[marron]

Oil has been cheap so far, even now. That's the problem with alternative energy. It just costs more.

I think you could figure the equivalent cost of SASOL-style coal-derived gasoline as being the upper price limit of oil-based gasoline. Gasoline has to stay low enough not to trigger the construction of coal-to-gasoline refineries.

The price of coal-gasoline would improve over time as the technology became more widely employed.

The catch is, as it often is, you would have a very difficult time ever getting a permit to build such a plant; no jurisdiction is going to want to deal with it. The fact that such a plant is in direct competition with OPEC would guarantee that the environmentalists would go crazy.

US oil companies would not be a problem, however, as they would most probably own it and the coal field supplying it.

[RightWhale]

Oil companies may be toploaded with geologists and chemists, but they could no doubt staff up with physicists if necessary to continue to function in the energy sector when some of the alternatives turn to solar and wind. Big equipment such as solar or wind farms shouldn't be a problem for those already dealing with oil rigs, pipelines, and refineries. Some of these other fuels such as hydrogen and alcohol would already be right down their alley.