k1xv
02-16-2005, 11:40 PM
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal a day or two ago about one of the middle Eastern countries (I think it was Qatar) that is rich in natural gas, but no oil. They have all this gas, and no practical way of getting it to market. Apparently a lot of the US oil companies are making huge investment there in a process to convert natural gas to a synthetic liquid fuel suitable for diesel, using a process that dates from 1930s Germany and that has been used in South Africa as well.
The resultant fuel is clear, and can be burned directly as diesel, and is low polluting. The article says that it is uncertain whether the fuel would be blended with other diesel stocks, or segregated and sold as a distinct product.
At present, about half the cars sold in Europe are diesels.
Sorry I cannot link the article, as Wall Street Journal is a pay site.
The resultant fuel is clear, and can be burned directly as diesel, and is low polluting. The article says that it is uncertain whether the fuel would be blended with other diesel stocks, or segregated and sold as a distinct product.
At present, about half the cars sold in Europe are diesels.
Sorry I cannot link the article, as Wall Street Journal is a pay site.