Energy Citations Database (ECD) - - Document #7299850
Since Coal can, as we have more than thoroughly documented, be converted into liquid and gaseous products that can serve as direct substitutes for our current petroleum-based fuels, our USDOE, as part of their once-extensive, 1970's-era, Coal liquefaction development program, wanted to see if Coal liquids could also serve as replacements for certain petroleum-based chemical manufacturing feed stocks.
To that end, they engaged the services of Dow Chemical to assess that potential of Coal-derived liquids produced by FMC Corporation's "COED" Coal conversion process, about which we have earlier reported.
A report from that project is enclosed via the link; with excerpts following and comment appended:
"Title: Chemicals from coal. Interim report for FMC Corporation COED process, Western KY Syncrude
Author: Peters, B.C.
Date: April, 1977
OSTI ID: 7299850; Report Number: FE-1534-44; DOE Contract Number: EX-76-C-01-1534
Research Organization: Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI. Hydrocarbons and Energy Research Lab
Abstract: This document contains the results of an investigation to determine the suitability of the FMC COED Pyrolysis Process Western Kentucky Syncrude as a petrochemical feedstock. A sample of the whole crude was distilled into four straight run fractions: IBP-350/sup 0/F naphtha, 350-650/sup 0/F mid-distillate, 650 to 850/sup 0/F gas oil, and 850-FBP/sup 0/F resid. Laboratory studies in metal reactors and computer and mathematical simulations were performed to provide overall material balance data for a conceptual plant. The naphtha was subjected to hydrotreating and reforming studies. The mid-distillate was hydrocracked to produce more naphtha which was further processed by hydrotreating and reforming. The gas oil was hydrocracked to produce more hydrocrackate naphtha which was mathematically hydrotreated and reformed. Steam coil cracking of the various naphtha and mid-distillate fractions was also performed to evaluate their potential as feedstocks for direct olefin production. None of the fractions surveyed was very attractive as an ethylene cracker feed. The reformate from each of the three distillates was then mathematically hydrodealkylated so that each fraction was converted to a product slate consisting of methane, LPG's, benzene, and fuel, along with the total hydrogen consumed. The value of the products obtained per 100 pounds of each distillate was $10.43, $7.29, and $7.12 for the naphtha, mid-distillate, and gas oil, respectively. Based on these values, the gas oil was concluded to be economically unattractive as a petrochemical feedstock. The high aromatic yield obtained from the straight run and hydrocracked naphthas, however, make these fractions very attractive as petrochemical feedstocks."
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So, in the economic climate and oil supply situation of 1977, certain "fractions" obtained from Coal liquids were already "very attractive as petrochemical feedstocks".
