[RightWhale]

all sorts of coal gassification techniques will come on line

That would presume coal gassification plants, of which there are effectively none.

[Rodney King]

That would presume coal gassification plants, of which there are effectively none.

Sure, but the liklihood of rising prices will create them. When whale oil was running out, there was no government program to create oil refineries. The market created them. Same thing will happen here.

[muleskinner]

That would presume coal gassification plants, of which there are effectively none

There are 20 year old plans in the archives at companies like Kellogg, Brown & Root. I'd guess about a year and a half or so to get something built and product flowing.