324.    ---------------. [BOYD, J.] Changing Patterns of Fuel Supply.  Mech. Eng., vol. 73, 1951, pp. 189-190; Chem. Abs., vol. 45, 1951, p. 3143. 

                  The actual quantity of coal produced has remained relatively unchanged for some time, but the % of our fuel requirements supplied by coal has declined from over 78% in 1920 to less than 40% in 1949, while that of petroleum has increased from 15% to almost 37% and natural gas from 4% to almost 19% in the same period.  Petroleum production and reserves of gas and oil have increased and further reserves will be found, but the gap between production and consumption will be narrowed so that there must be recourse to synthetic fuels, especially gasoline from coal.  High yields of aromatic hydrocarbons can be secured both in the hydrogenation of coal and by suitable treatment of oil shale.