UCTL: Turning Coal to Liquids Underground
What is UCTL?
UCTL is a new process / invention that creates a reaction within the underground coal seam (“in situ”),whereby low rank coals are liquefied into crude oil substitute product at approximately 300°C. A substantive heat by-product is returned to the surface potentially creating further commercial applications such as electricity generation.
The process has not been attempted previously and is subject to two patent applications (PCT) lodged by the Inventor, Mr Peter O’Dowd. One patent covers the overall UCTL process and the second patent covers the delivery of Water With Simulated Supercritical Properties (“WSSP”) which is water with high kinetic energy delivered using a jet pump and purpose designed nozzle.
Conversion of coal to oil using supercritical water is a proven process.
Supercritical water is water at high pressure and high temperature. WSSP replicates supercritical properties by substituting high pressure with high velocity (kinetic energy). Liquefaction products are then extracted from the reaction zone via the annulus of the well and collected and separated using conventional oil well equipment and technology.
A technical due diligence review by leading process consultants AMEC (UK) has concluded that the UCTL process is an interesting and innovative process which, if successful, is highly likely to offer significant advantages over competing coal-to-oil technologies.
How does UCTL work?
Access is gained to the coal seam via existing or new wells drilled in a conventional manner. Small quantities of the non-toxic initiation chemical and catalysts are introduced into the coal seam that creates a heat reaction, increasing the temperature to over 300°C. This reaction occurs in a confined location within the immediate vicinity of the well. This has been successfully bench tested in a laboratory environment and confirmation of its application in an underground environment will be a component of the Pilot Test. As the temperatures approaches 300°C the initiation chemicals are replaced with WSSP and the liquefaction of the coal continues. The water content and impurities of brown coal / lignite contribute towards the liquefaction process.
Expand Product Range
The expansion of the UCLT process product range is contingent upon meeting the objectives of the Pilot Plant test.
Regal Resources hopes to:
- Develop heat recovery systems, whereby high grade heat (+300 degrees celsius) contained within the coal moisture is recovered from the UCTL process for electricity generation
- Develop CO2 geo-sequestration opportunities to make use of the resulting underground void and residual compounds for carbonation of CO2
- Develop potential water products, from the treatment of excess water generated by the process (approximately 60% moisture in lignite)
Regal Resources is building a Pilot Plant to test the UCTL process commencing early 2010 and will run into 2011.
The Pilot Plant is located at Oak Park, in Exploration Licence 4507 to the west of Melbourne.
The objectives of the Pilot Plant are to:
- Produce long-chain hydrocarbons that are suitable for processing within existing oil refineries without modification
- Verify the liquefaction of the coal produces predominantly liquids and minor amounts of gas and determine the composition of each product stream
- Compare UCTL liquids / gas ratio to that produced under ideal conditions conjuring the liquid / gas ratios at difference temperatures
- Verify and achievement of low percentage of CO2 emissions as a result of liquefaction at low temperatures (300°C) as compared to Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) that occurs at +1000°C which generates a higher proportion of CO2 in the gas produced
- To verify the distance that WSSP can travel from the nozzle/s inside the coal chamber and maintain its supercritical properties to create liquid hydrocarbons and gas
Regal Resources owns 100% of Western Victoria Energy Pty Ltd, who owns Exploration Licences
4507 and 4510, located in Victoria, and covers 1406km2 in the Port Phillip and Torquay Basins
Western Victoria Energy Pty Ltd owns 100% of Magma Oil Limited, a special purpose Company
formed to commercialise the UCGL process
Update:
C&C Engineering’s preliminary review of results from the operation
of Stanford’s supercritical flow through reactor suggests that Stanford
University has achieved significant conversion of a reference coal to
product fluids (gases and liquids). C&C Engineering have qualitative
indications of liquefaction in experimental runs. read more
