Coal
EERC research is ensuring that coal can be utilized as cleanly and efficiently as possible in existing facilities as well as with emerging technologies. Coal research at the EERC pursues a scientific understanding of the physical, chemical, and mineralogical nature of coal as the foundation for engineering coal conversion and power systems.

• Resource assessments offered.

Oil and Gas
Oil- and gas-related research programs at the EERC embrace an array of issues relevant to the industry. The EERC multidisciplinary science and engineering research team has more than three decades of practical field and laboratory experience in environmental issues currently facing the industry.

The EERC provides the oil and gas industry with a variety of services and technologies. These include the following:

• Produced water management
• Petroleum desulfurization
• Resource assessments
• Site characterization
• Waste utilization expertise
• Contaminant characterization, transport, and fate assessment

Nonfuel Carbon Products
EERC researchers are engaged in developing specialized value-added products from coal, plastic wastes, and other low-cost carbon sources to meet needs in emission control, waste management, metallurgy, and the chemical industry. The EERC has extensive process development facilities and state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation to produce specialty products and to characterize their chemical, mineralogical, and surface properties.

Capabilities

• Mild gasification to produce char, oil, and gas from coal
• Production of formcoke and activated carbon sorbents
• Evaluation of sorbents for mercury, air toxic metals, and volatile organics
• Carbon molecular sieves
• Surface coating to protect carbon surfaces
• Catalyst supports using stabilized carbon surfaces
• Upgrading of coal liquids to produce specialty chemicals
• Thermal processes for recovery of monomers from waste plastics