Coal gasification

[Richard D + 86]

Regarding the surplus of natural gas in the USA,I would point out that Dakota Gasification Company continues to produce methane from the gasification of lignite. Synthesis gas from brown coal gasification is converted by catalyst to methane. The synthesis gas could readily be converted to hydrogen by water-gas shift. The carbon dioxide also produced could continue to be sent to Canada for enhanced oil production and left underground. The hydrogen end product could be used for the upgrading of heavy oil from Canada. Why produce expensive substitute natural gas when the real stuff is being flared?

[markslawson + 1,057]

On 1/30/2020 at 8:32 PM, Richard D said:

Regarding the surplus of natural gas in the USA,I would point out that Dakota Gasification Company continues to produce methane from the gasification of lignite.

I was surprised to read this.. there are still plants producing gas from coal? A glance online shows that the plant has been losing money for years, as you'd expect given the rise and rise of LNG, but the article I saw was 18 months old and the company was undergoing pretty strong cost cutting.. Any word on an improvement? Otherwise the plant's not going to stay open, not on the figures I saw..