Energy Citations Database (ECD) - - Document #6609731
Among many of our other reports on Consolidation Coal, Consol, and their development of Coal liquefaction technologies, we recently documented a presentation on their "Synthetic Fuels Process" which they had delivered to the "8th World Petroleum Congress" held in 1971, in Moscow.
As we have also earlier reported, Consol's research into CoalTL evolved, and they developed technologies for the use of Zinc Chloride, or Zinc Halide, in the liquefaction of Coal; technology later patented, again as we have documented, and as far as we know unused, by their new parent company, Continental Oil.
Herein, we further document that the improved Zinc Halide technology for converting Coal into liquid hydrocarbons, technology now owned by Big Oil, was developed in research paid for by the United States Government; in other words, by us, under USDOE Contract EX-76-C-01-1743, as in other reports from this project which we have previously documented for the West Virginia Coal Association.
Comment follows excerpts from:
"Title: Zinc halide hydrocracking process for distillate fuels from coal. Annual Report, Feb.,1977--Jan.1978
Author: M. Pell, W. Parker, et. al.
Date: February 1978
DOE Contract Number: EX-76-C-01-1743; Report Number: FE-1743-49; OSTI ID: 6609731
Research Organization: Conoco Coal Development Co., Library, PA
Abstract: The major efforts during the year were (1) to construct a 1 TPD Process Development Unit (PDU) for conversion of coal to distillate fuels using a molten zinc chloride catalyst and (2) to explore the effects of operating variables on a 2 lb/hr continuous bench-scale unit and develop correlations predicting conversion and product yields with Montana subbituminous coal. Construction of the PDU is (nearly) complete, and break-in of the liquefaction sections is underway. ... The raw gasoline had Research Octane Numbers of 90.6 to 92.3 and low nitrogen and sulfur. Single runs showed that other subbituminous coals and bituminous coal could be successfully converted with the process. ... Attached as Appendix A are three reports which chronicled a 1975 economic study on conversion of coal extract to gasoline. Zinc chloride processing is estimated to save 8 to 16% over ebullated-bed hydrocracking, hydrotreating and reforming to make the same product."
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In the late 1970's our tax money was used to develop a technology for converting Coal into "90.6 to 92.3" octane "raw gasoline" with "low nitrogen and sulfur". And, this process saves "8 to 16%" over other Coal Liquefaction processes which were documented in "a 1975 economic study on conversion of coal extract to gasoline".
Moreover, this Zinc Halide Coal conversion process, developed by Consol with our tax money, is, as we have earlier documented, now owned, via US Patent, by a Big Oil headliner.
Consol once had many Coal mines in West Virginia. And West Virginia is one of many states in the United States. How is it that the US Government and Consol could have gotten together to make high octane, low sulfur gasoline out of Coal, likely using West Virginia Coal to do so, and, no one, in West Virginia, in the 33 years since, has really heard anything about it?
If they're not angry because they haven't heard about it, then that's another issue that should be somehow dealt with.
But, it's way past time they did hear about it, and were thus given a chance to voice their opinion and to do something about it.