The future-fuels puzzle

No-one knows what the future of transportation will look like, but Shell's Jack Jacometti believes GTL fuel will form a big part of the puzzle. Interview by Tom Nicholls

JACK Jacometti is head of Shell's future-fuels business, but you could easily take him for a politician. He steers clear of black and white answers; forget questions about cost-overruns and profit margins at Qatar's Pearl GTL (gas to liquids) project. He's more interested in talking about the grand sweep of the energy industry in 40 years' time than the nitty-gritty of business today. What will the fuel mix of the future look like? "It's going to be fascinating to see how it plays out," he says noncommittally. "We have to rethink how we transport ourselves." He mentions the supersizing of cars over the years, as consumers have demanded more room and more electronic luxuries, significantly in