NationStates Jolt Archive

Corsis Times
Thermal Depolymerization Plant Operational

HUB 14, SOROBADE - Today, in this drilling corporate city, just north of Downpoint, a breakthrough was accomplished. Thermal Depolymerization, the process of manufacturing oil from food waste, has long been a goal of the Kaukolastan Standard Oil Corporation. In the past, the procedure had remained energy negative, but lab experiments in Terenaus bore out further research. This research has paid off for Standard Oil, as this process is now a reality.

The processing plant is a behemoth of pressure chambers and blast furnaces, with giant spires puffing inky smoke into the sky, and the roar of machinery almost deafening. However, this industrial monster can produce up to thirty thousand gallons of crude oil a day from such items as chicken fat. With this breakthrough, Standard Oil can completely control supply, and already, contracts with other nations are flowing in and out for this cheap oil.

Environmentalist groups are decrying this breakthrough as a false hope, stating that the polution produced does not justify the cheaper oil, but consumers are resoundingly happy, as gas prices are expected to drop to seventy tents of a credit for a gallon. To boost environmental support, and gain favor, Standard Oil is offering a Food for Oil program, where for every pound of food waste you bring to their plants, you will recieve a voucher for a quart of gasoline.

With five of these plants now online, and more expected within the month, this is a bright day for Kaukolastan and indeed, all fossil fuel consuming nations.

Mega-OOC

An OOC Explanation of Thermal Depolymerization, currently employed by one plant in Missouri.

The feedstock material is first ground into small chunks, and mixed with water if it is especially dry. It is then fed into a reaction chamber where it is heated to around 250°C and subjected to 600 psi (4 MPa) for approximately 15 minutes, after which the pressure is rapidly released to boil off most of the water. The result is a mix of crude hydrocarbons and solid minerals, which are separated out. The hydrocarbons are sent to a second-stage reactor where they are heated to 500°C, further breaking down the longer chains, and the resulting petroleum is then distilled in a manner similar to conventional oil refining.

Working with turkey offal as the feedstock, the process proved to have yield efficiencies of approximately 85%; in other words, the energy required to process materials could be supplied by using 15% of the petroleum output. Alternately, one could consider the energy efficiency of the process to be 560% (85 units of energy produced for 15 units of energy consumed). Higher efficiencies may be possible with drier and more carbon-rich feedstocks, such as waste plastic.

OOC: I nearly failed public school chemistry and biology, but are you saying that you can create oil in "infinite" supply in days what the natural process takes in millions of years? I sense godmodding, but I could be mistaken. I know this Missouri company does this, but if this Missouri plant is doing this, why are American gasoline prices at record highs? Are you talking about oil you place in a car or oil you fry foods with, because that would certainly answer my question(s).

OOC: This is like cold fusion...and it is godmoding on some level...

It is not produced in real life because it is not profitable to the oil companies. This is neither good nor bad, but if they could provide nearly infinite crude oil, who would pay more than a few cents?

And how is it godmoddery if it is real?

And, Here's a USA Today Article to prove me right. (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2004-01-22-kantor_x.htm)

[OOC POST]

It is not produced in real life because it is not profitable to the oil companies.

And if this is improfitable for real-life oil companies, how is it a good idea for your nation's oil companies? They have to deal with economics, just like the real companies do.

[OOC POST]

It is not produced in real life because it is not profitable to the oil companies.

And if this is improfitable for real-life oil companies, how is it a good idea for your nation's oil companies? They have to deal with economics, just like the real companies do.
Because I operate a near corporate police state. The Standard Oil Company holds a monopoly, and can charge whatever it wishes. This way, complete control over supply is had, without reliance upon nature.

Orbiting the beautiful orb called Earth, the noted Wormian Ambassador looked at it's tranquil serenity. Looking at his datapad, he observed a news article being broadcast around the planet, about a discovery of a science which would allow a virtually limitless supply of petroleum.

"Will they ever learn?" He sighed. Rather than attempt to veer away from fossil fuels, humanity seemed to have chosen to find a way to make fossil fuels.

"Hurrah. An infinite supply of oil... no motive to switch power sources... an infinitely larger ozone hole."

He took from his pocket a camera, and took a picture of Earth while he still had the time. Who knew when Earth and Venus would become true sister worlds....?

KNN Reports

URGENT NEWS

Today, in Terenaus, a Thermal Depolymerization (TDP) Plant was attacked. Terrorists detonated a bomb-laden truck outside Standard Oil Plant 11, causing a massive secondary reaction. Disaster crews are responding, and tertiary blasts have been heard.

The skies are blackened with smoke, and the skyline can be seen burning from Corsis. The ISA has launched an investigation, and casualties are marked at two hundred and climbing as the fires spread into residential areas.

The radical environmentalist group Earth First Army has claimed responsibility, and we are waiting for an official response. We repeat...


OOC: Please, no military stuff. This is just a reaction to feedback I've gotten on this tech.

Because I operate a near corporate police state. The Standard Oil Company holds a monopoly, and can charge whatever it wishes. This way, complete control over supply is had, without reliance upon nature.

Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

Because I operate a near corporate police state. The Standard Oil Company holds a monopoly, and can charge whatever it wishes. This way, complete control over supply is had, without reliance upon nature.

Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.
He's actually right, in my mind. But I am not my nation, and this is profit...