In the course of our long exercise documenting the Truth that abundant US coal can, profitably and cleanly, be converted into the liquid fuels and industrial raw materials we need, we have posted several complete books to you on the subject.
Herein is yet another. And it, too, was published many decades ago; before, we presume, Big Oil was able to draw his iridescent black curtain around the subject, and thus hide the facts from those who most deserve to know them.
First, we have been unable to learn much about the identity of the author, Leonard Fanning; except that he was associated in some way with the American Petroleum Institute, and wrote prolifically about the US oil industry in the middle decades of the last century.
And, keep in mind one key fact: This is not a book written about coal, or coal liquefaction. It is a catalogue, as it were, of the petroleum resources available to the United States.
Without attempting comment on the accuracy of Fanning's reserve estimates, we know we have a lot of coal, following are some excerpts:
"OUR OIL RESOURCES
EDITED BY
LEONARD M. FANNING, Author of The Rise of American Oil
McGRAW-HTLL BOOK COMPANY, INC.; New York London 1945
EDITED BY
LEONARD M. FANNING, Author of The Rise of American Oil
McGRAW-HTLL BOOK COMPANY, INC.; New York London 1945
6. Coal deposits in North America are calculated in the tril-
lions of tons. Estimates show this coal could supply 6,000
billion barrels of gasoline, which at probable postwar consump-
tion would provide enough gasoline for 8,000 years without
infringing on other uses for coal. Even today coal can be mined,
converted to oil and then to gasoline, and sell at a price to the
dealer, excluding tax, no higher than the price of 1918-1922,
excluding tax. The technology of this conversion has naturally
received little attention in the United States. When our able
research talent really begins to work on it, the cost will be greatly
reduced. The prices of 1918-1922 would seem high to our people
today, because our private oil industry has continually reduced
the cost of gasoline."
lions of tons. Estimates show this coal could supply 6,000
billion barrels of gasoline, which at probable postwar consump-
tion would provide enough gasoline for 8,000 years without
infringing on other uses for coal. Even today coal can be mined,
converted to oil and then to gasoline, and sell at a price to the
dealer, excluding tax, no higher than the price of 1918-1922,
excluding tax. The technology of this conversion has naturally
received little attention in the United States. When our able
research talent really begins to work on it, the cost will be greatly
reduced. The prices of 1918-1922 would seem high to our people
today, because our private oil industry has continually reduced
the cost of gasoline."
Though it likely doesn't need emphasis, we'll repeat: "Even today (i.e., in 1945 - JtM) coal can be mined,
converted to oil and then to gasoline, and sell at a price to the
dealer, excluding tax, no higher than the price of 1918-1922,
excluding tax. The technology of this conversion has naturally
received little attention in the United States."
converted to oil and then to gasoline, and sell at a price to the
dealer, excluding tax, no higher than the price of 1918-1922,
excluding tax. The technology of this conversion has naturally
received little attention in the United States."