Statement by Douglas R. Stephens, Project Leader, in Situ Coal Gasification, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to the Subcommittee on Energy Research and Development Senate Committee on Energy and National Resources

摘要

As a result of the repeated demonstrations of technical feasibility, underground coal gasification is becoming recognized as one of the most promising methods to produce clean fuels from deep unusable coal. Successful use of the technology would quadruple the US proven reserves of coal: from 0.4 trillion to 1.8 trillion tons. Such a resource, which is over twice the energy equivalent of the total recoverable oil in the world, is enough to last for hundreds of years. The cost of products such as synthetic natural gas or gasoline, which are so vital to our nation's economy, are estimated to be competitive with conventional sources. The process is environmentally benign. The Underground Coal Gasification and Unconventional Gas Research, Development, and Demonstration Act provides the goals and funding needed to develop commercial underground coal gasification within ten years, and with a very reasonable budget. UCG can make a significant and positive impact on the US energy economy if the bill is enacted. (ERA citation 05:031477)