The author described the status quo of shale.oil industry-and coal hy-drogenation in U.S.A.and discussed the possibility of the economical development of these processes.
Shale oils are produced in the scale of 3, 000bbl/day per one plant now, and if the scale is extented to 10, 000bbl/day and 60 percent of its products is the fuel for jet engine, it may cost 9 cent/gal.It is cheeper than that from petroleum.
The pilot plant of high pressure hydrogenation of coal which capacity is 200 to 300bbl/day was constructed recently at Louisiana in Missouri SThte. Concluding from its operation result, when a plant of 30, 000bbl/day is operated, motor gasoline being produced mainly, its price may be 14.5cent/gal and dearer than that from petroleum but when aviation gasoline is main product, its price may be 16.6 cent/gal, so a considerable depression of cost be attained by mechanization of mining, improvement of catalyst, etc.
From his experiences at the Agochi coal hydrogenation plant in war time, the author presented some technical advices on the operation of the Lousiana plant.
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