- ORYX GTL in Qatar was safely shut in early March 2026 after Qatar Energy limited gas supply; restart depends on an uncertain resumption of upstream gas.
- Sasol supplies about 30% of South Africa's domestic fuels via Secunda and Natref and currently holds sufficient inventories with stable Secunda coal feedstock.
- Natref's sour crude supply from the Middle East is constrained, prompting sourcing of alternative sour crudes and an optimization toward increased sweet crude use.
- Chemicals Africa exports roughly 5% into the Middle East; Sasol Middle East declared force majeure on 3 March 2026 and logistics are being managed from Jebel Ali with product redirection options from South Africa.
Overview
Recent developments in the Middle East have disrupted gas and crude supply chains, impacting Sasol’s operations, people and logistics; measures are in place to manage potential impacts and the situation is being monitored.
Employee safety
Approximately 60 employees and their families in Dubai and Qatar are accounted for, safe and supported; local teams remain in regular contact with global safety and security partners and local authorities.
ORYX GTL operations
ORYX GTL was safely shut in early March 2026 after Qatar Energy limited gas supply; the plant and upstream fields were not directly damaged but restart depends on resumption of upstream gas by the supplier, timing uncertain.
South Africa fuel supply and Natref
Sasol supplies about 30% of South Africa’s domestic fuels via Secunda and the Natref refinery and currently holds sufficient inventory to meet committed supply; Secunda operations remain stable with continuous coal feedstock. Natref processes a blend of sweet and sour crude; Middle East sour crude availability is constrained, so alternative sour supplies are being sourced, the crude slate is being optimised toward more sweet crude, and government crude reserves may be accessed if required; non‑critical shutdown schedules are being reassessed to prioritise continuous operations without compromising safety or reliability.
Chemicals and international impacts
Chemicals Africa sells roughly 5% into the Middle East and Sasol Middle East declared force majeure on 3 March 2026; logistics are being managed from Jebel Ali and product redirection from South Africa is being assessed. Regional shipping constraints and higher energy/feedstock costs affect some regions (notably Europe), while US commodity chemicals may see positive effects from stable ethane feedstock and improved pricing.
Next steps
Sasol will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.
