Nov 22 2005
At a unique event this week in Doha, Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Shell Gas & Power International B.V. (Shell) presented the first Gas to Liquids (GTL) Fuel car to run in Qatar. Shell’s synthetic gas-derived fuel was used in neat form in an unmodified 4.2 litre Audi A8 TDI (turbo diesel), demonstrating that GTL Fuel is a clean, practical alternative fuel that can be used in conventional diesel engines. Qatar is on track to become the GTL Capital of the World and Shell is contributing to this feat by working on the plans to develop the Pearl GTL project that, upon successful completion, will be the largest GTL plant in the world. Launching this event were His Excellency Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry of Qatar and Malcolm Brinded, Executive Director Exploration & Production Royal Dutch Shell plc. After addressing the audience, Minister Al-Attiyah, accompanied by Malcolm Brinded, drove Audi’s flagship car around Doha’s Corniche in a clear illustration of Qatar’s vision to drive the GTL industry in partnership with leading companies in the industry.
“This is truly a symbolic event for Qatar in its quest to reach the summit of the global GTL industry. GTL represents cutting edge technology and fuels that provide energy-saving and environmentally friendly options for markets around the world,” H.E. Al-Attiyah said. “We are very pleased to partner with Shell, a global leader in the field, in the pursuit of our ambitious goals in GTL development,” Minister Al-Attiyah added.
Malcolm Brinded said “We are delighted to team up with Qatar Petroleum in promoting GTL technology and thank Audi for contributing to this event by providing a top performance vehicle to demonstrate the use of GTL Fuel. Qatar’s contribution to the development of the GTL industry is unprecedented and Shell is proud to be an enabler of this enormous achievement.”
GTL Fuel is colourless, odourless and cleaner than conventional refinery produced diesel fuel. It is virtually free of sulphur and aromatics. A considerable number of trials around the world have confirmed that it significantly reduces local emissions.
http://www.shell.com
Posted 22nd November