Japanese Firms Produce 1st Domestic Gas-to-Liquid Fuel

TOKYO November 29, 2002; Japan Today reported that the government-owned Japan National Oil Corp (JNOC), said Friday it has succeeded in producing the first domestically made gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuel in a joint experiment with five private-sector firms. JNOC said it produced the GTL fuel at its pilot plant in Hokkaido with Cosmo Oil Co, Nippon Steel Corp, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co, Chiyoda Corp and Inpex Corp.

GTL technology is used to convert natural gas to products such as diesel fuels and kerosene that are free from impurities such as sulfur and nitrogen oxide. (Kyodo News)