SMALL-SCALE UCG-TO-METHANOL PLANTS VIABLE

Economic projections indicate that reasonably broad limits exist for matching UCG-to-methanol plant size to market need without exceeding the limits of competitiveness. Socioeconomic impacts of new synfuels plants on sparsely populated areas are such that early planning and development of impact mitigation procedures will be essential. If UCG-to-methanol plants cost estimates prove to be reasonably accurate and the economic competitiveness of methanol is established on a large scale, a tremendously large potential would exist for replacing imported oil, or offsetting oil imports by methanol exports. There would be a corresponding reduction in the balance-of-payments deficit.