These enormous reservations are built on flying ashes which are the result of coal liquefaction operations carried out by South African oil company Sasol and its industrial plants nearby. It is the biggest and probably the only synthetic fuel factory in the world. It uses the Fischer-Tropsch process to convert not only bad quality coal but also natural gas, into liquid hydrocarbons. The factory alone covers a surface are of 13 square kilometres and its existence is mainly due to the international embargo against South Africa when its policies of racial segregation and discrimination benefited the white population of the country, commonly known as the Apartheid years. Although the production of synthetic fuel is minimal, the technology used to make it is attracting attention once again as petrol prices soar. From an environmental point of view, the production of a litre of liquid fuel from coal emits twice as much greenhouse gases as an equivalent fuel from an oil refinery.
THE PHOTO
Taken in 2007, It is a silver photography. His original slide is stored by the Yann Arthus-Bertrand Studio in Paris.
THE PRINT
Original work by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The prints are made exclusively by the Yann Arthus-Bertrand Studio in Paris under the control of the artist himself.
Original Edition Signed and Numbered
Prints ordered without frames include a white border
- Format 1, 2 & 3 = 2 cm of white border around the image
- Format 4, 5 = 4 cm of white border around the image
- Format 6 = 5 cm of white border around the image
Digital print made by the Yann Arthus-Bertrand Studio. Canon IPF 9400 Ink-jet printer, pigmentary ink, printing on acid free 100% cotton fibre paper (Museo Silver Rag)
>> voir des tirages dans l’Atelier YAB
