GTL Diesel from natural gas

[Macgyver 0]

I just read an article in the Edmonton Journal that's titled: "Desert gamble: 'green' diesel from natural gas

Here are the highlights:

...gas-to-liquid (GTL) reactors will bring in billions of dollars while clearing big city smog belched by trucks and buses.

Petroleum experts who have sniffed vials of gin-clear GTL diesel speak of it with reverence.

"Its a beautiful product," says Jim Jensen, a Massachusetts-based energy economist. "The kerosene smells like perfume."

As far as carbon emissions go, green diesel appears to offer only a modest dent, partly because natural gas contains less carbon than oi-based diesel to begin with. The big difference is sulfur.

Sulfur emissions from diesel engines cause as many as 10,000 deaths a year among Americans with heart and lung ailments, said William Becker, who represents state and local air pollution control agencies in the United States.

Emmission can be cut further by adding better filters that remove up to 90 percent of remaining particulates, said Richard Kassel, a fuels expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York.

Sulphur-laden diesel gums up these finer filters, Kassel said. "Clean fuels open the door to the most advanced emission controls."

Tests of GTL fuel are underway in several countries. Shell is already selling the fuel in Thailand, The Netherlands, Greece and Germany, charging slightly more than its oil-based diesel. In Europe, Shell call the fuel V-Power Diesel.

-- personally I like the perfume comment... can't tell what they've been sniffing too much of now can we... More info here at the wired magazine: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,67534,00.html

[HIGHBOOST 1]

thats awesome.. but they will probably bring it here last .. even though we should be at the front of the tech war.. I hope that Shell considers it soon for the North American Market

[Xandria 4]

Great news, thank you. And I agree... hope they bring it here soon.

[bsmart 0]

it's strange how writers like to compare the pollution stats with "deaths". "Sulfur emissions from diesel engines cause as many as 10,000 deaths a year among Americans" They talk about gumming up diesel, heart and Lung ailments...Gee I thought they were talking about Americans and their eating habits...big macs? LOL

The technology sounds promising. Current sulfur standards in Canada are 500ppm, which is supposed to change in 2007 across north america to 30ppm sulfur I believe. And by that time the EU will be down to 15ppm I think.

[smartzuuk 167]

The Canada Environmental Protection Act of 1999 mandates 15 ppm diesel by June 1, 2006 in all of Canada except the far north. Our max is 500 ppm now, but many refineries are well lower than that.

Europe is already at 10 ppm for on-road use and 50 ppm otherwise.

The US is indeed one year further behind Canada. They get lower sulphur in 2007 sometime.

[bsmart 0]

thanks for clarifying that! My memory is terrible...