We have reported on, and made frequent reference to, "bi-reforming" and "tri-reforming" technologies, wherein Carbon Dioxide is reacted with Methane to synthesize higher, liquid hydrocarbons, such as Methanol.
We have also thoroughly documented, and will further report, that the needed Methane can itself be synthesized, either from Carbon Dioxide, via the century-old Sabatier process now being more fully developed by NASA, and by various corporate contractors in service to the USDOD; or, from Coal, using processes of Steam, or "hydro", gasification.
We have suggested, with the resultant taking of offense in some quarters, that the legislative "push" to capture the Carbon Dioxide arising from our smokestacks and then ship it to West Texas for "sequestration" in leaky old oil fields, all at the expense of our vital Coal-use industries and their customers, was a veiled attempt to, simply, swipe a valuable raw material resource from us Coal mining rubes resident in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the rest of US Coal Country.
Lest you have any doubt that, down in the Permian Basin, petroleum-producing area of Texas, they know all about the potentials for recycling Carbon Dioxide by reacting it with Methane, we present the following, unfortunately sparse, excerpts from the enclosed link:
"Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane on Nickel Catalysts
Date: March, 1989
Authors: Ahmed Gaddalla and Michael Sommer
Affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Abstract: An industrial Ni catalyst supported on CaO---TiO2---Al2O3 was characterized, used for methane reforming with carbon dioxide, and compared with catalysts containing Ni on other supports. Conversions close to 100% were achieved during 51 h on stream for a CO2: CH4 ratio of 2.64: 1 ... despite the solid state reactions and sintering which decrease the surface area. During its use, the catalyst support underwent an endothermic solid state reaction to form CaO.6A12O3 from CaO.2Al2O3 and Al2O3. The other phase detected was CaO.3TiO2.4Al2O3. The activity and stability of this support are comparable to those reported for the CaO---Al2O3 support."
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The work reported herein sounds as if it were quite sophisticated, being centered, as it seems to have been, on the detailed tweaking of catalysts to promote the reaction between Carbon Dioxide and Methane.
It had to have been based on quite a lot of prior research and development.
And, the work was, it seems, successful, since, as they report: "Conversions close to 100% were achieved."
That means that nearly all of the Carbon Dioxide, and nearly all of the Methane, which can itself be made from Carbon Dioxide, were converted into "something" else - likely the valuable liquid fuel, Methanol.
Far past time we came to publicly know and understand those potentials for recycling Carbon Dioxide in the heart of US Coal Country, ain't it - before, through Cap & Trade, our vital Coal-use industries are taxed out of existence; or, through mandated Geologic Sequestration, those of us dependent on Coal-based electric power are compelled to, all at our expense, restock the empty Texas oil fields with a valuable raw material resource that can be converted into liquid hydrocarbon fuels?