An super-jumbo of aircraft maker Airbus A380 flew a first-ever flight on Friday of a Shell-made, natural-gas-based synthetic jet fuel, now part of the supermajor’s gas-to-liquids offering, at least for research.
The three-hour flight between Filton, UK and Toulouse, France is a parallel activity to the research planned between Airbus and Qatar Airways, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Fuels, Qatar Science & Technology Park, Rolls Royce.
It is hoped jet biofuel from natural gas will contain no sulfur and won’t lead to the wholesale elimination of biodiversity foreseen if first-generation biofuels of the crop-based type take hold. The GTL flight will support "future" second-generation biofuels, an Airbus statement said, adding, "Airbus will study viable second generation bio-fuels when they become available."
Gas-to-liquids production from Shell and Qatar’s Pearl GTL project in the Middle East appears to have been the source for the alternative-fuel flight, judging from company communiques.
Shell said a report on its sourcing of biofuels will appear in its annual Sustainability Report.
ws@scandoil.com
Tags:
Qatar Petroleum International,
Shell
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