Posted on 02/19/2010 2:44:12 PM PST by engrpat
ARLINGTON - How would you like to buy gasoline made from $30 domestic oil versus $75 imported oil?
Researchers at UT Arlington say they've found a practical way to make synthetic crude from cheap coal that's common in Texas.
They say they are just weeks away from signing a contract for commercial production.
People have been turning coal into oil for 100 years or more.
But researchers at UTA say they've invented a better way to do it. So much better, they expect to sign a deal with an oil company within weeks.
"This is east Texas lignite coal. We go from that to this really nice liquid," said Professor Brian Dennis of a light synthetic crude, easily refined into gasoline.
Professor Dennis and a team of scientists have been working on it for about a year and a half.
"I had the idea for this while I was walking to my car. And I ran back to the lab and I started drawing it out in my notebook," he said.
They only showed Channel 8 an early model reactor which doesn't look like much, but it's the only one they can show us.
The current reactor is secret, extremely efficient and they say emits no pollution.
"We're improving the cost every day. We started off sometime ago at an uneconomical $17,000 a barrel. Today, we're at a cost of $28.84 a barrel," said engineering dean Rick Billo.
That's $28 a barrel versus $75 we pay now for imported crude.
Texas lignite coal is dirt cheap - less than $18 a ton. A ton of coal will produce up to 1.5 barrels of oil.
UTA researchers expect micro-refineries to be built within a year, turning coal into cheap oil and producing new jobs.
It's still fossil fuel, but scientists say it could bridge the gap until greener technologies catch up.
Well there must be some way the enviro-worshippers can stop this!
/s
Yes and my car can run on water and when that is not available, I’ll use static from the air.
If this should pan out you know the tree worshipers and the democrats (but I repeat myself) will want to stop it.
I use magnets to latch onto, then crawl along the lines of longitude & latitude.
Makes life interesting, though, since I can only make right angle turns.
Germany powered a lot of things with oil from coal during WWII.
Its been practical for a long time.
Interesting
If this is true, expect the price to go up quite a bit.
Wow, great news if the $28 cost is true! This could be the thing to take the money away from the ragheads.
Interesting that we are now where they were 65 years ago.
Good news if it comes to pass.
Most of Wyoming has extensive coal fields.
There is enough to supply the country for 200 or 300 years.
I probably will not see it used up. : )
I suspect it is more than that. The shadow government has been importing oil for decades because this gets our currency abroad. There are twice as many dollars outside the US than inside it. By buying foreign oil and paying for it in green paper, the Fed has managed to spread US currency all over the world. The purpose of importing oil is to increase dollars in the world, thus making the dollar the world’s currency “reserve.” They may be able to make cheap gas from coal in Texas, but the monetary government will never let this get off the ground.
Still in use in South Africa. SASOL still going.
I hope this is true and can be adopted quickly.
Way to go UTA! My Alma Mater!
Don’t worry, the Air Resources Control Board in California is already seeking to ban the process. /sarcasm
Thanks for the ping.
Bama will suppress it because it would deprive his fellow Muslims of so much of their income.
Before the turn of the 20th century coal gasification was common. It was called "city gas" back then.....
You may see it locked up, the Obama Administration is rushing to nationalize 14 different western sites and make them off limits. Just as Clintons did for the Reaties (Wrong spelling I’m sure) in the 90’s.
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