PETROL FROM COAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 68, 17 September 1936, Page 22

PETROL FROM COAL

AN EXPENSIVE JOB

The production of petrol from coal was discussed at last night's meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society when the Technological Section was addressed by Mr. W. A. Joiner, of the Dominion Laboratory, on this subject. The speaker described in detail the hydrogenation process used by Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., at their works at Billingham, England, where the petrol production is about 45 million gallons per annum at present. The total cost of this plant had been about £5,500,000.

This production, Mr. Joiner pointed out, was not an economical proposition at present. The landed cost of motor spirit in England was threepence to fourpence a gallon, as against a cost of at least sixpence a gallon at present by the hydrogenation process. However, the industry was in its infancy and one could not forecast the developments of the future. Experience was being gained from the money spent, and this was necessary if progress was to be made, but New Zealand should be content to await with patience the rssults of experiments elsewhere before embarking upon such undertakings.