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Story of Shell GTL
Accessible version
1973 - We take the Fischer-Tropsch process that converts gas and other feedstocks to liquids and further develop it.
1983 - We build a plant in Amsterdam for larger scale tests on paraffin synthesis and conversion to make GTL products.
Research shows at higher concentrations GTL fuel could be attractive for improving local air quality.
1993 -The first commercial GTL plant starts up at Bintulu, designed to produce 12,500 barrels per day of high quality GTL products.
1997 - Air pollution from forest fires causes an explosion in the air separation unit at Bintulu in 1997 and interrupts production.
2003 - Production resumes. More technical improvements raise production capacity to 14,700 barrels per day.
2006 -The Government of the State of Qatar approves the Pearl GTL project in 2006. The plant will be ten times the size of Bintulu.
Pearl GTL will be the world’s largest plant, converting natural gas into high quality GTL products.
