Show Oil From Coal by German Process I n. n rt i i Stirs Fuel World Bergin Method May Make Reich Independent From Foreign Supply in Few Years By FREDERICK KUH U United Press Staff Correspondent BERLIN United Press Press Press-Ger- Ger Germanys Germany's many's operation of the Bergin process for producing oil from coal voal it is claimed may male make this countr country country coun coun- try tr Independent of foreign oil supplies supplies supplies sup sup- plies within a few years Construction tion lion of a new new plant at Nachterstedt Nachterstedt Nachterstedt near Asch Aschersleben In central Germany is reported to have started start start- ed ad and is sched scheduled led for completion within two years ears Glowing reports to the effect that oil extracted from coal by the German German German Ger Ger- man system is likely to cause an upheaval In the entire world oil trade are strengthened by the interest which Standard Oil Royal Roal Dutch and other immense corporations have manifested for forthe forthe the tire Bergin process It Is not certain yet whether any of the great oil combines will succeed succeed suc sue in buying an interest in the new oil from plant in central Germany Experts consider it doubtful however that the Carmany Germany Germany Ger Car many dyestuffs trust which will control the operation of these works will allow foreign firms to gain insight into German secret processes which are calculated to compete with the natural product Professor Friedrich Bergius of Heidelberg inventor of the process has attempted to damped the ardor of enthusiastic prophets He discounts reports that his invention invention invert invert- tion will evoke a revolution on the them m world I markets ft I ft and ft 1 m world I markets ft I ft and ft 1 oil perhaps himself overzealously seeks to persuade persuade persuade per per- suade the public that oil-from-coal oil will not rival the natural product Other experts suggest that Dr Bergin is eager to conceal the true hue significance of his system until un un- un- un til he is ready to enter the world market on a large scale Premature Premature Premature Pre Pre- mature disclosure of the importance of the Bergin gin process It Is insisted would put competitors on their guard A reckoning of production costs appears to fortify the contentions contentions' of enthusiastic Bergin oil advocates Dr Von Jellinek of the Bergius laboratories at Heidelberg Heidelberg Heidel Heidel- berg has computed that oil products pro pro- ducts extracted from coal by the Bergin method will cost 32 92 marks 23 23 per ton ton ton-or or only only 78 76 marks marks' I about 20 per ton if electrical energy is generated at the plant Meanwhile the the world market martet price of the natural product fluctuates flue flue- between and marks 47 35 per ton To compete with Bergin oil then world petroleum prices would have to take a big drop Whether the development ot of the I Bergin process will emancipate Germany from foreign oil Imports as the German press suggests Is likely to remain undecided for several several sev say eral years But nut experts recall that other scientific achievements in Germany during recent years have performed economic miracles Thus the he Inauguration of the HaberBosch HaberBosch Haber- Haber Bosch process for obtaining nitrogen nitrogen nitrogen nitro nitro- gen from air not only spares German German Ger Ger- German man a yearly import of approximately approximately approximately tons of Chile saltpeter saltpeter saltpeter salt salt- peter but now enables Germany to export tons tons of ot of fixed nitrogen nl- nl trogen en annually I This performance It is asserted assert assert- I ed od suggests that a parallel development development development devel devel- in the oil industry is not unthinkable On the other hand it is argued that the swift growth of motor- motor fuel Cuel consumption the Increase e of automobiles In Germany and German German German Ger Ger- man expansion of df f commercial aviation aviation avia- avia tion ion will augment the domestic de demand demand demand de- de mand for fur oil to such an extent that foreign Imports will continue to be bc essential t to meet Germanys Germany's requirements re- re for man many years ears It is estimated that in 1927 Germany will vill require about one million tons I of fuel oils The Bergin process around which International oil corporations have centered their interest Is not new Experiments starting in 1909 led ledo to o the issuance of a patent in 1913 he Che Fhe process depends upon the tile hy- hy of coal under atmospheres at atmospheres atmospheres at- at pressure al at degrees hY 1 centigrade for a yield of or about 45 per pel er cent oil which can be refined for tor or gasoline ammonia and and other prod end end I |