Komatipoort — Sasol has announced that a R1.1 billion gas compression station will be built in Komatipoort to increase gas delivery from Mozambique to South Africa.

Sasol media manager, Johann van Rheede, said on Tuesday the compression station would increase gas delivery from 120 million gigajoules to about 147 million gigajoules a year.

"Two gas-turbine driven compressor units and ancillary equipment will be used at Komatipoort to increase gas flow," said Mr van Rheede.

He said the flow rates would be increased from the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investment Company's (ROMPCO) 865km-long trans-border pipeline that transports gas from the Pande and Temane gas fields in Mozambique to Sasol stations in Secunda and Sasolburg.

Construction will start by mid-2008 and continue until the end of 2009.

Mr van Rheede said the engineering and construction management contract had been awarded to a company called Foster Wheeler South Africa.

The project will provide short-term employment for about 450 people, of whom about 150 will be skilled artisans.