# BP and Shell has announced it will stop operations at Sapref in KwaZulu-Natal indefinitely from next month as they ponder the future of the refinery. They say in a joint statement the decision has been taken to allow an informed finalisation on the various options available to shareholders. The statement says Sapref shareholders are unable to commit to further investment in the refinery. Sapref is the largest crude oil refinery in Southern Africa and accounts for 35-percent of South Africa’s refining capacity.