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LoI is signed for synthetic jet fuel in aviation engines

DUBAI — Qatar Airways has entered into an agreement with key players across the aviation, fuel and educational sectors to power its aircraft with natural gas.

A Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed at the Dubai Airshow to research the potential benefits of synthetic jet fuel in aviation engines. The research will focus on the benefits of using Gas-to-liquid, or GTL synthetic jet fuels with particular emphasis on improved air quality, fuel economy and reduced carbon emissions in an around airports and at cruising altitude.

Qatar Airways has been joined by Qatar Petroleum, Shell, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Qatar Science & Technology Park and Woqod (Qatar Fuel Company) for the intensive study to be carried out over the next few years.

GTL synthetic jet fuels are currently being developed to meet international standards required for use in aviation under the auspices of the industry-wide Commercial Alternative Aviation Fuels Initiative of which Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Shell are all members.

Qatar Petroleum and Shell are currently building a multi-billion dollar world class fully integrated gas-to-liquids complex, which is set to transform the State of Qatar into the GTL capital of the world.

Qatar holds more than 15 per cent of the world's proven gas reserves. Its North Field has reserves of more than 900 trillion cubic feet (25 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas, the third largest in the world after Russia and Iran.

Speaking to journalists after signing the deal, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: "Together with our partners, we will all work in close collaboration to study the use of synthetic jet fuels, or GTL kerosene in our drive towards a cleaner and safer world." "We at Qatar Airways look onward to becoming the first airline in the world to power commercial aircraft with natural gas," he added.

Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, Director, Oil & Gas Ventures at Qatar Petroleum said: "GTL, as a cleaner jet fuel, offers strong environmental benefits and opens another important outlet for our natural gas to the international market." "Airbus is committed to becoming an eco-efficient enterprise, growing and adding value with less and less impact on the environment," says Airbus executive vice-president strategy and future programmes Christian Scherer.

Mick Forey, senior vice-president-airlines for Rolls-Royce, said: "We are committed to working with partners in the aerospace sector and are proud to be part of this initiative to deliver a further step change in the environmental performance of our civil aero engines."

In reply to a question, Mick Forey said there will be no need to modify the aero engines for new synthetic jet fuel.

Flight trials using gas-to-liquids fuel would be carried out following the intensive study and a worldwide industry approval of individual equipment manufacturers and regulators. The new synthetic jet fuel is expected to start up around the end of the decade and will revolutionise the aviation industry, as the airlines will be able to cover more distance with the same weight of fuel with low emissions.