From MoxyWiki

Coal to liquids (CTL) is also known as coal liquefaction.

Medium and low rank coals are mostly consumed and traded as energy resources for the generation of stationary power.

The transition to a global low-carbon economy presents both need and opportunity to consume and trade these coals as resources for the generation of energy commodities – as per the International Energy Agency (IEA) definition, stationary power, heat, and transportation fuels – and as feedstocks for the production of chemical commodities and material products. Here, ‘commodities’ and ‘products’ are defined by their locations in the Volume – Price space.

With particular regard to small, open economies possessing mid and low rank coal resources, making this paradigm shift confronts decision-makers in government and business with complex decision situations.

Public domain data and information, pertinent to the conduct of preliminary feasibility analysis of strategic options and underlying tactical alternatives, are assembled in the project space. The project space is organized to support collaboration in the conduct of the preliminary feasibility analysis.

Contents 1 Decision Situation 2 Strategic Options 3 Transportation and greenhouse gas emissions 4 Current Projects 4.1 Details 4.2 Map 5 Selected Readings 6 References

Decision Situation

What are the product portfolios, asset and infrastructure configurations, and the processes (that is, the technologies and supply chains) which support achieving affordable and effective utilization of medium and low rank coal resources by small, open economies – with particular reference to Australia – competing within a ‘low carbon’ global economy?

Strategic Options

There are several coal to liquids transformation pathways:

• indirect liquefaction
• direct liquefaction
• hybrid schemes of the above two.

Transportation and greenhouse gas emissions

Comparative emissions (g GH-eq/mile) for various fuels and production standards^[1]

The above graphic uses data from a Baard Energy LLC study,^[2] which employed a 'Well-to-Wheels' lifecycle analysis to compare emissions from:

1. petrol-including:
   • emissions and energy for crude recovery
   • transportation of crude from well to refinery
   • energy and emissions at refining processes
   • transportation
   • distribution of refined petroleum fuels to the pump
   • tailpipe emissions during vehicle operations
2. petroleum derived diesel- including all of the above for petroleum derived diesel
3. coal and biomass - including:
   • fuels and emissions beginning at the mine or gathering of the biomass (wood waste)
   • transportation of the coal and biomass feedstocks to the FT (Fischer-Tropsch) facility
   • emissions and energy used at the FT facility
   • transportation and distribution of the FT fuels to the pump
   • tailpipe emissions during vehicle operations
4. Although the results are not included in the above graphic, the study also analysed corn ethanol, including:
   • feedstock inputs such as natural gas for fertilizers, fuels and associated emissions generated during planting, harvesting and transportation of corn to the ethanol production plants
   • emissions and energy used at the ethanol plant
   • transportation of ethanol to the ethanol-gasoline blending facilities
   • transportation / distribution of ethanol blends to the fuel pumps
   • emissions from the use of the ethanol/gasoline blends

Current Projects

Details

The following table lists those projects that use or plan to use Coal To Liquids Technology.

	Feedstock	Product	TechnologyGeneration	ProjectMaturityRating
Arckaringa Project	Coal	Ultra clean fuels Diesel Power	second generation	2.75
CSIRO CTL Project			third generation	-3.5
Clinton Project	Clinton coal Biomass	Premium diesel Naphtha Peaking power	second generation	3
Cougar Kingaroy Power Project	Coal	Syngas	second generation	0.5
ExxonMobil EMRE JAMG China CTL Project	Coal	Petroleum	second generation	1.75
Felton Clean Coal Project	Felton washed thermal coal	Dimethyl Ether Electricity
Fischer Tropsch Semi Commercial Unit Mossel Bay	Coal	Naphtha Diesel	second generation	1
Oxford Catalysts carbide catalyst project	Gas Coal	Liquid fuels	third generation	-3.25
Salmon Gums Project	Salmon Gums coal	Crude Oil
Sasol CTL Secunda project	Coal	Synthetic fuels	first generation	9
Shenhua Energy 17000bpd Direct CTL	Coal		second generation	2
Shenhua Energy 51000bpd CTL	Coal		second generation	4
Shenhua Ordos DCL project
UBC Satui Demonstration Plant Project	Low grade high moisture content coal

Map

The map below shows the location of the coal to liquids technology projects.

Selected Readings

References are selected to present the language of coal-to-liquid (CTL) conversion.

1. Readings
   • Coal to Liquids Pathways
     • Direct Coal Liquefaction Overview: Presented to NETL
     • Case studies on direct liquefaction of low rank Wyoming coal
     • Conceptual design and system analysis of a polygeneration system for power and olefin production from natural gas
     • Chapter 8 of T. F. Edgar’s Chemical Engineering courses 359 and 384 at the University of Texas
   • CTL industry outlook and current projects
     • Outlook of the global CTL industry
     • CTL Development in China: based on Shenhua CTL projects
     • Scaddan Energy Project: Blackham Resources Limited
     • Viewpoint: Strategic thinking on IGCC development in China
2. Other Links
   • • Alternative uses of coal - The Science Show - ABC
3. Sources
   • • Coal to Liquids - Australian Atlas of Mineral Resources Mines and Processing Centres

References

1. ↑ Clinton Clean Premium Diesel Project: Carbon management / non-food biomass strategy information sheet9pg 1
2. ↑ Plant modeling and emissions comparative analysis approach: Coal / Biomass gasification with Fischer-Tropsch diesel production