Sasol/Talisman beef up shale/GTL deal

North American GTL plans receive a boost

SOUTH Africa’s Sasol has doubled its investment in Talisman Energy’s shale-gas assets in British Columbia. It is spending C$1.05bn ($1.08bn) for a second working interest in the Montney play and reinforcing the partnership’s focus on building a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Western Canada. Coming less than three months after its initial deal to spend an identical amount for a 50% share of Talisman’s land, wells and processing facilities in Farrell Creek, Sasol and Talisman have expanded their joint-venture to the Cypress A assets, 25 miles to the north. Talisman chief executive John Manzoni says the transaction allows the partnership to “unlock the additional value [of the Montney play] and