It begins...the new world order

Sasol, a Johannesburg-based energy giant, announced late last year its intention to spend up to $14 billion on building the first U.S.-based commercial plant to perform the alchemy of turning natural gas into liquid fuels -- hailed as one of the biggest investments from a non-U.S. company in American history.

Sasol's mega-project in Louisiana also includes a separate $5 to $7 billion ethane cracker and derivatives plant. It has picked the United States for its GTL facility because the country has abundant shale gas.

Both plants to be built in Louisiana.