Analysis of Transportation Alternative for Meeting Texas' Industrial Demand for Western Coal Through the Year 2000. Public Information Report No. 4

摘要

An analysis of Texas' industrial energy demands and fuel supplies through the year 2000 is developed for differing assumptions, with particular emphasis on the use and supply of western coal. Existing and potential future transportation facilities for the movement of coal and coal-derived energy between the coal fields of Wyoming and Montana and Texas' demand centers are examined. The technical, economic, environmental, and institutional factors affecting unit trains, slurry pipelines, barges and mine-mouth conversion of coal to electricity and to synthetic gases and liquids are discussed with primary attention directed at unit trains and slurry pipelines. Given the projected demands for western coal, a mathematical network model is utilized to determine the adequacy of existing transporation facilities and the cost of providing additional facilities to meet the projected demands. The results indicate that with moderate investment in railroad maintenance and expansion and continuance of current noncoal rail traffic volumes, adequate rail capacity is available within Texas to handle the projected coal demands through the year 2000. The capacity of the rail network connecting western coal fields with Texas may be a constraint to future coal transportation. The transportation cost using unit trains will be approximately 30 percent greater than if slurry pipelines are utilized although adequate capacity appears to exist to handle the coal demands. From consideration of direct transporation costs and certain subjective criteria, construction of two or three large-capacity slurry pipelines into the Houston area would result in providing the projected coal demands to the state at the minimum total cost. (ERA citation 04:033746)