Coal Liquefaction Offers Cost Savings, and Environmental and Security Benefits
http://www.investorideas.com/Articles/021607a_page1.asp
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority, in cooperation with TransGas Development Systems, has broken ground on construction of the Mingo County coal-to-liquids production facility called Adams Fork Energy. The project is designed to convert coal into premium gasoline.
The coal-to-liquids facility will produce 18,000 barrels of gasoline per day once operating. The construction phase of the plant will last roughly four years and the completed facility will provide 300 full-time jobs. The plant will also triple the tax base for Mingo County.
"With this plant, we rekindle a rebirth of America's self-confidence and competence. It will produce and displace over 2% of all imported gasoline.
http://www.energydigital.com/sectors/mining-and-aggregates/coal-gasoline-close-reality
The coal-to-liquids facility will produce 18,000 barrels of gasoline per day once operating. The construction phase of the plant will last roughly four years and the completed facility will provide 300 full-time jobs. The plant will also triple the tax base for Mingo County.
"With this plant, we rekindle a rebirth of America's self-confidence and competence. It will produce and displace over 2% of all imported gasoline.
http://www.energydigital.com/sectors/mining-and-aggregates/coal-gasoline-close-reality
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Coal Ministry plans to constitute a task force by September 30 to prepare a blueprint for the implementation of clean coal technologies in the country.
"A roadmap for gradual switch over to clean coal technology will be prepared by constituting a task force," the ministry said on its website.
The recommendations of the task force, to be made available by June next year, will be examined and implemented by the end of 2013. The Coal Ministry will review and monitor the progress of the roadmap on quarterly basis.
"A task force will be constituted by September 30, 2011, and the recommendations will be made available by June 30, 2012. Examination and implementation by December 31, 2013," it said.
Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, during his visit to Mozambique in January this year, had sought the African nation's assistance in order to develop clean coal technologies.
While talking to the South African government, Jaiswal had sought their cooperation on 'coal-to-oil' technology, which is very much in use there.
"India is committed to introduce clean coal technology in view of increasing environmental concerns and South Africa, being the owner of the oldest and largest 'coal-to-oil' plant, could assist India to transfer the technology in other mining projects also," Jaiswal had said.
During the visit, India also sought cooperation for technologies on underground coal gasification and coal benefaction, besides modern technology for underground coal mining from South Africa.
The coal-to-liquid technology is currently being applied in two domestic coal blocks of 1.5 million tonnes per annum capacity.
Jaiswal had also visited the 'coal-to-liquid' technology plant of Sasol, the largest company in the world having this technology, with the delegation.
"A roadmap for gradual switch over to clean coal technology will be prepared by constituting a task force," the ministry said on its website.
The recommendations of the task force, to be made available by June next year, will be examined and implemented by the end of 2013. The Coal Ministry will review and monitor the progress of the roadmap on quarterly basis.
"A task force will be constituted by September 30, 2011, and the recommendations will be made available by June 30, 2012. Examination and implementation by December 31, 2013," it said.
Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, during his visit to Mozambique in January this year, had sought the African nation's assistance in order to develop clean coal technologies.
While talking to the South African government, Jaiswal had sought their cooperation on 'coal-to-oil' technology, which is very much in use there.
"India is committed to introduce clean coal technology in view of increasing environmental concerns and South Africa, being the owner of the oldest and largest 'coal-to-oil' plant, could assist India to transfer the technology in other mining projects also," Jaiswal had said.
During the visit, India also sought cooperation for technologies on underground coal gasification and coal benefaction, besides modern technology for underground coal mining from South Africa.
The coal-to-liquid technology is currently being applied in two domestic coal blocks of 1.5 million tonnes per annum capacity.
Jaiswal had also visited the 'coal-to-liquid' technology plant of Sasol, the largest company in the world having this technology, with the delegation.
Our Coal Our Future – Future opportunities for brown coal
The increasing scarcity and cost of energy sources such as oil and gas presents opportunities for a new range of commodities and exports derived from brown coal, a resource that is a major contributor to Victoria’s economy. These medium and long-term opportunities exist in addition to electricity generation, which is the current predominant use of brown coal in Victoria.
Australia has one of the world’s largest deposits of brown coal and almost all of Australia’s brown coal is found in Victoria. The State’s brown coal is estimated to total 430 billion tonnes in situ, with an estimated potential economic resource of 33 billion tonnes located in the Latrobe Valley, 160km south east of Melbourne. Victoria’s four major power plants are located in the valley and mine over 65 million tonnes of brown coal annually. This in turn generates more than 85 per cent of the State’s electricity for its 5.3 million residents and businesses (Figure 1).
Currently, “run of mine” coal is not exported due to its reactivity and high moisture content. It is predominantly used to feed mine-mouth power generation facilities to service the domestic power market. Accordingly there is no global market price for the “run of mine” product at present.
The State’s power demand is projected to increase over the next decade and beyond. Victoria’s dependence on brown coal for electricity production will continue, assisted by the commercialisation of new low emissions coal technologies.
New opportunities for brown coal
Due to the rapid changes in global energy demand, rising oil prices and strengthening commodity markets, the opportunities for major investment in utilising Victoria’s brown coal have increased, not only for domestic markets but also for the rapidly expanding markets in the Asia pacific and beyond.
Technology to convert coal to liquid or gaseous fuels has been available in various forms since the 1920s, but costs had rendered it uncompetitive. The new market dynamics for commodities such as diesel, urea, methanol and its derivatives and the adoption of new low emissions coal technologies is now providing opportunities for brown coal, as a low cost feedstock to compete with traditional feedstocks (such as oil, gas and black coal) commonly used to produce these commodities.
In addition to opportunities to convert brown coal to tradable commodities, the adoption of suitable drying technologies is expected to enable brown coal to be exported in its own right and compete directly in black coal markets as an energy and feedstock resource.
It is predicted that Victoria’s brown coal resources will have the following development pathway through the application of different technologies (Figure 2).
Potential products derived from brown coal
The following alternative products present exciting challenges and opportunities for Victorian coal.
Solid fuels and products
Brown coal in raw form can be used for boiler fuel in power generation. Value can be added with drying technologies to transform the product into high energy content briquettes and pellets that may compete with black coal as an exportable fuel.
Chars and cokes may potentially be derived from brown coal for pyrometallugical applications, to produce reductants and carburising chemicals and as a general carbon source for other applications.
Calcium loaded char has applications in water & waste treatment and as an ion-exchange medium. In the future, brown coal may even be refined into a purer form of carbon for use in production of a myriad of carbon products including carbon fibres, carbon anodes, activated carbons, filter aids, pigments, graphite lubricants and conductors and formed carbon materials.
Coal Seam Methane
Coal Seam Methane (CSM), found naturally in coal seams, has potential use in the reticulated gassupply, for the generation of electricity and for theproduction of derivative products.
In Australia, CSM is extracted from black coal but can also be extracted from brown coal as has been done on a large scale in the United States (Powder River Basin).
Brown coal deposits in Victoria have potential for CSM extraction but exploration is required to test the potential productivity of reservoirs. Issues including coal porosity and groundwater extraction need to be considered in new developments.
Gaseous products and hydrogen
Gasification of coal to produce synthesis gas (syngas, a mixture of predominantly carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen), can convert solid coal into a gaseous feedstock that is a precursor to a range of other products (Figure 3). The process can also facilitate the separation and sequestration of carbon dioxide.
Victoria has had a long history of brown coal gasification – which provided town gas in the Latrobe Valley before natural gas from Bass Strait became available in the 1960s.
Hydrogen, one product that can be derived from syngas has potential to be used directly as a fuel gas, in fuel cell technologies, stationary power production and for use in vehicles.
Underground coal gasification also has emerging potential to produce syngas and may be able to exploit low quality, economically un-mineable deeper coal seams by in-situ coal gasification (underground) with relatively low capital investment. For this process to become a viable large scale industry, issues surrounding the predictability and controllability of syngas for certain applications need to be managed as do any potential environmental risks.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Liquid products
Liquid products from coal can be produced either from syngas via gasification or by the direct liquefaction of brown coal.
Through the syngas pathway, liquid fuel products such as diesel, methanol, fuel gasoline blends, and high octane gasoline extenders can be produced (Figure 3).
The direct liquefaction pathway generally produces lower quality products such as synthetic crude oil which with further processing may be used to produce fuel oil, diesel, motor fuel blends, kerosene, heating oil etc. Non-fuel products may also be produced including solvents, polymers, surfactants, lubricants and a suite of other carbon-based chemicals.
Waxes, resins and polymers
A range of waxes may be produced using products derived from brown coal, as well as phenolic resins and plastics, composites, low strength structural and building materials.
Agricultural products
Raw brown coal can be used as a soil conditioner by providing a source of humus for potting mixtures and market gardens and as an admixture to other fertilisers and soil conditioners.
Syngas manufactured from coal can be used to produce ammonia, the key pre-curser to nitrogenous fertilisers. At present these fertilizers are more commonly made from oil and natural gas based feedstocks.
New technology research
Figure 4. Expenditure by mining businesses on research
Figure 4. Expenditure by mining businesses on research and development in Victoria 1995-96 to 2005-06 ($millions) (DPI, At a Glance 2008, Victorian Minerals and Petroleum Industries)
Investment in research and development in the mining sector in Victoria is at an all-time high (Figure 4). In 2005-06, mining businesses outlaid more than AUD$145 million on research and development in Victoria, equivalent to 8.6% of total R&D expenditure by mining businesses in Australia and more than 4.9% of total expenditure on research and development of all businesses in Victoria.
The Victorian Government provides direct support for industry-led low emissions coal technology development through the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS).
The Department of Primary Industries’ Energy Technology Innovation Division works alongside local and international industry partners, major research bodies, academia and investors to prepare these technologies for market uptake and commercialisation.
Through these partnerships, the strategy seeks to balance both the environmental and economic impacts of climate change.
Looking to the future
Coal is abundant, affordable, available and reliable and is vital to the world’s sustainable energy needs. World energy demand, consumption and prices are dramatically increasing as is the price of metallurgical and thermal coal.
With coal being integral to Victoria’s economy, the use of drying, gasification and liquefaction technologies will enable the State’s brown coal to be used to produce key commodities such as diesel, urea, petrochemicals and hydrogen, as well as exportable coal, and in so doing substitute for the conventional feedstocks such as oil, gas and black coal.
With support from the Victorian Government, these technologies as well as carbon capture and storage opportunities can open direct export markets for the State, whilst ensuring reduced carbon emissions to meet the global greenhouse gas challenge.
http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/investment/our-coal
The increasing scarcity and cost of energy sources such as oil and gas presents opportunities for a new range of commodities and exports derived from brown coal, a resource that is a major contributor to Victoria’s economy. These medium and long-term opportunities exist in addition to electricity generation, which is the current predominant use of brown coal in Victoria.
Australia has one of the world’s largest deposits of brown coal and almost all of Australia’s brown coal is found in Victoria. The State’s brown coal is estimated to total 430 billion tonnes in situ, with an estimated potential economic resource of 33 billion tonnes located in the Latrobe Valley, 160km south east of Melbourne. Victoria’s four major power plants are located in the valley and mine over 65 million tonnes of brown coal annually. This in turn generates more than 85 per cent of the State’s electricity for its 5.3 million residents and businesses (Figure 1).
Currently, “run of mine” coal is not exported due to its reactivity and high moisture content. It is predominantly used to feed mine-mouth power generation facilities to service the domestic power market. Accordingly there is no global market price for the “run of mine” product at present.
The State’s power demand is projected to increase over the next decade and beyond. Victoria’s dependence on brown coal for electricity production will continue, assisted by the commercialisation of new low emissions coal technologies.
New opportunities for brown coal
Due to the rapid changes in global energy demand, rising oil prices and strengthening commodity markets, the opportunities for major investment in utilising Victoria’s brown coal have increased, not only for domestic markets but also for the rapidly expanding markets in the Asia pacific and beyond.
Technology to convert coal to liquid or gaseous fuels has been available in various forms since the 1920s, but costs had rendered it uncompetitive. The new market dynamics for commodities such as diesel, urea, methanol and its derivatives and the adoption of new low emissions coal technologies is now providing opportunities for brown coal, as a low cost feedstock to compete with traditional feedstocks (such as oil, gas and black coal) commonly used to produce these commodities.
In addition to opportunities to convert brown coal to tradable commodities, the adoption of suitable drying technologies is expected to enable brown coal to be exported in its own right and compete directly in black coal markets as an energy and feedstock resource.
It is predicted that Victoria’s brown coal resources will have the following development pathway through the application of different technologies (Figure 2).
Potential products derived from brown coal
The following alternative products present exciting challenges and opportunities for Victorian coal.
Solid fuels and products
Brown coal in raw form can be used for boiler fuel in power generation. Value can be added with drying technologies to transform the product into high energy content briquettes and pellets that may compete with black coal as an exportable fuel.
Chars and cokes may potentially be derived from brown coal for pyrometallugical applications, to produce reductants and carburising chemicals and as a general carbon source for other applications.
Calcium loaded char has applications in water & waste treatment and as an ion-exchange medium. In the future, brown coal may even be refined into a purer form of carbon for use in production of a myriad of carbon products including carbon fibres, carbon anodes, activated carbons, filter aids, pigments, graphite lubricants and conductors and formed carbon materials.
Coal Seam Methane
Coal Seam Methane (CSM), found naturally in coal seams, has potential use in the reticulated gassupply, for the generation of electricity and for theproduction of derivative products.
In Australia, CSM is extracted from black coal but can also be extracted from brown coal as has been done on a large scale in the United States (Powder River Basin).
Brown coal deposits in Victoria have potential for CSM extraction but exploration is required to test the potential productivity of reservoirs. Issues including coal porosity and groundwater extraction need to be considered in new developments.
Gaseous products and hydrogen
Gasification of coal to produce synthesis gas (syngas, a mixture of predominantly carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen), can convert solid coal into a gaseous feedstock that is a precursor to a range of other products (Figure 3). The process can also facilitate the separation and sequestration of carbon dioxide.
Victoria has had a long history of brown coal gasification – which provided town gas in the Latrobe Valley before natural gas from Bass Strait became available in the 1960s.
Hydrogen, one product that can be derived from syngas has potential to be used directly as a fuel gas, in fuel cell technologies, stationary power production and for use in vehicles.
Underground coal gasification also has emerging potential to produce syngas and may be able to exploit low quality, economically un-mineable deeper coal seams by in-situ coal gasification (underground) with relatively low capital investment. For this process to become a viable large scale industry, issues surrounding the predictability and controllability of syngas for certain applications need to be managed as do any potential environmental risks.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Liquid products
Liquid products from coal can be produced either from syngas via gasification or by the direct liquefaction of brown coal.
Through the syngas pathway, liquid fuel products such as diesel, methanol, fuel gasoline blends, and high octane gasoline extenders can be produced (Figure 3).
The direct liquefaction pathway generally produces lower quality products such as synthetic crude oil which with further processing may be used to produce fuel oil, diesel, motor fuel blends, kerosene, heating oil etc. Non-fuel products may also be produced including solvents, polymers, surfactants, lubricants and a suite of other carbon-based chemicals.
Waxes, resins and polymers
A range of waxes may be produced using products derived from brown coal, as well as phenolic resins and plastics, composites, low strength structural and building materials.
Agricultural products
Raw brown coal can be used as a soil conditioner by providing a source of humus for potting mixtures and market gardens and as an admixture to other fertilisers and soil conditioners.
Syngas manufactured from coal can be used to produce ammonia, the key pre-curser to nitrogenous fertilisers. At present these fertilizers are more commonly made from oil and natural gas based feedstocks.
New technology research
Figure 4. Expenditure by mining businesses on research
Figure 4. Expenditure by mining businesses on research and development in Victoria 1995-96 to 2005-06 ($millions) (DPI, At a Glance 2008, Victorian Minerals and Petroleum Industries)
Investment in research and development in the mining sector in Victoria is at an all-time high (Figure 4). In 2005-06, mining businesses outlaid more than AUD$145 million on research and development in Victoria, equivalent to 8.6% of total R&D expenditure by mining businesses in Australia and more than 4.9% of total expenditure on research and development of all businesses in Victoria.
The Victorian Government provides direct support for industry-led low emissions coal technology development through the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS).
The Department of Primary Industries’ Energy Technology Innovation Division works alongside local and international industry partners, major research bodies, academia and investors to prepare these technologies for market uptake and commercialisation.
Through these partnerships, the strategy seeks to balance both the environmental and economic impacts of climate change.
Looking to the future
Coal is abundant, affordable, available and reliable and is vital to the world’s sustainable energy needs. World energy demand, consumption and prices are dramatically increasing as is the price of metallurgical and thermal coal.
With coal being integral to Victoria’s economy, the use of drying, gasification and liquefaction technologies will enable the State’s brown coal to be used to produce key commodities such as diesel, urea, petrochemicals and hydrogen, as well as exportable coal, and in so doing substitute for the conventional feedstocks such as oil, gas and black coal.
With support from the Victorian Government, these technologies as well as carbon capture and storage opportunities can open direct export markets for the State, whilst ensuring reduced carbon emissions to meet the global greenhouse gas challenge.
http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/earth-resources/investment/our-coal
Resource Investors can evaluate the potential of Goldsource Mines using the RI Analytics Investor Tools HERE.
Click here to watch video
RI: You’ve just released a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on your Border project in Saskatchewan. What did it tell you?
EF: It shows that the economics are positive. It took about a year to do this report—we went into great detail. A lot of that was looking at and analyzing the coal quality. When we pulled it apart and looked at the coal quality we decided that the best path forward right now is to look at coal-to-liquids instead of power generation.
RI: Everyone has heard of coal-to-liquids but people might not know how profitable it can be. What did the engineers and qualified people who did the report tell you about that?
EF: The engineers and qualified people, Marsden and EBA Engineering, are both highly qualified companies. We took what we wanted to bring to the market with proven technology and coal-to-liquids has been around since WWI, when Germany had to use it to convert fuels. Looking at Border right now and the current resource, which is about 170 million tonnes of indicated, inferred and speculative resources, we are looking at about $250 million per year net profit after operating costs with a 30 year mine life.
RI: There has been a lot of work and there has been some mystery as to this is a new type of deposit. Coal tends to lie relatively flat in large deposits and you’ve got a number of very deep deposits that are discreet?
EF: Yes. Several of our seams are over 100 metres thick.
RI: In reality there is a lot of work to do here and some of it comes down to metallurgy, doesn’t it?
EF: Yes. There is a huge amount of work . Looking at the coal quality and the market and we want to use a proven technology. There are a lot of technologies out on the market right now that are being proven at this moment that require a lot less capital costs and a lot less operating costs. There is a huge push in the market worldwide for coal-to-liquid technology with the current fuel prices. If you look at all of the discussions on oil most countries are through their peak of oil production and are now on the downside and so we’re going to have to start replacing that with a different alternative and coal-to-liquids should be front and centre.
RI: As you said coal-to-liquids has been used since WWI and it’s not a new technology so essentially you should be able to take your coal and use the coal to liquid technology and turn it into diesel fuel without rewriting the book on the process?
EF: Why it has lagged in modern use has been the cost per barrel. Using proven technologies, it costs about $40 per barrel to process coal-to-liquids. When your cost for oil production is $5 to $10 per barrel previously it was unattractive, but now it is, because oil costs continue to rise.
RI: What do you need to do next to show investors that coal-to-liquids technologies can be economic with this deposit?
EF: We’ve already broken ground as of today to start a bulk sampling program. We need to collect anywhere from 5 to 10 tonnes of coal, which then has to be tested by several different labs. Power generation is still an alternative at Border Coal—and several different technologies, some of which are proven, and some are being proven.
RI: When can we expect to hear about the results of these tests?
EF: The bulk sampling will occur over the next two months and the results of that bulk sampling will be available this year.
RI: How dedicated is the team to making this project happen?
EF: This is an energy resource. This is a new trend, a new district and a new story that is just getting going. If you go back and look at the history of the Border coal discovery, which was made in April of 2008, there was this huge frenzy of exploration interest that occurred around the Border Project for about three months and then we had the world market crash and everybody disappeared. Now they are re-collecting to come back.
We also have a 25 percent interest in another company called Westcore. They are our neighbor and we’re watching what they’re doing—they are drilling right now and just had some impressive results with 80 metre type intercepts of thermal coal.
RI: You’ve got a resource size of 175 million tonnes with a mine life of about 30 years, how much room for growth is there still in the deposit?
EF: We’ve only explored about 10 percent of the land package that we currently have. We could easily double it. We developed a proprietary geological package and we’re using that to define more coal deposits and this year—depending on financing—we’ll have an opportunity to go out and do some more exploration.
RI: It’s only taken you three years to prove up 175 million tonnes, how long will it take you to double it?
EF: I think it would take another year.
Click here to watch video
RI: You’ve just released a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on your Border project in Saskatchewan. What did it tell you?
EF: It shows that the economics are positive. It took about a year to do this report—we went into great detail. A lot of that was looking at and analyzing the coal quality. When we pulled it apart and looked at the coal quality we decided that the best path forward right now is to look at coal-to-liquids instead of power generation.
RI: Everyone has heard of coal-to-liquids but people might not know how profitable it can be. What did the engineers and qualified people who did the report tell you about that?
EF: The engineers and qualified people, Marsden and EBA Engineering, are both highly qualified companies. We took what we wanted to bring to the market with proven technology and coal-to-liquids has been around since WWI, when Germany had to use it to convert fuels. Looking at Border right now and the current resource, which is about 170 million tonnes of indicated, inferred and speculative resources, we are looking at about $250 million per year net profit after operating costs with a 30 year mine life.
RI: There has been a lot of work and there has been some mystery as to this is a new type of deposit. Coal tends to lie relatively flat in large deposits and you’ve got a number of very deep deposits that are discreet?
EF: Yes. Several of our seams are over 100 metres thick.
RI: In reality there is a lot of work to do here and some of it comes down to metallurgy, doesn’t it?
EF: Yes. There is a huge amount of work . Looking at the coal quality and the market and we want to use a proven technology. There are a lot of technologies out on the market right now that are being proven at this moment that require a lot less capital costs and a lot less operating costs. There is a huge push in the market worldwide for coal-to-liquid technology with the current fuel prices. If you look at all of the discussions on oil most countries are through their peak of oil production and are now on the downside and so we’re going to have to start replacing that with a different alternative and coal-to-liquids should be front and centre.
RI: As you said coal-to-liquids has been used since WWI and it’s not a new technology so essentially you should be able to take your coal and use the coal to liquid technology and turn it into diesel fuel without rewriting the book on the process?
EF: Why it has lagged in modern use has been the cost per barrel. Using proven technologies, it costs about $40 per barrel to process coal-to-liquids. When your cost for oil production is $5 to $10 per barrel previously it was unattractive, but now it is, because oil costs continue to rise.
RI: What do you need to do next to show investors that coal-to-liquids technologies can be economic with this deposit?
EF: We’ve already broken ground as of today to start a bulk sampling program. We need to collect anywhere from 5 to 10 tonnes of coal, which then has to be tested by several different labs. Power generation is still an alternative at Border Coal—and several different technologies, some of which are proven, and some are being proven.
RI: When can we expect to hear about the results of these tests?
EF: The bulk sampling will occur over the next two months and the results of that bulk sampling will be available this year.
RI: How dedicated is the team to making this project happen?
EF: This is an energy resource. This is a new trend, a new district and a new story that is just getting going. If you go back and look at the history of the Border coal discovery, which was made in April of 2008, there was this huge frenzy of exploration interest that occurred around the Border Project for about three months and then we had the world market crash and everybody disappeared. Now they are re-collecting to come back.
We also have a 25 percent interest in another company called Westcore. They are our neighbor and we’re watching what they’re doing—they are drilling right now and just had some impressive results with 80 metre type intercepts of thermal coal.
RI: You’ve got a resource size of 175 million tonnes with a mine life of about 30 years, how much room for growth is there still in the deposit?
EF: We’ve only explored about 10 percent of the land package that we currently have. We could easily double it. We developed a proprietary geological package and we’re using that to define more coal deposits and this year—depending on financing—we’ll have an opportunity to go out and do some more exploration.
RI: It’s only taken you three years to prove up 175 million tonnes, how long will it take you to double it?
EF: I think it would take another year.
http://www.articlesbase.com/franchise-articles/coal-to-oil-technology-automobile-key-blanks-china-blank-car-key-4635327.html
Coal is a high carbon content, but only 5% of hydrogen content in the solid. And liquid fuels (crude oil extracted from) compared to coal is not easy to handle and transport.
By carbon and hydrogen, coal can be directly or indirectly, into liquid fuels for transport, one of which is coking or pyrolysis, another method is liquefied. As a result of coal into liquid fuel costs than the high cost of crude oil refined, but relatively low price of coal itself, which is coal liquefaction technology will be implemented as a major motivating factor.
With the diminishing oil reserves, can be expected some time in the future, will need alternative liquid fuel. As the world's most abundant reserves of coal, coal liquefaction is one of them.
Back in the early 70s, due to soaring international oil prices, the United States, Britain and Japan and other countries began to carry out extensive research and development of coal liquefaction technology. From the 80's, most of the coal liquefaction project was shelved, but the exception of South Africa. The reason is not oil and natural gas resources in South Africa, only the rich coal resources, In addition, until the mid-'80s, South Africa by a 30-year trade embargo, these factors have contributed to large-scale use of coal liquefaction products in South Africa. Currently, 60% of transport fuels in South Africa is provided by the coal.
Many different "direct" liquefaction processes have been developed, but the chemical reactions carried out on the run, they are closely related. Common feature of these liquefaction process is a lot of coal into the first solvent, in the high temperature and pressure conditions were dissolved, and then dissolved coal in hydrogen and a catalyst under hydrogenation process.
Direct liquefaction is available to the most effective method of liquefaction. In the right conditions, the oil yield over 70% (non-drying mineral coal). If you allow the heat losses and other non-coal energy input, then the total thermal efficiency of modern liquefaction processes (ie, the input into the final product ratio of the heat value of raw materials,%) is generally 60 to 70%.
General development of these processes to the process development unit (process development unit) or the pilot phase, and the main technical problems have been resolved. However, there is no demonstration plant or commercial operation of plants built.
Coal "indirect" liquefaction process is only being run in South Africa Sasol Technology has now built three production plants. The only indirect liquefaction technology is the synthesis section of the core, so the main work has recently focused on the development of advanced catalysts, catalyst are not limited to a specific process.
From 1985 onwards, due to lower oil prices, people are used to produce transportation fuels interest in coal liquefaction down. Currently, only Japan is also active large-scale study of coal liquefaction technology, and also has a 150t / d scale devices are operating. As China is becoming a net oil importer, and the potential oil-producing region geographically isolated, so China has a strong desire to develop coal liquefaction. China is on the U.S., Japan and Germany to study the feasibility of coal liquefaction.
The feasibility of coal liquefaction liquefaction process depends mainly on economics. This requires a large number of low grade, low price of coal, and oil and gas shortage or high cost. In other words, the future oil prices will cause people to re-coal liquefaction technology of great interest, and may lead to large-scale commercial production of coal liquefaction.
Coal is a high carbon content, but only 5% of hydrogen content in the solid. And liquid fuels (crude oil extracted from) compared to coal is not easy to handle and transport.
By carbon and hydrogen, coal can be directly or indirectly, into liquid fuels for transport, one of which is coking or pyrolysis, another method is liquefied. As a result of coal into liquid fuel costs than the high cost of crude oil refined, but relatively low price of coal itself, which is coal liquefaction technology will be implemented as a major motivating factor.
With the diminishing oil reserves, can be expected some time in the future, will need alternative liquid fuel. As the world's most abundant reserves of coal, coal liquefaction is one of them.
Back in the early 70s, due to soaring international oil prices, the United States, Britain and Japan and other countries began to carry out extensive research and development of coal liquefaction technology. From the 80's, most of the coal liquefaction project was shelved, but the exception of South Africa. The reason is not oil and natural gas resources in South Africa, only the rich coal resources, In addition, until the mid-'80s, South Africa by a 30-year trade embargo, these factors have contributed to large-scale use of coal liquefaction products in South Africa. Currently, 60% of transport fuels in South Africa is provided by the coal.
Many different "direct" liquefaction processes have been developed, but the chemical reactions carried out on the run, they are closely related. Common feature of these liquefaction process is a lot of coal into the first solvent, in the high temperature and pressure conditions were dissolved, and then dissolved coal in hydrogen and a catalyst under hydrogenation process.
Direct liquefaction is available to the most effective method of liquefaction. In the right conditions, the oil yield over 70% (non-drying mineral coal). If you allow the heat losses and other non-coal energy input, then the total thermal efficiency of modern liquefaction processes (ie, the input into the final product ratio of the heat value of raw materials,%) is generally 60 to 70%.
General development of these processes to the process development unit (process development unit) or the pilot phase, and the main technical problems have been resolved. However, there is no demonstration plant or commercial operation of plants built.
Coal "indirect" liquefaction process is only being run in South Africa Sasol Technology has now built three production plants. The only indirect liquefaction technology is the synthesis section of the core, so the main work has recently focused on the development of advanced catalysts, catalyst are not limited to a specific process.
From 1985 onwards, due to lower oil prices, people are used to produce transportation fuels interest in coal liquefaction down. Currently, only Japan is also active large-scale study of coal liquefaction technology, and also has a 150t / d scale devices are operating. As China is becoming a net oil importer, and the potential oil-producing region geographically isolated, so China has a strong desire to develop coal liquefaction. China is on the U.S., Japan and Germany to study the feasibility of coal liquefaction.
The feasibility of coal liquefaction liquefaction process depends mainly on economics. This requires a large number of low grade, low price of coal, and oil and gas shortage or high cost. In other words, the future oil prices will cause people to re-coal liquefaction technology of great interest, and may lead to large-scale commercial production of coal liquefaction.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
High Oil Prices Are Creating A Huge Opportunity In Canada’s Oil Sands
For the US, the huge and growing alternative to crude oil is Canada’s oil sands. New mines and refineries are being installed in Canada, and new pipelines are being built to deliver the product to US refineries and customers.
Many of the environmental concerns over oil sands development are being answered by evolving new technologies.
Another promising approach to liquid fuels is gas-to-liquids (GTL). The new Pearl GTL plant in Qatar is beginning preliminary operation.
Making syngas. In the gasifier at around 2,200-2,650°F (1,400-1,600°C) methane and oxygen from an air separation plant are converted into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide known as synthesis gas, or syngas. The reaction produces heat, which is recovered to produce steam for power.
Making liquid waxy hydrocarbons. The synthesis gas enters one of 24 reactors. Each reactor holds a large number of tubes containing a Shell proprietary cobalt synthesis catalyst. The catalyst serves to speed up the chemical reaction in which the synthesis gas is converted into long-chained waxy hydrocarbons and water.
The total surface area of the microscopic holes in the catalyst granules is more than eighteen times the surface area of Qatar. Placed end-to-end the tubes would stretch from Qatar to Japan. The synthesis process generates heat, which is also used to produce steam that in turn powers the GTL plant via steam turbines. All water in the GTL process is purified and reused in the utilities system of the plant to generate steam.
Shell’s catalyst company, CRI/Criterion, spent around four years using dedicated facilities in Europe in full-time production to provide the thousands of tonnes of catalysts needed for the start of production at Pearl GTL.
Making GTL (gas to liquids) products. Using another Shell proprietary catalyst, the long hydrocarbon molecules from the GTL reactor are contacted with hydrogen and cut (cracked) into a range of smaller molecules of different length and shape. Distillation separates out the products with different boiling points. _GCC
Other emerging alternatives to crude oil made more economically viable by artificially boosted oil prices also includes the coming wave of advanced biofuels: both cellulosic and algal. The cellulosic-derived fuels will require large volumes of biomass, such as designed tree farms or advanced grasses and seaweeds might deliver. Although the energy density of biomass is less than that of oil, gas, or coal, nature just keeps producing year after year. Many locations which are ideal for growing biomass do not have readily available fossil fuels.
Other alternatives include the processing of kerogens to liquids — oil shale refining, coal to liquids, and waste to liquids. The technology for all of those approaches is improving thanks to investment spurred by high oil prices.
Continue to look into these possibilities, if you want to understand why — at least on the supply side — all the glib predictions of $200 a barrel oil in 2011 might have been self-serving. As for the demand side, things are bleak in the US under Obama, and conditions in Europe and China are not much better. Japan has a lot of re-building to do and will need more hydrocarbons to replace the loss of power production from nuclear plants, at least in the short to intermediate term. But Japan’s population is shrinking rapidly, and long term demand from Japan can only decline.
By. Al Fin; Source: http://alfin2300.blogspot.com/
This post originally appeared at Oilprice.com.
For the US, the huge and growing alternative to crude oil is Canada’s oil sands. New mines and refineries are being installed in Canada, and new pipelines are being built to deliver the product to US refineries and customers.
Many of the environmental concerns over oil sands development are being answered by evolving new technologies.
Another promising approach to liquid fuels is gas-to-liquids (GTL). The new Pearl GTL plant in Qatar is beginning preliminary operation.
Making syngas. In the gasifier at around 2,200-2,650°F (1,400-1,600°C) methane and oxygen from an air separation plant are converted into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide known as synthesis gas, or syngas. The reaction produces heat, which is recovered to produce steam for power.
Making liquid waxy hydrocarbons. The synthesis gas enters one of 24 reactors. Each reactor holds a large number of tubes containing a Shell proprietary cobalt synthesis catalyst. The catalyst serves to speed up the chemical reaction in which the synthesis gas is converted into long-chained waxy hydrocarbons and water.
The total surface area of the microscopic holes in the catalyst granules is more than eighteen times the surface area of Qatar. Placed end-to-end the tubes would stretch from Qatar to Japan. The synthesis process generates heat, which is also used to produce steam that in turn powers the GTL plant via steam turbines. All water in the GTL process is purified and reused in the utilities system of the plant to generate steam.
Shell’s catalyst company, CRI/Criterion, spent around four years using dedicated facilities in Europe in full-time production to provide the thousands of tonnes of catalysts needed for the start of production at Pearl GTL.
Making GTL (gas to liquids) products. Using another Shell proprietary catalyst, the long hydrocarbon molecules from the GTL reactor are contacted with hydrogen and cut (cracked) into a range of smaller molecules of different length and shape. Distillation separates out the products with different boiling points. _GCC
Other emerging alternatives to crude oil made more economically viable by artificially boosted oil prices also includes the coming wave of advanced biofuels: both cellulosic and algal. The cellulosic-derived fuels will require large volumes of biomass, such as designed tree farms or advanced grasses and seaweeds might deliver. Although the energy density of biomass is less than that of oil, gas, or coal, nature just keeps producing year after year. Many locations which are ideal for growing biomass do not have readily available fossil fuels.
Other alternatives include the processing of kerogens to liquids — oil shale refining, coal to liquids, and waste to liquids. The technology for all of those approaches is improving thanks to investment spurred by high oil prices.
Continue to look into these possibilities, if you want to understand why — at least on the supply side — all the glib predictions of $200 a barrel oil in 2011 might have been self-serving. As for the demand side, things are bleak in the US under Obama, and conditions in Europe and China are not much better. Japan has a lot of re-building to do and will need more hydrocarbons to replace the loss of power production from nuclear plants, at least in the short to intermediate term. But Japan’s population is shrinking rapidly, and long term demand from Japan can only decline.
By. Al Fin; Source: http://alfin2300.blogspot.com/
This post originally appeared at Oilprice.com.
Linc Energy is an innovative, forward thinking energy company and Australia's leader in clean coal technology. The company's vision is to become a dominant player in the supply of more environmentally friendly power, diesel and jet fuel.
Linc Energy aims to achieve this vision by bringing together, for the first time anywhere in the world, two proven production processes known as Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) clean coal technology and Gas to Liquids (GTL).
These processes will economically convert vast "stranded" coal deposits into ultra clean liquid fuels.
Linc Energy will also use the Syngas produced from UCG clean coal technology as feedstock for gas turbines to generate much needed environmentally friendly electricity.
The company has a unique leading edge capacity to provide a viable, more sustainable and smart alternative source of liquid fuels and power generation well into the foreseeable future.
Linc Energy represents a new future for liquid fuels production and power generation.
Linc Energy aims to achieve this vision by bringing together, for the first time anywhere in the world, two proven production processes known as Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) clean coal technology and Gas to Liquids (GTL).
These processes will economically convert vast "stranded" coal deposits into ultra clean liquid fuels.
Linc Energy will also use the Syngas produced from UCG clean coal technology as feedstock for gas turbines to generate much needed environmentally friendly electricity.
The company has a unique leading edge capacity to provide a viable, more sustainable and smart alternative source of liquid fuels and power generation well into the foreseeable future.
Linc Energy represents a new future for liquid fuels production and power generation.
Team Obama’s Wyoming Howler
By mb50
By KIM STRASSEL
Under fire for rising gas prices, the Obama administration has been taking steps to promote a pro-energy policy. President Obama gave a speech Wednesday on “energy security,” while Interior Secretary Ken Salazar spent last week in Wyoming boasting about the administration’s new interest in coal mining. Or at least that was Mr. Salazar’s intention, in an announcement that has since become a PR embarrassment.
Interior let it be known that Mr. Salazar was planning a big visit to Wyoming, which had local newspapers anticipating Mr. Salazar’s “major energy announcement.” On Wednesday of last week the Caspar Star-Tribune reported that “nearly 758 million tons of Wyoming coal will go up for sale in the coming months,” according to an announcement Mr. Salazar had made in the state, flanked by Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead.
pd0401
Associated PressSecretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
The paper also reported that Mr. Salazar bragged the four competitive lease sales in coming months would produce up to $21.3 billion in bonus bids and royalty payments — a little under half of which would go to the state. The announcement even earned praise from Marion Loomis, the executive director of the Wyoming Mining Association, who told the paper: “Hopefully this is a recognition that the administration agrees that we need to keep a viable coal industry in this country.”
But by Friday, the Caspar Star-Tribune had a very different headline: “Salazar appears to have vastly overstated coal money in Wyoming.” After the announcement, folks like Mr. Loomis started to dig into the numbers and discovered that Mr. Salazar had overstated the amounts by a factor of 10. The proceeds from 758 million tons of coal would be closer to about $2 billion — a little less than half of which would go to the state. By Saturday, the Interior Department was “clarifying” that the $21 billion estimate included some 1.6 billion tons of coal that Interior plans (maybe) to be sold at a future date. The leases for that coal are still under consideration and are no sure thing.
Interior has been insisting that people simply misunderstood Mr. Salazar’s words, but the discussion poured cold water over the whole announcement. By Monday, the Caspar Star-Tribune was up with this headline: “Wyoming coal announcement seems to mark little change” — noting that the administration’s broader policies, including regulations being pushed through the Environmental Protection Agency, appear to remain hostile to coal and fossil fuels.
Mr. Obama’s energy speech seemed to fall similarly flat, coming across as a repeat of the president’s talking points about decreasing our reliance on “imported oil” and investing more in “green energy.” Little of this will comfort the American family stuck with rising energy prices.
By mb50
By KIM STRASSEL
Under fire for rising gas prices, the Obama administration has been taking steps to promote a pro-energy policy. President Obama gave a speech Wednesday on “energy security,” while Interior Secretary Ken Salazar spent last week in Wyoming boasting about the administration’s new interest in coal mining. Or at least that was Mr. Salazar’s intention, in an announcement that has since become a PR embarrassment.
Interior let it be known that Mr. Salazar was planning a big visit to Wyoming, which had local newspapers anticipating Mr. Salazar’s “major energy announcement.” On Wednesday of last week the Caspar Star-Tribune reported that “nearly 758 million tons of Wyoming coal will go up for sale in the coming months,” according to an announcement Mr. Salazar had made in the state, flanked by Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead.
pd0401
Associated PressSecretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
The paper also reported that Mr. Salazar bragged the four competitive lease sales in coming months would produce up to $21.3 billion in bonus bids and royalty payments — a little under half of which would go to the state. The announcement even earned praise from Marion Loomis, the executive director of the Wyoming Mining Association, who told the paper: “Hopefully this is a recognition that the administration agrees that we need to keep a viable coal industry in this country.”
But by Friday, the Caspar Star-Tribune had a very different headline: “Salazar appears to have vastly overstated coal money in Wyoming.” After the announcement, folks like Mr. Loomis started to dig into the numbers and discovered that Mr. Salazar had overstated the amounts by a factor of 10. The proceeds from 758 million tons of coal would be closer to about $2 billion — a little less than half of which would go to the state. By Saturday, the Interior Department was “clarifying” that the $21 billion estimate included some 1.6 billion tons of coal that Interior plans (maybe) to be sold at a future date. The leases for that coal are still under consideration and are no sure thing.
Interior has been insisting that people simply misunderstood Mr. Salazar’s words, but the discussion poured cold water over the whole announcement. By Monday, the Caspar Star-Tribune was up with this headline: “Wyoming coal announcement seems to mark little change” — noting that the administration’s broader policies, including regulations being pushed through the Environmental Protection Agency, appear to remain hostile to coal and fossil fuels.
Mr. Obama’s energy speech seemed to fall similarly flat, coming across as a repeat of the president’s talking points about decreasing our reliance on “imported oil” and investing more in “green energy.” Little of this will comfort the American family stuck with rising energy prices.
Monday, April 4, 2011
High Oil Prices Leading to More Energy Options
Written by Al Fin
Monday, 04 April 2011 06:35
Message :
Investors: Free Oil Industry Investment Report - Our Fracking industry guide shows you the strategies that will enable you to generate excellent returns in what will be one of the most profitable sectors of the energy industry. Click here for your Free report.
For the US, the huge and growing alternative to crude oil is Canada's oil sands. New mines and refineries are being installed in Canada, and new pipelines are being built to deliver the product to US refineries and customers. Many of the environmental concerns over oil sands development are being answered by evolving new technologies.
Another promising approach to liquid fuels is gas-to-liquids (GTL). The new Pearl GTL plant in Qatar is beginning preliminary operation.
Making syngas. In the gasifier at around 2,200-2,650°F (1,400-1,600°C) methane and oxygen from an air separation plant are converted into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide known as synthesis gas, or syngas. The reaction produces heat, which is recovered to produce steam for power.
Making liquid waxy hydrocarbons. The synthesis gas enters one of 24 reactors. Each reactor holds a large number of tubes containing a Shell proprietary cobalt synthesis catalyst. The catalyst serves to speed up the chemical reaction in which the synthesis gas is converted into long-chained waxy hydrocarbons and water.
The total surface area of the microscopic holes in the catalyst granules is more than eighteen times the surface area of Qatar. Placed end-to-end the tubes would stretch from Qatar to Japan. The synthesis process generates heat, which is also used to produce steam that in turn powers the GTL plant via steam turbines. All water in the GTL process is purified and reused in the utilities system of the plant to generate steam.
Shell’s catalyst company, CRI/Criterion, spent around four years using dedicated facilities in Europe in full-time production to provide the thousands of tonnes of catalysts needed for the start of production at Pearl GTL.
Making GTL (gas to liquids) products. Using another Shell proprietary catalyst, the long hydrocarbon molecules from the GTL reactor are contacted with hydrogen and cut (cracked) into a range of smaller molecules of different length and shape. Distillation separates out the products with different boiling points. _GCC
Other emerging alternatives to crude oil made more economically viable by artificially boosted oil prices also includes the coming wave of advanced biofuels: both cellulosic and algal. The cellulosic-derived fuels will require large volumes of biomass, such as designed tree farms or advanced grasses and seaweeds might deliver. Although the energy density of biomass is less than that of oil, gas, or coal, nature just keeps producing year after year. Many locations which are ideal for growing biomass do not have readily available fossil fuels.
Other alternatives include the processing of kerogens to liquids -- oil shale refining, coal to liquids, and waste to liquids. The technology for all of those approaches is improving thanks to investment spurred by high oil prices.
Continue to look into these possibilities, if you want to understand why -- at least on the supply side -- all the glib predictions of $200 a barrel oil in 2011 might have been self-serving. As for the demand side, things are bleak in the US under Obama, and conditions in Europe and China are not much better. Japan has a lot of re-building to do and will need more hydrocarbons to replace the loss of power production from nuclear plants, at least in the short to intermediate term. But Japan's population is shrinking rapidly, and long term demand from Japan can only decline.
Written by Al Fin
Monday, 04 April 2011 06:35
Message :
Investors: Free Oil Industry Investment Report - Our Fracking industry guide shows you the strategies that will enable you to generate excellent returns in what will be one of the most profitable sectors of the energy industry. Click here for your Free report.
For the US, the huge and growing alternative to crude oil is Canada's oil sands. New mines and refineries are being installed in Canada, and new pipelines are being built to deliver the product to US refineries and customers. Many of the environmental concerns over oil sands development are being answered by evolving new technologies.
Another promising approach to liquid fuels is gas-to-liquids (GTL). The new Pearl GTL plant in Qatar is beginning preliminary operation.
Making syngas. In the gasifier at around 2,200-2,650°F (1,400-1,600°C) methane and oxygen from an air separation plant are converted into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide known as synthesis gas, or syngas. The reaction produces heat, which is recovered to produce steam for power.
Making liquid waxy hydrocarbons. The synthesis gas enters one of 24 reactors. Each reactor holds a large number of tubes containing a Shell proprietary cobalt synthesis catalyst. The catalyst serves to speed up the chemical reaction in which the synthesis gas is converted into long-chained waxy hydrocarbons and water.
The total surface area of the microscopic holes in the catalyst granules is more than eighteen times the surface area of Qatar. Placed end-to-end the tubes would stretch from Qatar to Japan. The synthesis process generates heat, which is also used to produce steam that in turn powers the GTL plant via steam turbines. All water in the GTL process is purified and reused in the utilities system of the plant to generate steam.
Shell’s catalyst company, CRI/Criterion, spent around four years using dedicated facilities in Europe in full-time production to provide the thousands of tonnes of catalysts needed for the start of production at Pearl GTL.
Making GTL (gas to liquids) products. Using another Shell proprietary catalyst, the long hydrocarbon molecules from the GTL reactor are contacted with hydrogen and cut (cracked) into a range of smaller molecules of different length and shape. Distillation separates out the products with different boiling points. _GCC
Other emerging alternatives to crude oil made more economically viable by artificially boosted oil prices also includes the coming wave of advanced biofuels: both cellulosic and algal. The cellulosic-derived fuels will require large volumes of biomass, such as designed tree farms or advanced grasses and seaweeds might deliver. Although the energy density of biomass is less than that of oil, gas, or coal, nature just keeps producing year after year. Many locations which are ideal for growing biomass do not have readily available fossil fuels.
Other alternatives include the processing of kerogens to liquids -- oil shale refining, coal to liquids, and waste to liquids. The technology for all of those approaches is improving thanks to investment spurred by high oil prices.
Continue to look into these possibilities, if you want to understand why -- at least on the supply side -- all the glib predictions of $200 a barrel oil in 2011 might have been self-serving. As for the demand side, things are bleak in the US under Obama, and conditions in Europe and China are not much better. Japan has a lot of re-building to do and will need more hydrocarbons to replace the loss of power production from nuclear plants, at least in the short to intermediate term. But Japan's population is shrinking rapidly, and long term demand from Japan can only decline.
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