made from coal by combining syngas–FT processes, but are also present all over
the world. Anyway, even if the production cost of gasoline and diesel is competitive
with the price of production from fossil oil (even at a cost of the latter of 60 US$/
barrel), the main barrier to FT wide spreading is the CAPEX costs. In fact, it takes
only a few weeks to drill a well using fracking technology with an investment near
1 MUS$, and the well can pay for itself in less than 12 months, while a FT facility
can cost up to hundreds MUS$, take 2 or 3 years to bring into production, and then
take several years to pay for itself.
Nevertheless, under specific circumstances (national abundance of coal and scarce
access to oil and gas) the syngas–FT combination has shown a great role for making
liquid fuels from coal and feed the transport sector (terrestrial, avio, and maritime).
References
1. Total primary energy supply 1990–2017. https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics
2. Aresta M, Dibenedetto A, Nocito F (2018) What catalysis can do for boosting CO 2
conversion. Adv Catal 62:49–111
3. Aresta M, Karimi I, Kawi S (eds) (2019) An economy based on carbon dioxide and water.
Springer
4. Major environmental aspects of gasification-based power generation technologies. Final
report. https://www.netl.doe.gov/sites/default/files/netl-file/final-env.pdf
5. https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2011/demo/world-population–1950-2050.html
6. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Global_annual_CO2_emissions_by_world_region_
since_1750.svg
7. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/syngas.asp
8. Aresta M, Dibenedetto A, Quaranta E (2016) Reaction mechanisms in carbon dioxide
conversion. Springer
9. Pakhare D, Spivey J (2014) A review of dry (CO 2 ) reforming of methane over noble metal
catalysts. Chem Soc Rev 43:7813–7837
10. Wang S, Lu GQ, Millar GJ (1996) Carbon dioxide reforming of methane to produce synthesis
gas over metal-supported catalysts: state of the art. Energy Fuels 10:896–904
11. Overend RP (2004) Thermochemical conversion of biomass. In: Shpilrain EE (ed) Renewable
energy sources charged with energy from the sun and originated from earth-moon interaction.
EOLSS Publishers, Oxford, UK
12. Chadeesingh R (2011) The Fischer–Tropsch process. In: Speight JG (ed) The biofuels
handbook. Part 3. The Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK. Chapter 5, pp 476–517
13. Rao VUS, Stiegel GJ, Cinquegrane GJ, Srivastava RD (1992) Iron-based catalysts for
slurry-phase Fischer Trospch process: technology review. Fuel Proc Technol 30:83–107
14. Jothimurugesan K, Goodwin JG, Santosh SK, Spivey JJ (2000) Development of Fe Fischer–
Tropsch catalysts for slurry bubble column reactors. Catal Today 58:335–344
15. Fischer F (1925) The conversion of coal into oils. In: Lessing R (trans). Ernest Benn Ltd.,
London
16. Fischer F, Tropsch H (1926) German patent 484, 337, 195. The synthesis of Petroleum at
atmospheric pressure from gasification products of coal. Brennstoff-Chem 7:97–104
17. Craxford SR, Rideal EK (1939) The mechanism of the synthesis of hydrocarbons from water
gas. J Chem Soc 1604–1617
28
2 Fossil-C Application in the Energy and Chemical Industry
the world. Anyway, even if the production cost of gasoline and diesel is competitive
with the price of production from fossil oil (even at a cost of the latter of 60 US$/
barrel), the main barrier to FT wide spreading is the CAPEX costs. In fact, it takes
only a few weeks to drill a well using fracking technology with an investment near
1 MUS$, and the well can pay for itself in less than 12 months, while a FT facility
can cost up to hundreds MUS$, take 2 or 3 years to bring into production, and then
take several years to pay for itself.
Nevertheless, under specific circumstances (national abundance of coal and scarce
access to oil and gas) the syngas–FT combination has shown a great role for making
liquid fuels from coal and feed the transport sector (terrestrial, avio, and maritime).
References
1. Total primary energy supply 1990–2017. https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics
2. Aresta M, Dibenedetto A, Nocito F (2018) What catalysis can do for boosting CO 2
conversion. Adv Catal 62:49–111
3. Aresta M, Karimi I, Kawi S (eds) (2019) An economy based on carbon dioxide and water.
Springer
4. Major environmental aspects of gasification-based power generation technologies. Final
report. https://www.netl.doe.gov/sites/default/files/netl-file/final-env.pdf
5. https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2011/demo/world-population–1950-2050.html
6. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Global_annual_CO2_emissions_by_world_region_
since_1750.svg
7. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/syngas.asp
8. Aresta M, Dibenedetto A, Quaranta E (2016) Reaction mechanisms in carbon dioxide
conversion. Springer
9. Pakhare D, Spivey J (2014) A review of dry (CO 2 ) reforming of methane over noble metal
catalysts. Chem Soc Rev 43:7813–7837
10. Wang S, Lu GQ, Millar GJ (1996) Carbon dioxide reforming of methane to produce synthesis
gas over metal-supported catalysts: state of the art. Energy Fuels 10:896–904
11. Overend RP (2004) Thermochemical conversion of biomass. In: Shpilrain EE (ed) Renewable
energy sources charged with energy from the sun and originated from earth-moon interaction.
EOLSS Publishers, Oxford, UK
12. Chadeesingh R (2011) The Fischer–Tropsch process. In: Speight JG (ed) The biofuels
handbook. Part 3. The Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK. Chapter 5, pp 476–517
13. Rao VUS, Stiegel GJ, Cinquegrane GJ, Srivastava RD (1992) Iron-based catalysts for
slurry-phase Fischer Trospch process: technology review. Fuel Proc Technol 30:83–107
14. Jothimurugesan K, Goodwin JG, Santosh SK, Spivey JJ (2000) Development of Fe Fischer–
Tropsch catalysts for slurry bubble column reactors. Catal Today 58:335–344
15. Fischer F (1925) The conversion of coal into oils. In: Lessing R (trans). Ernest Benn Ltd.,
London
16. Fischer F, Tropsch H (1926) German patent 484, 337, 195. The synthesis of Petroleum at
atmospheric pressure from gasification products of coal. Brennstoff-Chem 7:97–104
17. Craxford SR, Rideal EK (1939) The mechanism of the synthesis of hydrocarbons from water
gas. J Chem Soc 1604–1617
28
2 Fossil-C Application in the Energy and Chemical Industry