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Literature Abstracts
1721. KEITH, P. C. Hydrocol Process Development. Petrol. Refiner, vol. 26, No. 4, 1947, pp. 171-172; Nat. Petrol. News, vol. 39, No. 14, 1947, p. 9; Chem. Eng. News, vol. 25, 1947, p. 1044; Petrol. Processing, vol. 2, 1947, p. 390.
Abstract of a paper presented at the 35th meeting of the Western Petroleum Refiners Association. By means of the Hydrocol process, a gasoline of 78-80 octane no., Cooperative Fuel Research Motor method, or 90-92, Research method, can be made from natural gas, plus a 39-40 gravity, A.P.I., diesel fuel of 50-75 cetane no. and a large amount of oxygenated compounds, such as alcohols, HCHO, acetone, etc. By using coal as a raw material, these same products are derived at a somewhat higher price. Thus the synthetic process, using coal, natural gas, or even refinery waste gas, has the 2-fold effect of (1) putting a definite ceiling on the price of natural gas and crude, and (2) setting at rest fears for what we shall use for fuel when and if reserves of crude and gas are exhausted. The possibility of using coal, supplies of which are sufficient to last 1,000 yr., puts a ceiling of not more than $0.10-0.12 per 1,000 cu. ft. on natural gas and permits only a corresponding increase in the price of crude. The Hydrocol process also is of interest to the refiner, because it is the only other process, with the exception of polymerization and alkylation, by which the quality of the product can be enhanced without a corresponding decrease in quantity. It also may become a strong competitor of catalytic cracking and has the additional advantage of simultaneously utilizing both gases and refinery wastes. It is thought that by 1955 gasoline will be produced synthetically from synthesis gas made by coal gasification. It is estimated that a Hydrocol plant of 3,500-bbl.-per-day capacity would be practical.