Some of you might remember a coal liquefaction pilot plant that operated in Catlettsburg in the early 80s. The plant was operated by Ashland Oil under a Department of Energy contract. The test site produced liquefied coal in a successful test reported in the New York Times. NYT December 23, 1981
Our sources tell us that the idea of coal liquefaction as an oil alternative came up during the last energy crisis under the Carter Administration. Finding a source other than OPEC would have been attractive during the Arab oil embargo.
The follow up plant in Breckinridge County, scheduled to be a major producer, was never built. No one seems to remember exactly why.
Our best guess is that the oil crisis abated under President Reagan and the government’s willingness to find a domestic source of oil evaporated. |
