2384.     ---------------.  [NATIONAL PETROLEUM NEWS.]  Texaco Offers to License Hydrocol Process.  Vol. 40, No. 6, 1948, p. 49.

        Texas Co., through its affiliate Texas Development Corp., will license the Hydrocol process for manufacture of synthetic liquid hydrocarbons to any interested company.  The opinion is expressed that 50 plants for gasoline synthesis from natural gas, with combined output of 350,000 bbl. per day might be built within 10 yr., barring non-economic acceleration of program to meet national defense requirements.  The limiting factor is the number of gas pools large enough to support an economical plant.  Without infringing on gas supplies earmarked for other uses, 50 plants of 7,000 bbl. per day capacity can be built.  Liquid fuel from natural gas probably will meet about 5% of the total demand for all oils by 1960.  A 5,000-gal. per day Hydrocol pilot plant has been completed at Montebello, Calif., and work is being done on gasification of coal and heavy oil, but not on oil from shale.  The company spent approximately $1,000,000 in 1947 on synthetics research and will do the same in 1948.