2383.     ---------------.  [NATIONAL PETROLEUM NEWS.]  Synthetics Subsidy?  Vol. 39, No. 31, 1947, p. 5.

                    Editorial.—The possibility is being discussed in government research circles that, once technology of synthetic liquid-fuels research is developed to the point where commercial production can be planned, the Federal Government may consider granting subsidies for construction and operation of privately-owned plants.  This would be following the pattern of other countries – England, Sweden, France, Australia – which made Government grants to private plants for production of liquid fuels from coal and oil shale.  Subsidies, it is said, will be needed because oil from coal and shale probably will not be competitive with conventional liquid fuels for some time.  However, there is a possibility that the Government itself may build several commercial-type plants – each with production capacity of 5,000-10,000 bbl. per day – to test various coal hydrogenation, Fischer-Tropsch, and oil-shale processes.