We continue to chronicle the development of technologies that enable the efficient conversion of Coal into the liquid hydrocarbon fuels we've enslaved ourselves to OPEC for the supply of, with yet another example from one of the companies that coalesced into that lovable giant, ExxonMobil.
And, note, We the People paid for Exxon to develop this Coal liquefaction technology, as in this advance excerpt from the full text, as available through the link:
"Government Interests: The government of the United States of America has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. E(49-18)-2353 awarded by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration."
Comment follows excerpts from the plainly, and thus uncharacteristically, labeled:
"United States Patent 4,123,347 - Coal Liquefaction Process
Date: October, 1978
Inventor: Peter Maa, TX
Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company, NJ
Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products which comprises contacting; in a series of two or more coal liquefaction zones, or stages, graded with respect to temperature, an admixture of a polar compound; or compounds, a hydrogen donor solvent and particulate coal ... . ... steps of the process include: separating the product from the liquefaction zone into fractions inclusive of a liquid solvent fraction; hydrotreating said liquid solvent fraction in a hydrogenation zone; and recycling the hydrogenated liquid solvent mixture to said coal liquefaction zones.
Claims: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products ... .
Description and Background: Hydrogen donor solvent processes for use in the hydrogenation and liquefaction of coal are of particular interest among known coal conversion processes for the production of useful petroleum-like liquids ... . In such processes, crushed coal is contacted at elevated temperature and pressure with a solvent, often a liquid fraction derived from within the process ... ."
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We close our excerpts here, since we feel some emphasis to be necessary.
More than thirty years ago, our own US Government paid ExxonMobil to develop a process, herein certified by our Government, through issuance of this Patent, to be viable, for producing "petroleum-like liquid products" from a "coal feed".
Moreover, this Exxon-developed Coal conversion technology, supposedly owned, in part, by us, the US, uses, as we have from other sources earlier documented as feasible, a Coal oil, "a liquid fraction derived from within the process", as the liquefying and hydrogenating agent for that "coal feed".
What reasons, we must ask you, we must ask everyone, have kept us from learning of, or hearing about, this development in United States Coal Country, where many of the US taxpayers who financed it reside?
What reasons have kept us from using it to preserve our Coal Country jobs, our broader economy and our national security?
