We have previously, on several occasions, documented the Carbon conversion activities of Shell Oil, who are currently, at Bintulu, Malaysia, as we've reported, developing a facility that will convert both natural gas and a synthesis gas, derived from lignite Coal, into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Like some other Big Oil operators, it now seems, Shell has been at work for a long time on the development of Coal liquefaction and Carbon conversion technologies, and we herein submit a report on one of their achievements, with more to follow.
Again as with some other petroleum companies, Shell's Coal conversion paper trail has turned out to be extended and complicated; presenting a significant challenge to our disabled capacities. We apologize, in advance, for replications and redundancies that might present as we attempt to plow through it all, in as orderly a fashion as we are able to manage.
That said, we submit, with comment appended, excerpts from:
"United States Patent 3,502,564 - Hydroprocessing of Coal
Date: March, 1970
Inventor: Russell Hodgson, CA
Assignee: Shell Oil Company, NY
Abstract: The in-situ preparation of a hydrogenation-liquefaction catalyst impregnated on the coal results in significant improvement in catalytic activity. Metal naphthenates and sulfides are particularly appropriate catalysts for in situ preparation.
Background: This invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation-liquefaction of coal to liquid hydrocarbon oils. More particularly it relates to an improved process wherein a hydrogenation catalyst is prepared on the coal itself, i.e. in situ.
(It) was first demonstrated nearly 60 years ago (as written in 1970 - JtM) that coal could be hydrogenated to liquid products.
The number of publications and patents in this area is astronomical, as witnessed by a US Bureau of Mines bibliography compiled ... in the late 1940's containing over 6,000 entries. (!!!)
Claims: A process for hydrogenation of coal comprising sequentially impregnating coal with a solution containing ions of a metal, the sulfide or naphthenate of which have activity as a hydrogenation catalyst."
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According to Shell Oil, and as affirmed by our United States Government, as embodied in the Patent Office, it has been known how to convert Coal into liquid hydrocarbons since, roughly, 1910.
And, just prior to 1950, our own United States Government had already accumulated more than 6,000 bits of evidence attesting to that fact.
Aside from that, as a brief and, hopefully, interesting technical comment, note that both Sulfur, as in "metal ... sulfides", and Coal oils, specifically naphthalene, which we believe to be the basis of West Virginia University's specified Hydrogen donor direct Coal liquefaction solvent, "Tetralin"; are key to the conversion of Coal in this patented technology; as they are in others we have documented for you.
