The Shell XTL Process for synthetic aviation fuel (e-SAF) and bio-SAF
The Shell XTL1 Process provides an integrated solution for producing sustainable aviation fuel using Shell’s commercially proven Fischer–Tropsch technology. With e-SAF – also known as synthetic aviation fuel, e-kerosene, PTL kerosene, PTL-SAF or RFNBO-SAF2, made using power-to-liquids (PTL) technology – gaining prominence as a key decarbonisation option for the aviation industry, the Shell XTL Process offers a flexible pathway to producing both e-SAF and bio-SAF from a range of sustainable feedstocks.
What is e-SAF?
e-SAF is a renewable fuel produced using PTL technology that utilises feedstocks (solar and wind energy, carbon dioxide, or CO2, and water) to create synthetic hydrocarbons through Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. The Shell XTL Process leverages lessons learned from Shell’s integrated GTL technology, as applied at Pearl GTL in Qatar, the world’s largest integrated GTL facility. This extensive expertise allows the Shell XTL Process to support large-scale e-SAF production, making it a viable option for meeting long-term decarbonisation targets.
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Title: Shell Catalysts & Technologies - XTL Process
Duration: 2:38
Description: 3D animation providing a look at Shell’s XTL process.
[Background music plays]
Modern, upbeat music.
[Animation Sequence]
Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo animates on a white background with text: Transforming Energy
Together
[Animation Sequence]
The camera goes through a cloudy sky with planes passing by.
[Voiceover]
Fuel producers face significant challenges –
[Animation Sequence]
A plane flies by revealing a refinery on a platform with an aircraft in the background.
[Voiceover]
and opportunities – in adapting to growing demand for sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF.
[Animation Sequence]
Refinery lowers and is labeled HEFA. Processing route shown from feedstocks to bio-SAF tanks.
[Voiceover]
Refiners have been successfully producing bio-SAF from easier-to-process feedstocks,
[Animation Sequence]
Closeup of drums labeled cooking oil or used animal fats.
[Voiceover]
such as used cooking oils and animal fats, for some time,
[Animation Sequence]
Closeup of bio-SAF storage tanks.
[Voiceover]
using various technology pathways.
[Animation Sequence]
Tanks swipe off screen to reveal a bio-SAF tank on a platform labeled SAF. Tank duplicates and scales up
to show current vs required volumes.
[Voiceover]
However, legislation mandates larger SAF volumes yet availability of these feeds is limited.
[Animation Sequence]
Fuel tanks spin into oil barrels and the platform is re-labeled: Used cooking oil.
[Voiceover]
To meet the required volumes,industry must adapt
[Animation Sequence]
The camera moves forward to reveal a platform labeled: Biomass residues. Logs, leaves and wood
shavings are on the platform.
[Voiceover]
by utilising harder-to-process biomass residues, or by producing synthetic or eSAF
[Animation Sequence]
The camera moves forward to reveal a platform labeled: Renewable power. Wind turbines and solar
panels are on the platform.
[Voiceover]
using renewable power,
[Animation Sequence]
The camera moves forward to reveal a platform labeled: Water. Moving water is on the platform.
[Voiceover]
water
[Animation Sequence]
The camera moves forward to reveal a platform labeled: CO2. A carbon capture facility is on the platform.
[Voiceover]
and carbon dioxide.
[Animation Sequence]
Cut to a tight shot of a conveyor belt carrying a variety of feeds: wood shavings, leaves and carbon
dioxide molecules.
[Voiceover]
The Shell XTL Process converts a wide range of renewable, low-carbon feedstocks
[Animation Sequence]
Camera pulls pack to show conveyor going through extruded XTL text and coming out of the letter T as
fuel tanks.
[Voiceover]
(X) to liquid (L) renewable fuels.
[Animation Sequence]
The camera goes to the overhead view. Arrows point from XTL to BTL (biomass icon) and PTL (solar,
wind, hydro power icons).
[Voiceover]
It includes Shell’s biomass- and power-to-liquids (or BTL and PTL) processes.
[Animation Sequence]
Multiple icons demonstrate the syngas production process. Wind, solar, hydro power and CO2 are at the
first stage. Water electrolysers are stage two, followed by the reverse water gas shift reactors, which lead
to bubbles labeled Syngas.
[Voiceover]
PTL removes the need for organic feedstocks by utilising water electrolysis
[Animation Sequence]
The camera moves in tighter on the wind, solar, hydro power and CO2 stage.
[Voiceover]
using renewable power, water, carbon dioxide
[Animation Sequence]
Camera shifts right to a closeup of the reverse water gas shift reactors.
[Voiceover]
and the reverse water–gas shift reaction.
[Animation Sequence]
Camera shifts right to show Syngas text with bubbles rising from the text.
[Voiceover]
to make syngas.
[Animation Sequence]
Arrows lead from Syngas to a photo of the Pearl GTL plant in Qatar and down to a bio-SAF tank.
[Voiceover]
Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and product upgrading convert the syngas into eSAF.
[Animation Sequence]
Rectangle with the Pearl GTL flips and reveals a runway with a plane on it. The plane takes off. The plane
then flies through a channel surrounded by various energy generation technologies (solar panels, wind
turbines and hydraulic dams. Carbon dioxide molecules are just out of the plane’s reach.
[Voiceover]
However, PTL requires considerable infrastructure investment, and securing an acceptable carbon
dioxide supply can be challenging.
[Animation Sequence]
Split screen with BTL and PTL along with the corresponding feeds.
[Voiceover]
Considering these challenges, the Shell XTL Process’ hybrid BTL–PTL lineup can offer advantages.
[Animation Sequence]
Split screen shows hydrogen molecules entering a process unit along with text: Full use of biomass
carbon.
[Voiceover]
Adding renewable hydrogen to a BTL process enables the full use of the biomass carbon.
[Animation Sequence]
Split screen shifts to show water electrolyzers and text: Reduced costs. Electrolysers scale down.
[Voiceover]
It requires smaller-scale electrolysers, reducing costs.
[Animation Sequence]
Split screen shifts to show reverse water gas shift reactors along with text: Simplified process. Half of the
unit disappears.
[Voiceover]
Reverse water–gas shift may not be required, simplifying the process.
[Animation Sequence]
Split screen shifts to show multiple hydroprocessing units along with text: Economy of Scale. The units
increase in size.
[Voiceover]
And larger Fischer–Tropsch and hydroprocessing units bring economy of scale.
[Animation Sequence]
The hydroprocessing units move to the center of the frame and two meters appear on either side labeled:
Technology readiness. The meters register from red to green at the top.
[Voiceover]
BTL and PTL technologies have high technology readiness levels
[Animation Sequence]
The camera pushes over the hydroprocessing unit to reveal two puzzle pieces labeled BTL and PTL. The
pieces connect and spin to reveal a dollar bill.
[Voiceover]
and a hybrid approach can increase the cost-effectiveness of early projects.
[Animation Sequence]
Screen flashes white to reveal a search bar. Text types on: www.shell.com/CT
[Voiceover]
Work with Shell Catalysts & Technologies to explore how the Shell XTL Process
[Animation Sequence]
Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo animates on a white background with text: Transforming Energy
Together
[Voiceover]
can meet your needs.
[Shell music fades out]
[Animation Sequence]
Shell pecten logo on a rippling yellow background
[Shell mnemonic]
Technology brief: The Shell XTL Process for synthetic aviation fuel (e-SAF) and bio-SAF
This technology brief explains how the Shell XTL Process provides an integrated solution for producing e-SAF and bio-SAF. It covers the fundamentals of the technology, outlines key industry challenges, and highlights the benefits of co-processing different feedstocks to support the decarbonisation of aviation.
Addressing key industry challenges
The aviation sector is under increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, but it is one of the hardest industries to decarbonise, owing to the long lifespan of aircraft and the high cost and limited availability of decarbonisation solutions.
Current SAF production is primarily focused on bio-SAF, which relies on easier-to-process feedstocks, such as used cooking oil and animal fats. However, regulations like ReFuelEU Aviation are setting targets that require a growing share of SAF to come from more challenging feedstocks, such as biomass residues, and using renewable power and CO2.
The Shell XTL Process addresses these challenges by offering a versatile solution that uses a range of feedstocks and integrates multiple conversion technologies to produce e-SAF and bio-SAF at scale. Leveraging Shell’s extensive experience with Fischer–Tropsch technology, the Shell XTL Process provides a versatile solution for meeting both current and future SAF requirements.
Benefits of the Shell XTL Process
The Shell XTL Process provides several key advantages for producers seeking to scale up SAF production. For example, it can help producers to:
- optimise production by using a wide range of sustainable and low-carbon feedstocks, including solar and wind energy, CO2 and biomass residues;
- maximise process efficiency and realise economies of scale by combining e-SAF and bio-SAF production within a single facility; and
- meet evolving regulatory requirements by increasing the share of e-SAF in the production mix.
How it works
The Shell XTL Process integrates multiple technologies, including CO2 capture, the Shell Reverse Water Gas Shift Process, Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and the Shell Wax Hydroconversion Process. The process can be configured to produce e-SAF, bio-SAF or a combination of both, depending on feedstock availability and regulatory needs.
Read Transcript
Read Transcript
Title: Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Innovative Syngas Technologies
Duration: 02:44
Description: The objective is to connect with our external (via our LinkedIn Showcase Page and shell.com website) and internal audiences (via Yammer) to introduce the audience to syngas technologies such as the Shell XTL process, discuss the conversion of renewable energy into synthetic SAF, and how combining the power-to-liquids (PTL) and biomass-to-liquids (BTL) processes can help reduce costs while enhancing sustainability efforts.
[Shell music plays]
[Graphic on screen]
White background with Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo. Yellow transition to Nick Flinn on a white background.
[Graphic on screen]
Nick Flinn
VP Decarbonisation & Emerging Technologies
[Nick Flinn on camera]
The aviation industry faces significant challenges in decarbonising due to the expected growth in air travel demand and limited alternatives for long-haul flights. Given these hurdles, it's crucial that we focus on using existing infrastructure and implementing drop-in fuel solutions such as sustainable aviation fuel or SAF.
[Video footage]
An aircraft marshall guides a plane in on the tarmac. An airplane takes off on a runway. An airplane flies over cloudy skies with a sunset in the background.
[Nick Flinn on camera]
SAF offers a viable pathway to reduce emissions within the current aviation system, leveraging technology that can be immediately integrated to drive sustainability efforts forward. Shell Catalyst & Technology's decarbonization portfolio focuses on five key value chains; renewable fuels, plastic circularity, hydrogen, carbon capture, and syngas.
[Graphic on screen]
White background with Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo at the top. Five gray boxes appear and each one has an icon for the following; renewable fuels, plastic circularity, hydrogen, carbon capture, and syngas with the associated aforementioned text.
[Nick Flinn on camera]
Our renewable fuels technology enables the production of bio SAF from a wide range of biofeed stocks, including vegetable oils, used cooking oil, and animal fats. Additionally, our syngas technologies feature the Shell X-to-liquids process, which converts renewable energy, water and carbon dioxide into synthetic SAF. The Shell XTL process is a family of integrated processes that turn renewable carbon sources, green power, and water into hydrocarbon liquids.
[Graphic on screen]
Blue background with two white shapes with the following text; BTL Biomass-to-liquids, and PTL Power-to-liquids. Video zooms in and background changes to green. White icons are displayed listing out PTL application; electrolysis, RWGS, FT Synthesis, and Hydroprocessing. Smaller text on the bottom right reads; Biomass pyrolysis oil, Fischer - Tropsch, Renewable fuel of non-biological origin, and Reverse water - gas shift.
[Nick Flinn voiceover]
There are two main archetype applications, power-to-liquids or PTL, which makes syngas from renewable power, water and carbon dioxide, and then biomass-to-liquids or BTL, which makes syngas from biomass or organic waste. The choice between PTL and BTL depends on factors such as feedstock availability, energy source, and desired product slate.
[Graphic on screen]
Green background with several white shapes that show the flow of the BTL Biomass-to-liquids application; Pyrolysis, Torrefaction, Liquids Gasification, Solids Gasification, Syngas, FT Synthesis, Hydroprocessing, and Advanced Biofuels. Smaller text on the bottom right reads; Biomass pyrolysis oil, Fischer - Tropsch, Renewable fuel of non-biological origin, and Reverse water - gas shift.
[Nick Flinn on camera]
Combining PTL and BTL is possible and often advantageous. It can reduce the size of the electrolyser or even eliminate it, significantly lowering investment costs. Fuels produced from combined BTL and PTL can have a 30 to 40% lower cost.
[Graphic on screen]
A gray box appears on the right side of the screen with white text that reads 30 to 40% lower cost and a downward facing arrow.
[Nick Flinn on camera]
And while most elements of Shell XTL process have a long track record, some like reverse water gas shift are newer. We're actively collaborating with partners to fully de-risk and continuously improve the technology. Our expertise is further enhanced by our operational gas liquid plants and our offshore wind and solar parks in the Netherlands. So the Shell XTL process brings an integrated approach from a single licenser that is backed by a proven track record in gas-to-liquids technology, and provides unmatched confidence for significant capital investments. We look forward to working ever more closely with our customers and partners across multiple hard-to-abate industries to tackle the challenges together. So whatever your decarbonisation or sustainability needs from framing transition pathways to licensing complex integrated technologies, we'd love to hear from you.
[Shell music plays]
[Animation sequence]
Yellow animation transitions to a white background with Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo
[Animation sequence]
Shell pecten logo on a rippling yellow background
[Shell mnemonic]
Explore more resources on SAF
Learn more about the economics, scalability, and opportunities for producing SAF.
1 XTL: X-to-liquids, where X stands for anything sustainable, renewable and low carbon.
2 RFNBO: Renewable fuels of non-biological origin.
