We have many times documented the existence of technologies wherein Carbon Dioxide can be reacted, "reformed", with Methane, leading to the synthesis of higher hydrocarbons.
Keep in mind that, as affirmed recently by NASA, in their published plans for making rocket fuel on the planet Mars, as documented in our reports, that Methane can itself be synthesized from Carbon Dioxide via the "Sabatier" process, which won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for it's inventor all the way back in 1912.
Herein, we see that Shell Oil, with contributions from Shell scientists in both the Netherlands and Texas, developed their own process for reacting Carbon Dioxide with Methane, in order to synthesize higher hydrocarbons.
In their Disclosure, Shell reveals, yet again, the dirty "little" secret left unspoken by public proponents of increased reliance on natural gas:
As it comes out of the ground, as affirmed by Shell herein: "natural gas, which where hydrocarbons are concerned, consists mainly of methane, can contain up to about 75 %vol. of carbon dioxide."
In other words, three fourths of what we might pump up out of a natural gas well, in order to provide America with it's Clean Energy Alternative, could be nothing but Carbon Dioxide.
Nuts to that.
We can make Methane, via the Sabatier process, from Carbon Dioxide; or, via Steam gasification technologies, from Coal.
According to Shell, herein, in confirmation of our previous reports from Penn State University, and others, we can then react manufactured Methane with more Carbon Dioxide, gathered from our smoke stacks or our atmosphere, and synthesize valuable, needed, hydrocarbons.
As explained more fully by Shell Oil, and as confirmed by our United States Government, in:
"United States Patent 4,640,766 - Process for the Preparation of Hydrocarbons
Date: February, 1987
Inventor: Martin Post, et. al., The Netherlands and Texas
Assignee: Shell Oil Company, Houston
Abstract: C4 hydrocarbons are converted into syngas with a H2 /CO molar ratio between 0.25 and 2.25 by reforming at a pressure above 10 bar in the presence of specified amounts of carbon dioxide and steam followed by conversion of the syngas into C5.+ hydrocarbons over a cobalt-containing catalyst or a catalyst combination comprising a cobalt-containing catalyst and having CO-shift activity.
Claims: A process for the preparation of C5+ hydrocarbons suitable for the production of middle distillates from C4 hydrocarbons comprising: reforming C4 hydrocarbons at a pressure higher than 10 bar in the presence of carbon dioxide and steam into a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (and) converting (that) product ... into a mixture of hydrocarbons substantially consisting of C5.+ hydrocarbons by contacting it ... with a cobalt catalyst ... .(And) wherein said process is applied to a feed in which the C4 hydrocarbons substantially consist of methane; (and) wherein said process is applied to natural gas as feed; (and) wherein said process is applied to a carbon dioxide contaminated natural gas.
Summary and Description: In the process according to the invention the starting material may be a feed which consists substantially of one or more C4 hydrocarbons or a feed which, in addition to C4 hydrocarbons, comprises carbon dioxide. It should be noted in this connection that natural gas, which where hydrocarbons are concerned consists mainly of methane, can contain up to about 75 %vol. of carbon dioxide. Examples of C4 hydrocarbons which alone or in admixture can be present in the feed are methane, ethane, propane, butane and isobutane. Preferably, the process is applied to a feed in which the C4 hydrocarbons consist substantially of methane. Special preference is given to natural gas as feed and more particularly to carbon dioxide-contaminated natural gas.
The reforming according to the invention can be carried out by contacting the hydrocarbons to be converted together with carbon dioxide and steam... ."
The reforming according to the invention can be carried out by contacting the hydrocarbons to be converted together with carbon dioxide and steam... ."
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Shell goes on to specify that the reactant mix resulting from the Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Steam combination is to be passed through a derivative, and much improved, Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and condensed into "middle distillates", which are identified as being "hydrocarbon mixtures whose boiling range corresponds substantially with that of the kerosene (as) obtained in the conventional atmospheric distillation of crude mineral oil."
So, basically, by reacting Carbon Dioxide with Methane, which can itself be synthesized from Carbon Dioxide or Coal; and, with Steam, we can produce "hydrocarbon mixtures" very similar to those "obtained in the conventional" processing of "crude ... oil".
We would presume that you no longer wonder why the petroleum industry is so keen on us Coal Country rubes being compelled by law to, all at our expense, ship them all of our effluent Carbon Dioxide for "sequestration" in leaky, dried-up old oil wells.
There is no doubt they know that Carbon Dioxide can be converted, as confirmed in 1912 by Europe's Nobel Committee; and, as reaffirmed, as we've documented for you, more recently by NASA; into Methane.