign Universities• Various Research Institutes

Our Team’s Consists off…

• Discipline• Scientists (Chemists etc.) : 200 • Engineers :

120 • Administration : 10 • IP : 10 • Process controllers : 100• Technicians/ Technologists : 90• Lab assistants : 30• Managers : 20

• Artisans & other support staff :40

• Qualifications• PhD : 110• MSc : 90• 4 Years degree : 85• B.tech/M.tech/D.tech :

30• Diploma : 60

• MBA/ MBL

:15

Coal Sciences and Gasification Engineering

• Coal Characterisation• Tar Products

• Beneficiation and Handling

• Pyrolysis• Trace Element Studies• Gasification Engineering :

• Sasol Fixed Bed Dry Bottom Gasifier• Underground Coal Gasification• High Temperature Gasification

• Direct Coal Liquefaction• Coal Combustion

Fischer Tropsch Catalysis, Reactor Design and Process Development

• Iron Fischer Tropsch Catalysis• High Temperature (Fluidised Bed)

• Low Temperature (Slurry Bed, Fixed Bed)

Cobalt Fischer Tropsch Catalysis• Low Temperature (Slurry Bed)

• New Generation Catalysts• Improved Selectivity, Activity, Stability• Fuels and / or Chemicals

• Fundamentals of Deactivation and Regeneration

• Catalyst Manufacturing Protocols• Operations support to Manufacturing

Facilities• Catalyst Production• Catalyst Performance

Fischer Tropsch Catalysis, Reactor Design and Process Development

• Catalyst Engineering• Modelling• Handling• Production Support

• Syngas Generation• Syngas Purification• Gas Loop Optimisation• Reactor Modelling and Design

• Slurry Bed• Fluidised Bed• Tubular Fixed Bed

• Fluidisation

Refinery and Chemicals Technology

• Supporting Catalysis and Chemical Transformations

• Hydrogenation• Dehydration • Etherification

• Fischer Tropsch Refinery Catalysis• Hydrogenation• Hydrotreating, Hydrocracking, Hydroisomerisation• Catalytic Polymerisation• Platforming

• Operations Support • Catalyst Optimisation• Side Reactions, Contaminations• Catalyst Recovery• Corrosion Chemistry

• Syngas to Chemicals• Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysis

Refinery and Chemicals Technology

• Olefin Manipulation• Oligomerisation• Metathesis• Hydroformylation

• Paraffin Activation• Oxidation

• Homogeneous Catalysis and Ligand Synthesis

• Separation Technology• Reactor Design and Modelling• Flow sheet Development• Economic Evaluations• Industrial Statistics

Analytical Technologies

Analytical Techniques• Development of Methods for analysing complex mixtures• Detection of trace components• NMR, GCxGC, GC-MS etc.

Materials Characterisation• Catalyst Supports

• Material properties• SEM, XRD etc.

Molecular Modelling Homogenous Catalysis Heterogeneous Systems and Surfaces

Environmental Sciences and Technology

Water Research• Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion• Raw water and Mine Water Upgrading

Wastes and Effluents• Salt Management• Ash System Management• Solid Waste Handling

Atmospheric Impact Group• Monitoring of Air Quality• Atmospheric Modeling

Product Stewardship• Ecotoxicology• Product Testing

Pilot Plants and Technical Support

Pilot Plants• Design, construct, operate

Technical Support• Instrumentation, Mechanical, Civil,

Electrical, Control Systems• Data Capturing, Archiving• Workshops

Sasol Technology R&D’s role in support of Technological Education

• Employer of technically qualified personnel.

• Partner in training.

• Partner in research.

Technicians/Technologist in Sasol - 2009BU’s

BU

Sastech and R & D 120 (90)

Polymers 65

Synfuels 230

Infrachem 85

Natref 15

Solvents 28

Wax 13

Nitro 29

Mining 20

SSS 37

SPI 6

SSI 2

Oil 6

SGS 2

Gas 10

Merisol 6

Chemcity 2

Focus on Technician/Technologist.

In Sasol:- In 2009 approx 680 technicians/technologist* in Sasol, in

17 business units.- Majority Chemical engineering- 40% Technicians work working in the operations

environment.

In Sasol Technology – R&D- 30 Technologist- 60 Technicians- Chemical- Analytical chemistry- Electrical- Mechanical- Civil- 1 D.Tech, 4 M.Tech.

* Technicians/Technologist active in science & engineering.

Employer of technically qualified personnel

In Sasol, late 2008:

- No standard career ladder for technicians/technologist across all business units.

- Hindered Sasol’s ability to attract and retain high quality technicians/technologist.

- A initiative was launched to establish formal career paths for technicians/technologist, in the science and engineering fields, across all business units and bring them inline with engineers/scientist/accountants and other professionals in the organization.

Employer of technically qualified personnel

This entailed:- Compiling job profiles.

- Defining required functional competencies

- Defining the career ladder.

- Defining the career pathways, from artisan to Specialist Technologist

- Compiling a training matrix.

- Training managers and rolling out to all constituents.

The project was completed in early 2010

Employer of technically qualified personnel

Envisioned outcome.- Create attractive career prospects for UoT graduates.

- Create clear line of sight i.t.o. career prospects and requirements to improve career prospects.

- Transparent promotion/appointment criteria.

- Define differentiation between engineers/scientists/technicians/technologist.

- Encourage further technical studies, rather that managerial.

- Grow the competency base of technicians/technologist.

Career ladder – Technician/Technologist

LevelTechnologist

B Tech (Engineering)Technician

N Dip (Engineering)

4ASpecialist Technologist (personal promotion) 

 4 Specialist Technologist

5A Senior Chief Technologist

5B Chief Technologist

6C Principal Technologist Chief Technician

 6 Senior Technologist Principal Technician

C4_7 Technologist Senior Technician

C3_7 Candidate Technologist Technician

C2_8 Candidate Technician

C1_8   Learner Technician

Key:

Post graduate diploma

NQF 8 or higher

(e.g. M.Tech, D.Tech)

Partner in Training.

In 2006 R&D launched “University Collaboration Initiative”

Purpose

- To establish and maintain research and teaching capacity at South African universities.

- Ensure a supply of suitably trained science and engineering professionals, especially on post graduate level, enter the job market.

- Maintain and grow the academic expertise at universities.- Assist with the maintenance and establishment of enabling infrastructure

for research in the chemical/chemical engineering fields.- Maximize impact of funding by partnering with Department of Science &

Technology, the National Research Foundation and other industry partners.

Partner in Training cont.

“Hub and Spoke” model aimed to create critical mass in the fields of research.- Catalysis- Reactor engineering- Separations technologies- Coal processing- Polymer science- Fuels research.- Analytical technology.- Alternative energy (recent addition)

Partner in Training cont.

The initiative entails that Sasol:- Award post graduate bursaries (between 50 and 100 p.a.)- Award non-binding grants to an additional pool of post graduate students - Funding for the targeted rotation of young academics to gain international

exposure.- Salary subventions for emerging academics from diverse backgrounds.- Funding post doctoral research in selected fields.- Funding of capital equipment directly used in selected research fields.- Seconding senior Sasol scientists to universities, both for research and

lecturing.- Salary subvention of international lecturers.

Partner in Training cont.

Sasol invested approx. R130m to date.- 35% for capital equipment- 25% for research grants- 10% in secondment of Sasol personnel- 12.5% in academic’s salary subvention- 12.% for of international exposure and post doctoral students- 5% for rotation of young academics.

Stated aim of the project is grow diversity in the academic community and as

such it is a key factor in awarding the funding.

Similar to the Technology Innovation Agency’s experience, the bulk of this

funding was taken up by universities with a strong research culture/history.

Partner in Training cont.

Sasol invested approx. R130m to date.- 35% for capital equipment- 25% for research grants- 10% in secondment of Sasol personnel- 12.5% in academic’s salary subvention- 12.5% for of international exposure and post doctoral students- 5% for rotation of young academics.

Stated aim of the project is grow diversity in the academic community and as

such it is a key factor in awarding the funding.

Similar to the Technology Innovation Agency’s experience, the bulk of this

funding was taken up by universities with a strong research culture/history.

The academics and students supported published 155 papers in 2009/2010.

Partner in Research.

R&D actively seeks to leverage external knowledge by partnering with

universities, research foundations and other private and public institutions.

In 2009/2010 R&D awarded:- Approx. R28m in research contracts to 50 RSA institutions.- Approx. R17m in research contracts to 15 international institutions.

Contracts range from fundamental studies in selected area to very applied

technology development , assisting Sasol commercialize in-house innovation.

The intent of these collaborations, for the most part, is that Sasol retains all

rights to IP generated.

Other Sasol initiatives of interest.

Skilltech (Sasol Chemical Industries)- Artisan training both for Sasol and market

- Born out of need for skilled labor

- Both theoretical and practical/experiential training

- Learner technician training for production/engineering environment

- Close cooperation with local FET on UoT

Other Sasol initiatives of interest.

ChemCity (Sasol Chemical Industries) - Business incubator for SMME’s in chemical and related sector- Job creation and BBEEE as core.- Since 2004 established 85 enterprises- 1450 Direct jobs

Helps SMME’s through- Idea generation- Feasibility studies- Technology development- Technical advice- Marketing & branding