Synthetic Jet Fuel (GTL)

On 1 February 2008, an Airbus 380 flew from the UK to France, powered by GTL (synthetic jet fuel) supplied by Shell.

During the flight, one of four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines was fed with a blend of GTL and jet fuel while the remaining three were fed with standard jet fuel. Shell International Petroleum provided the synthetic GTL.

The test flight was the result of an agreement signed last November between Qatar Airways, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Fuels, Qatar Science and Technology Park, Rolls Royce and Shell International Petroleum Company to research the benefits of synthetic jet fuel processed from gas.

"GTL could be available at certain locations to make it a practical and viable drop-in alternative fuel for commercial aviation in the short term," Airbus execs stated.

In December, the United States Air Force conducted the first ever transcontinental flight of a large aircraft - a C17 - on a synthetic (GTL) fuel.

The flight followed successful tests of the fuel blend in C-17 engines in October, and was the next step in the Air Force's effort to have its entire C-17 fleet certified to use the mixture.

Air Force officials certified B-52 Stratotankers to use the mixture in August, and hope to certify the fuel blend for use in all its aircraft within the next five years.

The United States Air Force has ordered that all of its aircraft be certified to use GTL fuels by 2010 and has recently announced plans to source at least 70% of its jet fuel from GTL by the year 2025.

Source: Asia Business News (ABN)
http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/47729/CENTRAL-PETROLEUM-LIMITED.html