regularly has to replace the gasoline in its storage facilities but not with this gasoline because it has up to 18 percent olefin, so this can lead to some problems.
We can also control the aromatic compounds and that is another big advantage. So this type of gasoline has different advantages and now we are in discussion with different European refineries that are eager to use this as a blending additive because they can reduce the aromatic content, they can increase the life, the shelf time of the product, so that is a big advantage and this is all based on this reactor being able to be controlled.
Q: Have you developed this technology?
A: Yes, the reactor is all state of the art but the technology is our patented technology. Here we had to make sample - 250,000 tons of gasoline - this is the quantity and the mass balance for those who are a bit more interested in technology but I think that is the most interesting part.
Volkswagen has tested this gasoline, and we are a Volkswagen daughter company. They have tested this gasoline in 1.4 liter series engine and you can see on these two drafts there is the blue dots which is the gasoline from our plant and the red one is the gasoline which was from the European gasoline station the same as what you buy ,and you can see here that this is the rotational number of the engine, so typically in the city you drive at 2,000 - 3,000 rpms and you see that the pressure at the piston in the engine in both cases is identical, and there is hardly any difference visible.
And the same is true for the ignition angle. So it will not ignite any earlier or any later in the combustion chamber so it will perform exactly the same and also the same is true for the efficient consumption of this gasoline, is identical until 4,000 rpms.
Because this is typically for the racing cars, they start at 4,000 - 5,000 rpms. So racing cars, they would complain that their consumption is rather higher but standard consumers; they do not have any difference at all. That is almost all the secrets.
Q: It’s good, it’s amazing!
A: Yes and I think that is a very good technology to cope with the pollution problems of all the cars driving through megacities.
Q: I think that converting methanol to propylene is the best thing we can do, but now you said we can also convert methanol to another product.
A: Exactly. This is a competitive process from Exxon Mobil; they do not have this tool to fine tune. This is unique for our process that we can really look what is required to reduce the particular matter in order to have a more healthy environment, as well.
Q: Do you have any plans to find a partner in Iran and work with Iranian companies?
A: Well to my understanding the interest from the big methanol producers whether it is Zagros, Lavan ,Kaveh, or Mayan; now all these producers are desperately looking for an outlet.
As an engineering company, we are not into investment. It is not also our purpose because we cannot become competitors to our customers. If we started to produce methanol as a supplier, as a vendor of such plant, nobody would buy from us anymore. So we cannot invest, rather we can offer the technology, we will sell it to anyone who is interested and what we can try to do, and we just got a good message from the German government that there is obviously some agreement about this issue, and it has been agreed that the history can be put aside and financing shall become possible in the near future, we can support this financing. A certain share must come from the Iranian partner and about up to 85 percent is secured by the German government for export. These are roundabout figures.
Q: You mentioned that you have already talked with some Iranian methanol producers such as Kaveh, Lavan, etc; have these talks been held before or after the lifting of international sanctions on Iran?