Energy Citations Database (ECD) - - Document #6307439
In further support of our case that, once Methane has been generated, by either Sabatier-type Carbon Dioxide recycling, as now employed by NASA, as we've documented, aboard the International Space Station; or, by Coal gasification, as especially defined by ExxonMobil in their United States Patent, Number 3847567, for "Catalytic Coal Hydrogasification", which we very recently reported to you, Methane can then be converted directly into Gasoline, we submit herein documentation from halfway around the world attesting to the fact.
The excerpts, comment appended:
"Title: Methane-to-gasoline plant adds to New Zealand liquid fuel resources
Author: J. Haggin
Journal: Chemical Engineering News; June, 1987
Abstract: For slightly more than a year, New Zealand Synthetic Fuels Corp. has been operating the world's first plant to convert methane to gasoline. Based on the year's operations, the plant has more than fulfilled expectations of the owners, designers, and builders. The plant's success is not unqualified, however. The world economic situation at the time the plant was designed and financed was quite different from what it is today. Although the plant cannot be considered a financial success at this point, that too could change if world economics do another flip-flop because of gyrating oil prices. Whatever the financial considerations, the plant has met the strategic goal of reducing New Zealand's dependence on foreign oil. The conception and organization of the methane-to-gasoline project is outlined."
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As it happens, unsurprisingly, other reports we'll not cite herein document that this New Zealand enterprise, which converted Methane into Gasoline, and which "more than fulfilled expectations of the owners, designers, and builders", closed down not long after this report was made.
We rather imagine that the "world economic situation" - read: the price of oil and oil's economic impact - might be a bit different now than it was a little more than two decades ago. Bet we've done a couple of "economic ... flip-flop"s since then.
Our points are: Methane can be successfully converted into gasoline on a production basis. Methane can be synthesized from either CO2 or Coal.
