§ 2. Mr. George Hallasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give a list of the plants and the processes in operation for the production of oil from coal in this country, together with the amount of coal carbonised and oil produced in each process?
§ Captain CrookshankAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Out of a total of 85,000,000 gallons of motor spirit produced in 1936 from coal and by-products of coal, 51,000,000 gallons were obtained from several hundred gas works and coke-oven installations, at which a total of about 39,000,000 tons of coal were carbonised. Of the balance, 33⅓ million gallons were obtained at the Billingham hydrogenation plant, and in this connection, 425,000 tons of coal were used. 800,000 gallons were produced at low-temperature carbonisation plants, at which 364,000 tons of coal were carbonised. 95,000,000 gallons of heavy oils were produced, of which 89,000,000 956 gallons were obtained from gas works and coke ovens, and just over 6,000,000 gallons from low-temperature carbonisation plants.
§ 4. Mr. Hallasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give a statement showing the countries which have oil from coal plants in operation; and the processes used, together with the amount of coal carbonised and the amount of oil produced in each country?
§ Captain CrookshankApart from this country, plants for the production of oil from coal by the hydrogenation, synthesis or low temperature carbonisation processes are understood to be operating in Germany, France, Japan and the United States of America. Oil is also produced in these and many other countries by high temperature carbonisation. I regret that no reliable information is available regarding the quantities of coal carbonised and the quantities of oil produced by the processes named in each country.
§ Captain CrookshankAs it is so unreliable, I hardly like to do that.