Australia discounts synfuels until well after 2000

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Pace Synth. Fuels Rep.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5076076

The Australian Department of Resources and Energy has concluded that while Australia has a large resource base of synfuels feedstocks such as coal, oil shale, and natural gas, a substantial increase in crude oil prices is necessary to make Australian synfuels projects viable. The Department does not, however, expect any significant real rise in crude oil prices until well after 2000. The economics of the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis, methanol-derived gasoline, and direct coal liquefaction technologies are discussed, and significant synfuels projects in Australia are summarized. The Department concludes that because the cost of production of synfuels is substantially higher than that of natural crude, Australian capital can be used more effectively by generating income with which to buy imports. It cautions that errors in timing of entry into the synfuels industry could be costly to both the government and private sector, but concludes that the decision-making point is still far away.

• OSTI ID: 5076076
• Journal Information: Pace Synth. Fuels Rep.; (United States), Journal Name: Pace Synth. Fuels Rep.; (United States) Vol. 23:3; ISSN PSFRD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290500 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Research
Development
Demonstration
& Commercialization
292000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Supply
Demand & Forecasting
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
294000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Fossil Fuels
ALCOHOLS
AUSTRALASIA
AUSTRALIA
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL LIQUEFACTION
DECISION MAKING
ECONOMICS
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
FLUIDS
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
LIQUEFACTION
MATERIALS
METHANOL
NATURAL GAS
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PRICES
SYNTHETIC FUELS
SYNTHETIC FUELS INDUSTRY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES