Arkansas, USBM Convert Coal to Methane

 
In the course of our dispatches concerning the real potentials of coal conversion technology, we've noted a few times the potentials for using "bio" technologies to perform, or to enhance, the processes of converting coal into hydrocarbons, and extracting hydrocarbon values from coal wastes. The research into bacteria living in coal mine wastes Joe assisted with at WVU, in the mid-Seventies, and Craig Venter's more recent efforts to isolate carbon-converting microbes resident deep within the earth, which we documented for you, are examples.
 
We've also cited research into the biological conversion of syngas derived from coal, into hydrocarbons, as an alternative to established catalytic methods.
 
Herein is documentation, from a trio of research organizations, that biotechnology can, indeed, assist, if needed, in the transformation of coal into more versatile hydrocarbons.
 
As follows:
 
"Biological production of methane from bituminous coal 

J.C. Volkwein, A.L. Schoeneman, E.G. Clausen, J.L. Gaddy, E.R. Johnson, R. Basu, N. Ju and K.T. Klasson

United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0070, USA

University of Arkansas, Department of Chemical Engineering, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA


May 1994

Abstract

Biogasification of coal offers significant economic and environmental benefits for the continued utilization of coal resources. Several consortia from various natural sources associated with coal have been shown to produce methane from media containing only coal as the organic carbon source. Methane production of these samples has continued to increase with time. The cultures have remained viable and have continued to produce methane after 5 successive transfers to media containing coal as the sole carbon source. Methane quantities of 4 and 5 volume percent methane have been observed from Pittsburgh and Wyodak coals. Serum tube experiments were scaled to larger column experiments that also indicated that methane is produced from medium containing coal as the only carbon source."

Methane from coal might not sound all that exciting, at first. However, if you recall some of our earlier posts, there exist a number of technological paths which enable the fairly straightforward conversion of methane into more complex, and more valuable, hydrocarbons, including liquid fuels.