1288.    GUNNESS, R. C.  Future Liquid Fuels.  Chem. and Eng. News, vol. 26, 1947, pp. 2123-2127, 2171; Chem. Abs., vol. 42, 1948, p. 6509.

       During 1947 the United States used about 5.8 million bbl. of petroleum/day.  25 yr. ago about 27% of each bbl. of crude oil was made into gasoline, last year over 40%, while a 75% yield could be produced if this were the only product required.  The gasoline demand has increased 20% over 1941 and 7% over 1946 but is believed to be slowing up.  Most of the increase in fuel consumption in recent years has been oil.  Petroleum demands in 1970 are established at 7,130 bbl. per day, of which 3,160 bbl. will be motor fuel.  Diesel fuel will also be used more widely by the railroads and for heavy motor vehicles; changes in the fuel may be required, which must be tested in service engines rather than in the laboratory.  Present known crude petroleum reserves are equal to about 12 yr. consumption, at the present rate, but more reserves were found last year than were used.  Imports, especially from the middle east, will be required to maintain reasonable reserves.  The immediate production of large quantities of synthetic fuels from coal would be very expensive; much more research is required.  A modified Fischer-Tropsch process, with natural gas as the raw material, will soon be in production in several plants.  The hydrocarbons produced in this synthesis consist principally of straight-chain compounds ranging from CH₄ to solid waxes.  The major portion of this product is unsaturated in structure (in contrast to results obtained with the German Co catalyst) and can be refined to give a gasoline with an octane number of about 80, and heavier refined products comparing favorably with those from petroleum.  In a plant producing 6,000 bbl. per day of synthetic hydrocarbons, the established yield of other organic chemicals is about 420,000 lb. per day.  This will be a major source for these compounds, which will be separated and purified at plants near the hydrocarbon-synthesis plants.  Gasoline quality requirements will improve, and cars having octane requirements of 95 or even higher are planned for the future.  Even with decreasing demands per day, the increased number of cars will require more gasoline.  The cost of this improved fuel will be greater.  The gas turbine probably will require a clean distillate oil for fuel.  The fraction of the motor fuel produced by synthesis will be small for some time but will increase with demand.  Residual fuel-oil supply can be expected gradually to decrease, so that coal will be called on to handle an increasing share of the expanding industrial fuel load.  Enough high-quality liquid fuels will be available to meet all demands most efficiently served by petroleum fuels.

        See abs. 372.