Wyoming Coal's Role in Gassification; Past, Present, and Back to the Future

Robert M. Lyman, Coal Section, Wyoming State Geological Survey, P.O Box 1347, Laramie, WY 82073, phone: 307 766 2286, fax: 307 766 2605, [email protected] and Nick R. Jones, Coal Section, Wyoming State Geological Survey, P.O Box 1347, Laramie, 82073.

Today Wyoming is the nation's leading net exporter of energy to the rest of the country. To maintain Wyoming's rightful place in the nation's energy future, the gas industry not only must continue to find creative ways to discover and develope conventional gas resources and expand the recovery of CBNG, but also be ready to particpate in coal gasification projects. Coal gasification in Wyoming has been looked at in the past and will occur in the not too distant future. Wyoming gas producers will play an important role in the future realization of the full energy potential contained in Wyoming's vast coal resources.

This talk presents a brief overview of past Wyoming coal gasification projects. Reserve quanity and quality and current challenges for the future, both political and technical are presented. Finally a dreamscape road map to future Wyoming coal utilization, including coal gasification projects will be presented.