As seen in: Texaco 1975 Methane from Coal | Research & Development | News; wherein is detailed:
"United States Patent 3,922,148 - Production of a Methane-rich Gas; 1975; Inventor: Edward Child, NY;
Assignee: Texaco Development Corporation; Abstract: This is an improved continuous process for producing a clean methane-rich gas stream (from) hydrocarbonaceous feedstock (which can include a) slurry of particulate carbon";
we have previously documented the development, by the former Texaco, of technology wherein Coal could be efficiently converted into Methane.
Herein, we see that USP 3,922,148 was actually an evolution of Coal-to-Methane technology that had already been developed, and patented earlier in the same year, by the same Texaco scientists.
Comment, concerning the rather vast utility of Methane, follows excerpts from the initial link to:
"United States Patent 3,888,043 - Production of Methane
Date: June, 1975
Inventors: Edward Child, et. al., CA
Assignee: Texaco Incorporated, NY
Abstract: Continuous process for the production of a gaseous stream comprising at least 90 mole % of methane (dry basis) from a sulfur containing hydrocarbonaceous fuel without polluting the environment including the steps of: partial oxidation of the hydrocarbonaceous fuel with air; cooling, cleaning, and purifying the process gas stream to produce a stream of feed gas comprising CO, H2 and containing N2 in the range of about 30 to 60 mole % (dry basis); two separate catalytic methanation steps with an intervening water-gas shift reaction step; and finally separating ... N2 from the process gas stream to produce said methane stream. The large amount of nitrogen diluent in the reacting gas during the methanation step helps to control the normally vigorous exothermic methanation reaction. The product gas has a heating value in the range of about 900-1000 BTU/SCF. It may be used as a substitute for natural gas or as a feedstock for organic chemical synthesis.
Claims: The process ... wherein said hydrocarbonaceous fuel is a liquid hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of ... coal oil; ... coal tar, ... ; and mixtures thereof.
The process ... wherein said hydrocarbonaceous fuel is a gaseous hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of ... coke-oven gas.
The process ... wherein said hydrocarbonaceous fuel is an oxygenated hydrocarbonaceous organic material selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, cellulosic materials, ... waste liquids and by-products from chemical processes containing ... organic materials and mixtures thereof (and/or) a pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuels selected from the group consisting of coal (and) concentrated sewer sludge in a vaporizable carrier such as water ... .
This invention relates to a continuous process for the production of a gaseous stream comprising at least 90 mole % methane.
A particular advantage of the subject process is that is employs as feedstock readily available, comparatively low cost, hydrocarbonaceous materials e.g., liquid and solid fuels which may contain a comparatively high content of ash and sulfur."
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Well, we reckon that "sewer sludge" and some "cellulosic materials", such as yesterday's newspaper, could be considered a "low cost" raw material.
And, as herein, such Carbon-recycling wastes can be combined with relatively low-grade, lower-cost Coal, that can have "a comparatively high content of ash and sulfur", to manufacture a gas consisting of "least 90 mole% methane".
Methane, we remind you, is pretty nifty stuff to have.
As seen, for one example, in: WVU CO2 + CH4 = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development | News; once we have Methane, as herein so efficiently synthesized from Coal, we can react it with Carbon Dioxide reclaimed from whatever source, perhaps a Corn Ethanol manufacturer, and thereby form a synthesis gas suitable for catalytic condensation into a range of liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Or, if collecting Carbon Dioxide, despite all the hoopla, is, really, too much of a bother, we can process the Methane, as herein generated from Coal, all by it's lonesome, via any one of multiple technologies, as seen, for example, in:ARCO and Mobil Methane to Gasoline | Research & Development | News; and, in:
Pittsburgh DOE Methane to Methanol | Research & Development | News; and thereby generate a somewhat different, though similar, range of liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
And, as confirmed herein by Texaco and our own US Government, all of that can all start with Coal.