Australia to Promote Coal-to-Liquids to Improve Energy Security
By Angela Macdonald-Smith
June 5 (Bloomberg) — Australia will promote development of an industry for the conversion of coal and natural gas into cleaner transport fuels to improve security of supply, the country’s resources minister said.
The government is working with proponents of the technology on an “action agenda” for the industry, Martin Ferguson will say at a lunch today, according to an e-mailed copy of his address. Converting coal and natural gas to fuels will play a “major role in Australia’s energy future,” he said.
Australia’s trade deficit in oil and refined fuels is more than A$7 billion ($6.7 billion) and is set to expand to A$25 billion within the next decade. Monash Energy, a venture between Anglo American Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, is considering building a plant in Victoria state to turn coal into motor fuel, whileLinc Energy Ltd. is set to open a plant in Queensland that will produce 5 barrels a day of ultra-clean diesel from coal.
“The industry is real – and taking off – and ultra-clean GTL diesel is in the global marketplace, attracting significant premiums,” Ferguson said in the address.
A review being carried out by Treasury Secretary Ken Henry into the taxation system will include an assessment of barriers to investment in natural gas processing plants in Australia, Ferguson said. It will study the hurdles faced in particular by developers of gas fields in remote areas and potential policies to encourage the development of new liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquids projects, he said.
Australia `Underweight’
Australia is “underweight” in its share of global LNG supply given the size of its gas resources, Wood Mackenzie Consultants Ltd. said in April. The country has about 15.2 million tons a year of LNG production capacity, while the oil and gas industry association has a target of 50-60 million tons a year of capacity within about 10 years.
Chevron Corp.‘s proposed Gorgon LNG project, with planned capacity of 15 million tons a year, has been delayed by a surge in construction costs.Woodside Petroleum Ltd.‘s Sunrise and Browse ventures are among other projects awaiting approval.
“New gas projects such as Gorgon, Browse and Sunrise are struggling to get off the ground and it is therefore time to even up the playing field for investment,” Ferguson said in the address. He didn’t elaborate.
To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Macdonald-Smith in Sydney at[email protected]
Last Updated: June 4, 2008 22:14 EDT
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Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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