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To: Elroy Jetson who wrote (70086)	8/4/2008 4:36:46 AM
From: Maurice Winn	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

That seems the best use of methane [to lighten up heavy stuff by cracking it and filling it with hydrogen], but I have no idea on the economics. Synthetic petrol from methane via methanol using Mobil's process was how a lot of Maui gas was used, much of it wasted after crude oil price had fallen in the late 1980s. Your suggestion seems a better idea where methane, heavy stuff and consumers are together in abundance. The heavy stuff can easily be carted to the methane and the resulting lighter products to the consumers. For example, Orinoco or other heavy cheap stuff could be carted to the USA, methane could be processed with it and transport fuels shipped to consumers. But maybe it would make more sense to cart lighter but still heavy crudes, strip out the light ends then crack the rest. Whichever way they do it, there is apparently a LOT of methane and there is definitely a lot of goop available, so the combination will compete with OPEC and other traditional crude oil/refining processes. Mqurice