Sipho mkhize, Managing Director and CEO of PetroSA.

The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (Pty), PetroSA, is the republic of South Africa’s national oil company. Established as a single entity in January 2002 following the amalgamation of Mossgas (Pty), Seoker E&P (Pty) and elements of the Strategic Fuel Fund Association, PetroSA is now a major regional and global company, and the owner of the largest GTL (gas-to-liquids) plant in the world, located at Mossel Bay.

GTL technology is a revolutionary medium used primarily to produce environmentally friendly, cost-effective synthetic fuel and petrochemical products. Pioneering Fischer-Tropsch GTL technology has proved to be the linchpin of PetroSA’s success in the gas and oil industry. Low costs and a ready supply of coal and natural gas for feedstock have allowed PetroSA to produce a wide range of high quality synthetic petroleum products for the local and regional market, while the company’s reputation as a visionary proponent of GTL technology has also helped to increase its global presence.

As well as its operations in GTL technology development, PetroSA is also involved in joint international exploration ventures with strategic partners such as Forest Oil, Pioneer Natural Resources and Sterling Energy. PetroSA’s marketing operations extend across Europe, the USA and the Far East, supplying petrochemicals to customers in more than 40 countries. The company is also responsible for the management of the strategic crude inventory, operating as a sub-agency in tandem with the Strategic Fuel Fund.

PetroSA’s core values are integrity, competitiveness, corporate citizenship and the promotion of harmonious business relationships. The company is also a champion of the drive to enhance Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), a government-backed initiative designed to redress the imbalances of the past within the country. The White Paper on the Energy Policy of the Republic of South Africa states that “25 percent of the liquid fuels industry is to be owned or controlled by historically disadvantaged South Africans by 2010.” This target has already been achieved by PetroSA.

PetroSA’s dedication to producing clean, safe and environmentally sound fuels is evident in the company’s pursuit of new GTL technologies, a policy that is duly reflected in its ISO status. Through the company’s commitment to quality, safety, environmental responsibility and ethical conduct, PetroSA has been awarded ISO 9001:2000 accreditation, in addition to ISO certifications 9001, 14000 and 18000.

PetroSA’s vision for the future is to be a leading African energy company, competing globally and in an environmentally responsible manner, and to be a leader in the provision of petroleum oil, gas and petrochemicals in Africa and worldwide.