Herein, we submit even more evidence, in confirmation of other of our reports, documenting that our own United States Government, in it's wisdom, not only actually paid, with our tax money, corporate components of the petroleum industry to develop technologies wherein Coal could be converted into liquid hydrocarbon fuels; but, once those Coal conversion technologies were developed, the US Government allowed the oil companies to maintain primary ownership and control of them.
An advance excerpt illustrates that: "The Government of the United States of America has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. EF-77-A-01-2893 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy."
Further, the technology disclosed herein is not just a process whereby Coal can be converted into liquid hydrocarbon fuels. It is focused on the conversion of "lower ranking coals and similar carbonaceous materials"; and, as in other technologies we've documented for you, might thus be applicable both to older accumulations of still-carbonaceous Coal mine wastes and to some Carbon-recycling, renewable materials.
Comment follows excerpts from:
"United States Patent 4,304,655 - Liquefaction Process
Date: December, 1981
Inventor: Syamal Poddar, TX
Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company, NJ
Abstract: Scale formation during the liquefaction of lower ranking coals and similar carbonaceous materials is significantly reduced and/or prevented by pretreatment with a combination of pretreating agents comprising SO2 and an oxidizing agent. It is essential to effective operation that the moisture content of the solid carbonaceous material be within the range from about 10 to about 25 wt %, based on dry solid carbonaceous material, during the pretreatment. The pretreatment is believed to convert at least a portion of the scale-forming components and particularly calcium, to the corresponding sulfate prior to liquefaction. The pretreatment may be accomplished with the combination of pretreating agents either simultaneously by using a mixture comprising SO2 and a gaseous oxidizing agent or sequentially by first treating with SO2 and then with an oxidizing agent.
Government Interests: The Government of the United States of America has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. EF-77-A-01-2893 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Claims: A process for the liquefaction of a lower ranking coal or similar solid carbonaceous material comprising the steps of: adjusting the moisture content of said solid carbonaceous material ...; contacting said coal or carbonaceous material ... with gaseous SO2 and ... liquefying the thus treated coal at liquefaction conditions to produce a petroleum-like product.
Background and Field: This invention relates to an improved process for ... liquefying coal and similar carbonaceous materials."
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We won't delve further into the technical specifics, since this Exxon-owned technology only confirms a few things revealed in earlier of our reports.
One of those things is the fact that Sulfur compounds, which we can likely obtain from some of our Coal, can be utilized to promote the efficient liquefaction of Coal.
Another point is that technologies exist wherein Coals of low rank, and perhaps some older accumulations of still-carbonaceous Coal mine wastes, can be treated for the recovery of hydrocarbon values.
Yet another point is, again: Our tax money was spent in the development of some Coal liquefaction technologies by corporate components of the petroleum industry.
Why haven't we yet, very nearly three decades after the fact, even been privileged to learn about what our tax money was, as herein, spent on - much less to benefit from technology which would enable us to convert our abundant domestic Coal, with elements of sustainability, into the liquid hydrocarbon fuels we are now held in economic bondage, by sometimes-unfriendly foreign sources, for the supply of?