Newsgroups: rec.autos.sport
From: shaman@cix.compulink.co.uk (Leo Smith)
Subject: Re: SASOL (F1 : Politics)
Reply-To: shaman@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 09:33:20 +0000

tvp53202@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Toby Vaughn Padfield) writes..


>        I just got my latest newsletter from FOSA, and it had a very
        interesting bit about Elf and SASOL. It seems that these two
        put up the biggest stink about having to revert to "pump"
        petrol. Elf, for obvious reasons, did not want to do so,
        probably the biggest being it had the best brew available.
        But SASOL, was also pissed, because they have been using F1
        to introduce its coal-based, synthetic fuel to the world.
        Now, they are just providing normal stuff. I thought that was
        rather strange, because doesn't the conversion of coal- based
        products, to petroleum-like substances cause a loss of energy
        throughout the process. What I mean, is that doesn't the
        final product come out with a lower amount of energy content
        then what the original stuff had???? If anybody can help me
        out here, I would be very appreciative. ADVthanksANCE...

SASOL became very expert in producing petrol (gas to you:-) from coal
on account of :-

        (a) South Africa was under a trade embargo for a long time,
        and getting oil was really hard. South African petrol was for
        a long time AFAICR a mixture of coal-petrol and methanol.
        South Africa has enormous coal reserves by the way, and there
        is no shortage of local cheap labour.......coal is MUCH more
        competitive for that reason. (PLEASE NOTE: I make no moral or
        political statement here: I merely report the facts)

        (b) SASOL having pioneered some of these processes, is
        presumably quite keen to show its prowess in making good
        brews from an unlikely starting point. Probably that is why
        they are sponsoring Jordan.


By going back to a fuel with a hydrocarbon ratio similar to 'pump
fuel' there is no way for a fuel manufacturer to demonstrate their
cleverness as chemists - either by being the fastest fuel in Formula
one, or competitive with normal oil based fuel.


In answer to your question about coal-based products being over all
not energy efficient: Of course you are right. But that was not, and
is not, the issue at stake when these products were developed. They
were developed by a government which considered itself abandoned by
the rest of the world, facing internal insurrection and communist
infiltration with two undeclared border wars - one in Namibia and one
in Angola - to fight. Armies run on gasoline :-(

Again I make no comment as to the accuracy of that assessment. That
was the (overtly) perceived situation by that government.

Well - that is the background to SASOL's development of
Oli-from-Coal. Technically they are the leaders in that field I
believe, and are probably looking to sell their technology to places
like china, where coal reserves exist, and a labour pool to extract
it, but foreign reserves to pay for Arab oil do not.

I hope this is of interest to rec.autos.sport.



Newsgroups: rec.autos.sport