Hart Energy Publishing Launches GASIFICATION NEWS about Fischer-Tropsch, Clean Motor Fuels and IGCC

MCLEAN, Va.--March 15, 2006--"In my 25 years of energy reporting, I've never seen anything like it," said Jack Peckham, executive editor of just-launched GASIFICATION NEWS. "The search for clean motor fuels derived from the Fischer-Tropsch process, combined with new power plants using integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology is attracting investments beyond the traditional electric utilities -- chemical producers, oil refiners and major international integrated energy companies."

The Fischer-Tropsch process is a catalyzed chemical reaction in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen are converted into liquid hydrocarbons. FT fuels were developed 80 years ago with little notice but recent price shocks and economic growth have made FT fuels viable.

GASIFICATION NEWS, launched in February, 2006 is a briefing service for executives who want to navigate profitably through this sea change in the industry.

The first issue of GASIFICATION NEWS reveals a new autothermal reforming technology for gas-to-liquids jointly developed by Osaka Gas and JCG Corp. and the biorefinery consortium led by U.S. paper products company, Potlatch.

Plus, Jack Holmes, president and CEO of Tulsa-based gas-to-liquids Syntroloem, details pending projects from Asia to the Middle East to cash in on its 127 patented, and super-secret non-patented, technology. "We've spent over $200 million developing our technology ... Our number one goal is to reach financial close on a commercial FT plant wherever it is in the world."

And, Randall Rush, project manager of Southern Company's Orlando Gasification Project, told GASIFICATION NEWS how the gasifier planned for Orlando will be different from the world's four other demonstration-scale IGCC units. To view the February issue, go to http://www.worldfuels.com/sample.php?GTLN.

The March issue, to be released this week, contains articles about companies that launched an alliance for synthetic fuels in Europe, plans to turn coal into liquids and chemicals in China, the addition of India to the FutureGen steering committee and Sasol's latest Fischer-Tropsch research reactor in South Africa.

Hart Energy Publishing, LP, based in Houston, is one of the world's largest energy industry publishers, with a diverse array of information products and services. Hart publishes E&P MAGAZINE and OIL & GAS INVESTOR magazine and holds many upstream and downstream conferences each year. Hart also operates the International Fuel Quality Center, complete with its Global Biofuels Service.

New sources of clean fuels will be one of many topics covered at Hart's World Refining and Fuels Conference, Understanding Refining, Fuels and Vehicles in a New Age of Renewables and Energy Market Change, being held March 21-23, 2006, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

During the conference, executives from the world's leading oil producers, refiners and technology providers will address market opportunities for refiners, the outlook for crude and feedstocks, renewable fuels and how technological advances will drive refiner profit margins.

For information about the World Refining & Fuels Conference, see http://www.hartenergyconferences.com/ or call Linda Carter at 703-891-4800.

To subscribe to GASIFICATION NEWS, or to get more information, call Hart newsletter group Publisher David Givens at 703-891-4811, or dgivens@hartenergy.com.

For corporate site license information to GASIFICATION NEWS, contact Cliff Johnson, electronic group publisher, at 703-891-4807 or cjohnson@hartenergy.com.

For more information on Hart Energy Publishing, see http://www.worldfuels.com and http://www.hartenergy.com.