We have lately been documenting the fact that primarily carbonaceous feed stocks - Coal, specifically - can be "hydrogenated" through the simple addition of Steam, in various processes designed to synthesize Hydrocarbons as replacements for those liquid and gaseous fuels we now derive from Petroleum.
Texaco 1958 Coal Hydrogasification
As further evidence that both the Petroleum Industry and our own United States Government know, and have for a very long time known, that to be true, we submit, from more than half a century ago, as available via the enclosed link and attached file, excerpts of:
"United States Patent 2,838,388 - Gasifying Carbonaceous Fuels
Date: June, 1958
Inventor: Charles Carkeek, CA
Assignee: The Texas Company, NY
Abstract: This invention ... relates to an improved method for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from solid carbonaceous fuels. ... The process ... is particularly applicable to the treatment of coal ... .
Carbonaceous fuels other than those liquid hydrocarbons suitable for use as motor fuels may be converted to motor fuels by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
The carbonaceous fuel is first reacted with oxygen and steam to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen as the synthesis feed gas ... which is, in turn, converted ... (to) ... motor fuels.
Some coals require substantial ... amounts of steam (to produce) carbon monoxide and hydrogen ... .
Others (already) contain water in sufficient quantity ... .
Claims; (A) process for the production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen from solid carbonaceous fuel wherein a fluid slurry of said fuel in particle form in water is formed (and then treated to produce) a gaseous product comprising mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen."
----------
Such a "gaseous product comprising mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen", as generated from reactions between Coal and Steam, would, we submit, and as the authors indicate, be ideally suited for the production of "motor fuels by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis".