Qatar leads cleaner jet fuel research

Qatar is leading the push into research for cleaner jet fuel. Four Qatar based businesses have partnered with Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Shell to look into making synthetic, cleaner jet fuel for use in commercial airliners. The research focuses on powering jetlines with gas-to-liquid (GTL) synthetic jet fuels.

GTL is produced by converting natural gas into kerosene. The beauty of GTL kerosene is that is has properties that are remarkably similar to jet fuel meaning that it could replace current jet fuel without the need for engine or airport modifications. GTL kerosene is also more environmentally friendly than current jet fuel as it creates less emissions.

The initial research will not be on pure GTL kerosene. Instead, the team are intending to mix jet fuel with GTL kerosene – probably in a 50/50 mix – and then monitor various results of the mix including local air quality, fuel economy and emissions as well as payload-range performance, fuel burn and engine durability.

GTL kerosene produces no nitrate or sulphur emissions so that it is hoped by reducing the amount of jet fuel burned around airports will make the local air quality better, although carbon dioxide emissions will not be significantly different.