3720.     WILSON, R. E., AND ROBERTS, J. K.  Petroleum and Natural Gas -- Uses and Possible Replacements.  Nat. Petrol. News, vol. 39, No. 14, 1947, pp. 9-10.

        Paper presented at a meeting of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and the Western Petroleum Refiners’ Association.  The authors foresee a considerable expansion in the present main uses of liquid fuels.  By 1970 the demand for crude oil or its equivalent will be 56% greater than in 1945.  As a supplementary, or possibly as a replacement fuel, that produced by the Synthol or Hydrocol process appears to be the most promising.  Gasoline made by this process will cost $0.06-$0.065 per gal. when made from natural gas, $0.03-$0.04 more when made from coal.  Another process that may help extend crude supplies is the hydrogenation of cracked cycle stocks and residue.  It appears more expensive than the Synthol process when using natural gas as the raw material, but it will become economically desirable as the price of crude rises.  Alternatively, residue could be used as starting material for the Synthol process by converting it to CO and H₂.  It is estimated that these processes will be in commercial operation as follows:  Synthol using natural gas in 1948; Synthol using coal in 1970; and hydrogenation of heavy oil residue in 1965.  Gasoline from coal hydrogenation and from oil shale will cost much more, but neither of these sources should be overlooked and investigation of them should be continued.

        WILSON, S. P.  See abs. 633.