Cheap Gas from Coal
People have been turning coal into oil for 100 years or more, but researchers at University of Texas at Arlington say they’ve invented a better way to do it. They say they’ve found a practical way to make synthetic crude from inexpensive coal that’s common in Texas. 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.
“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.
Source WFAA: Arlington scientists find way to make cheap gas from coal
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