3233.     ---------------.  [SOLLIDAY, A. L.]  Synthetic Fuels.  Oil Gas Jour., vol. 48, No. 24, 1949, pp. 86-88, 125; Petrol. Refiner, vol. 28, No. 11, 1949, pp. 81, 83, 85, 238; Jour. Inst. Petrol. Technol., vol. 1, sec. 1, October 1949, pp. 4-8.

        Paper presented to the Petroleum Branch of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.  It is estimated that the United States has enough reserves of petroleum to supply the domestic demand until 1961 before it will need to turn to coal and oil shale.  By 1965 the Nation’s petroleum deficit may amount to about 420,000 bbl. per day and increase to around 1,260,000 bbl. by 1975.  There is nothing to indicate that construction of synthetic fuel plants should begin immediately.  By the time they are needed, technical developments in the design of plants and methods of operation should lower the construction expenditures and bring lower investment costs, enabling synthetic fuels to compete with natural petroleum.  Using present designs, the motorist would have to pay $0.15-0.20 more per gal. for synthetic gasoline.  An economic study is presented.