Quadrise Fuels International PLC highlights progress for industrial trial of MSAR

() told investors that a client’s trial of MSAR technology in Morocco continues to advance into phase two.

A study is presently underway following the successful completion of an initial pilot trial at one of the client’s industrial facilities, using the AIM-quoted company’s MSAR fuel which is an emulsified fuel that can be a substitute for heavy fuel oil and diesels.

Planning and preparation for a larger industrial-scale trial is underway for another of the client’s facilities.

The aim is to fast-track the commercial scale trial and de-risk commercial roll-out.

READ: Quadrise to trial MSAR with shipping major

A pumping and heating unit designed to use Quadrise’s proprietary MSAR fuel has now been fabricated and tested at the Quadrise Research Facility, the company noted.

It added that the industrial trial will require around 60 tonnes of MSAR fuel and coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions have impacted availability of preferred third-party MSAR supply options. But, it has sourced an alternative site for MSAR fuel manufacture.

The industrial-scale trial is now scheduled to be completed as early as possible in the first half of 2021, subject to Quadrise being able to gain safe access to test sites in Morocco.

Quadrise will be due £100,000 for the industrial trial and a phase 2 study.

It is anticipated that a new agreement will be finalised for a subsequent trial, anticipated in the second quarter, subject to a positive outcome of the industrial-scale trial.

That next trial is expected to be a final precursor to commercial roll-out.

“In Morocco, our proactive approach to managing risks and timelines has paid dividends throughout 2020 and into 2021, and our client remains very supportive and keen for the remaining trials to progress at pace,” said Mike Kirk, Quadrise chairman in a statement.

“The first half of 2021 will be very busy for Quadrise. We look forward to demonstrating strong progress across all of our active projects, including the recently announced JDA with MSC to enable the planning for the Operational Trial in 2021 and the continued development and testing of our exciting new bio/renewable fuel, bioMSAR,” he added.

Quadrise additionally updated on a separate client pilot project in Utah, where Greenfield Energy – a joint venture involving TomCo Plc () – is trialling the use of MSAR technology as a means of processing heavy oil at the Petroteq Oil Sands Plant (POSP) at the Asphalt Ridge Facility.

The company highlighted that the availability of oil samples for testing at the Quadrise Research Facility (QRF) is a critical path item on this programme, and sample testing will be completed within 2-3 weeks of receipt at QRF.

Elsewhere, on January 21, 20230, TomCo said the POSP had produced 100 barrels of oil.

Quadrise today noted that it is still awaiting the receipt of oil samples at QRF. It added that the final trial schedule is dependent on Greenfield being able to promptly deliver samples to QRF, shipment of the MSAR fuel systems, and Quadrise being able to gain safe access to the POSP site in Utah.

A MSAR manufacturing unit and associated systems are ready to be shipped to the site in Utah, and the c100t MSAR trial is now planned to take place at POSP during the first half.

The trial itself should be completed within one week from commissioning, Quadrise added, assuming smooth progress is made.

Kirk said “we front-loaded the preparation for the MMU and associated systems which are ready to ship to site at Greenfield’s request, with the confirmatory sample testing being used to refine the additive package for the production trial.”