United States Patent: 2753296
Herein, via the two enclosed links, two attached files and two excerpts, we document that, even before some of those of us now teetering on the brink of geezerdom were born, both Big Oil and our US Government knew that, not only could Coal be converted into liquid fuels; but, so could Carbon Dioxide.
First, from the above link, we have:
"United States Patent 2,753,296 - Process for the Hydrogenation of Coal
July 3, 1956; Application Date: September 4, 1951
Inventor: Frederick Sellers (NY)
Assignee: Texaco Development Corporation (NY)
Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation of a solid carbonaceous material. The process of the present invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of Coal and may be applied to hydrogenation of anthracite, bituminous coal or lignite. In one of the more specific aspects, this invention relates to an improved process for the liquid phase hydrogenation of Coal. ... An object of this invention is to ... provide an improved process for the production of oil from Coal."
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We'll forego reproduction of the technical details. As we've said before, there are a lot of ways to skin the ole' Coal conversion cat.
What we actually find more interesting is that, even before the foregoing Coal conversion patent was issued, Texaco had been awarded another, earlier US Patent ... for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide into higher hydrocarbons.
Via the following link and accompanying excerpt, all the way from 1949, with comment appended, we present the somewhat vaguely titled:
United States Patent: 2486879
"United States Patent 2,486,879 - Manufacture of Hydrocarbons and the Like
November 1, 1949; Application Date: March 31, 1945
Inventor(s): Harry Rees and Clifford Ludeman (NY)
Assignee: Texaco Development Corporation (NY)
Abstract: This invention relates to the manufacture of hydrocarbons ... . The invention involves ... (a process) ... to produce gas comprising mainly a mixture of carbon dioxide and steam. This gas is reacted with additional light hydrocarbons ... to produce synthesis gas comprising mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen."
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We'll conclude our excerpts here with a few comments.
First, the process described in Patent 2486879 sounds very much like the bi-reforming and tri-reforming reactions, explained best so far by Penn State University, wherein Carbon Dioxide is reacted with both Steam and Methane to synthesize higher hydrocarbons.
"Synthesis gas", as above, can, of course, once produced, be catalyzed, via Fischer-Tropsch and other technologies, into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Even though not represented in our above excerpt, Methane is specified as primary among the "light hydrocarbons" to be reacted with "a mixture of carbon dioxide and steam" in the full patent disclosure.
That said, keep in mind that, via the Nobel-winning Sabatier technology, Methane, as is also required in this Texaco invention, can itself be synthesized, in the first place, from Carbon Dioxide.
To further emphasize the double Big Oil whammy defined herein, consider that both the petroleum industry and our own US Government have known, as herein officially, for more than half a century, that we can make the liquid fuels we need from Coal, and that Carbon Dioxide can be recycled.
It's far, far past time the OPEC-centered oil shortages and the CO2-inspired climate change scarecrows were exposed for the hollow special interest ploys they are; and, it's far, far past time we United States citizens stopped being the foolish crows allowing themselves to be scared and exploited by those hollow ploys.
