322.    BOYD, J.  Petroleum Industry Has Definite Role in Synthetics Development.  Petrol. Refiner, vol. 29, No. 12, 1950, pp. 77-85. 

                  Barring unexpected developments in atomic or solar energy, an anticipated gap between domestic oil demand and supply will have to be met by synthetic liquid fuels and imports.  Although the amounts of oil ultimately recovered from domestic oil fields will be far greater than present proved reserves, it is obvious that the security of the Nation’s liquid-fuels position will be greatly enhanced when the supply is based in part on solid fuels, such as coal and oil shale, which compose more than 95% of our proved fuel reserves.  Synthetic fuel processes also can play an important part in meeting requirements for strategic chemicals.  Current shortages and increasing requirements for benzene, phenol, toluene, and certain other chemicals could accelerate the schedule for constructing the initial coal-hydrogenation plants, in view of the fact that these chemicals would be produced from such plants in important quantities.