Demonstration CTL Plant Opens In Queensland  

Energy Minister Martin Ferguson reports that Linc Energy's coal to liquids (or more accurately UCG - underground coal gasification - then GTL - gas to liquids) demonstration plant has opened in Queensland - Coal-to-liquids demonstration plant opens.

The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, has launched the world's first coal-to-liquids demonstration plant to use Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) technology.

Linc Energy's demonstration plant near Chinchilla in Queensland is producing clean synthetic diesel and jet fuel from gas sourced from deep underground coal reserves. First production was achieved on 14 October 2008.|

Minister Ferguson said: " Australia is coal and gas rich, with hundreds of years of reserves. Technologies that convert coal and gas to ultra-clean diesel and jet fuel have the potential to replace Australia's declining oil reserves and make us self-sufficient in liquid transport fuels once again.

"A domestic synthetic fuels industry would reduce - and maybe even one day remove - our growing trade deficit in petroleum products which last year grew to almost $15 billion."

Minister Ferguson said: "This technology unlocks energy from Australia's significant stranded and uneconomic coal reserves and has the potential to dramatically reduce Australia's dependence upon imported oil and refined products." ...

Minister Ferguson said: " Australia has enormous potential as a coal-to-liquids producer and an economically viable and environmentally sustainable coal-to-liquids industry would not only increase Australia's energy security, but also provide jobs, exports, revenue and economic growth, particularly in regional communities.

"Similarly, gas-to-liquids could open up new opportunities for development of Australia's vast northwest gas resources and east coast coal seam methane resources, complementing the potential of Australia's well-established LNG industry."