Coal Conversion Research Program At the Alberta Research Council
Authors: du Plessis M.P. 
Published: March 2010

This paper discusses the Alberta Research Council's long-term research program in coal conversion, formulated in consultation with government and industry and implemented in collaboration with other R & D centers. Programs are presented under the following headings: Coal Liquefaction, Coal Pyrolysis, Fluidized-Bed Technology, Underground Coal Gasification and Coal Technology Information Center. Coals and process types being investigated in the liquefaction and pyrolysis programs are described and examples are presented of preliminary results from in-house tests and from tests at other centers.

Introduction

The Alberta Research Council (Council), a Crown corporation founded in 1921 to promote responsible economic development in Alberta through science and technology, has a staff of 500 working at laboratories and offices in Edmonton. Nisku, Devon, Red Deer, Calgary and Lethbridge.

Operating under the authority of the Alberta Research Council Act, it has a mandate to conduct research: related to the utilization and upgrading of the natural resources of Alberta; on new and improved technical processes and methods that are, or might be, used in Alberta industries; on behalf of, or in conjunction with, persons, firms or organizations that wish to avail themselves of the expertise and facilities of the Council; in the natural sciences with the objective of improving the welfare and progress of urban and rural life in Alberta.

The Research Council's 15-member board of directors includes representatives from government, industry and universities.

In 1979, the board of directors and the Alberta Government approved a long-range plan which was developed in consultation with representatives of the private sector, government and universities(1). The plan identified the following four main thrusts:expansion of research on oil sands and heavy oils;major expansion of research on coal;further development of services to industry and pursuit of new ways to work with industry;a substantial effort focused on those frontiers of science likely to be of long-term economic benefit.

The Research Council also conducts an ongoing natural resources research program(2).

Alberta's oil sands deposits are among the world's largest known reserves of oil. Alberta also has over 70 per cent of Canada's known coal reserves, with an energy content at least equivalent to all the known reserves of oil sands and heavy oil in the province(3).

As sources of conventional oil dwindle and exploration and development costs for new resources increase, both coal and oil sands will become increasingly important in the quest for energy self sufficiency and possible export of synthetic liquids.

Coal as a Source of Liquid Fuels

The extent of Alberta's Plains Coal, together with its quality and availability at relatively low cost, makes it an attractive source of liquid fuels to meet the energy demands of future years. Although coal can be converted to many end products such as fuel gas and synthesis gas for hydrogen and ammonia production. liquid fuels remain the most desirable product mainly because they can be transported more cheaply over long distances and their high energy density makes them uniquely suitable as fuels for transportation and agriculture(4,4a).