There is peaked interest in the aviation industry to adopt SAF in support of achieving the climate targets. In the near future, an increase in demand for SAF is predicted and Uzbekistan GTL products are one of the most affordable ways to achieve high climate targets.

Today Uzbekistan GTL is actively making efforts to promote synthetic kerosene as aviation fuel for its full use both in domestic and international air transportation. As previously reported, Uzbekistan GTL LLC is an organizational member of ASTM International (an international organization that develops and publishes voluntary standards for materials, products, systems and services) and is a member of the ASTM AC598 task force "Standardization of jet fuel consisting entirely of synthesized hydrocarbons"

To discuss further actions on the use of 100% synthetic kerosene as aviation fuel, on November 29, 2021, Uzbekistan GTL LLC participated in a meeting of the ASTM AC598 task group headed by the head of the engineering department of aviation fuels and additives at GE Aviation, Dr. Gurkhan Andak.

The meeting was attended by representatives of large companies such as ASTM International, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Chevron, Applied Research Associates (ARA), Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, FedEx and others.

During the online meeting, descriptions of the current structure of the D7566 standard and how they are controlled were provided. It was described that the addition of 100% SAF to this ASTM standard will be achieved primarily through modifications in materials and manufacturing, in the detailed requirements and lastly in the changes to the ASTM D7566 by adding a new column for fully synthetic materials.

It was noted that the current focus is to gain concurrence on the structure of a standard to allow the use of fully synthetic fuels, and meetings are being held with engine and aircraft parts manufacturers with the target group. After completing this first phase, the focus will be on defining data requirements to support balloting of the specification revisions.

ASTM AC598 group members have decided to expedite the process of agreeing with the manufacturers of engines and aircraft parts for early start initiation of practical testing of the SAF.