Fossil energy research and development in Erda

Abstract

THE underlying premise for our Fossil Energy Research and by natural gas in tight rock formations which we and Development Program rests on the fact that no must learn to exploit economically. Legislation under matter which projection of future energy demand and which we are now operating clearly instructs us to supply is examined, it must be concluded that (1) we demonstrate the technical feasibility of new techmust reduce demand; (2) increase the utilization of our nologies for providing energy from fossil fuels. This vagt coal and oil shale resources and ensure that requires heavy involvement with various elements of technical options to utilize them in an environmentally private industry, state and local governments. Our acceptable manner are available; and (3) we must program has been designed and implemented with this develop technologies to more efficiently extract oil from in mind. We have a balanced team of systems engineers, known partially depleted reservoirs as well as develop research laboratories, architectural/engineering firms, technologies to extract oil and gas from presently designers, chemical companies, power companies, uneconomic or unobtainable resources, equipment manufacturers, and coal and oil companies The near-term objectives (1975-85) of the Fossil as well as universities providing technical support for Energy Research and Development Program include our research and development programs. The use of the stimulation of petroleum and natural gas produccost-sharing for pilot and demonstration plants assures tion, the development of processes for the direct technology transfer to the industrial sector and total combustion of coal for electric power generation and involvement in the scale-up decision by the people who for industrial process heat, the development of will be responsible for implementing and operating processes for the conversion of coals to clean liquid these technologies. and gaseous fuels, the demonstration of in situ processes Fossil Energy projects are designed to incorporate for generating low Btu gases from coal, and the developappropriate environmental criteria. Environmental ment of in situ processes for production of oil and gas monitoring will be conducted at all such plants and from oil shales. Process development includes the coninstallations to insure compliance with applicable struction and operation of demonstration plants which environmental regulations. Environmental impact are modules of commercial size plants, statements and careful assessments will be prepared and Mid-term objectives (1985-2000) include the comissued covering all proposed demonstration sites. It is mercialization of developed technologies and the estimated that Fossil Energy will commit approxidevelopment of advanced processes for the combustion mately $17 million for environmentally related efforts of high sulfur coals, the development of advanced during Fiscal Year 1977. electric power generation systems directly utilizing coals, the development and operation of a commercial CURRENT ORGANIZATION scale demonstration MHD power plant, and the demonstration and transfer to industry of the techThe Fossil Energy Program is currently organized in nology for commercial scale implementation of the manner shown in Fig. 1. This is a recent organizasignificantly improved processes for synthetic fuels tional configuration and appointments to most of the from coal. key positions have been made. Long-term objectives (2000+) include the developThe organization consists of an Assistant Adminiment and demonstration of advanced technologies for strator for Fossil Energy, a Deputy Assistant producing electric power and process heat at increased Administrator and five program divisions: Coal Conefficiency, the development of new synthetic fuels, and version and Utilization; Fossil Energy Research; the development of in situ recovery techniques for fossil Fossil Demonstration Plants; Oil, Gas and Shale energy resources riot recoverable by currently available Technology; and Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). technology. Staff offices include the Office of Program Planning Our program strategy is based on the fact that we and Analysis and an Administrative Office. A Senior have not until recently been rapidly developing techStaffhas been designated to provide special assistance, niques for the conversion of coal to clean, fluid fuels advice and counsel on program planning and manageand are not moving fast enough to efficiently extract ment. the fossil fuels represented by much of our oil shale PROGRAM STRATEGY resource, by coal in the thick deep seams of the West The Fossil Energy Program seeks to develop a mix * Statement submitted to the US Congress for the Fiscal of technologies because the complex American Year 1977 Appropriation Hearings. economy requires an enormous amount of fuel in