Large high pressure vessels operated at high temp...pricey.
Read my linked article if you want to know about the process. The pilot plant was claiming $15/barrel hoping production to go to $7.
$80 was a bit much so the company was either scamming for investors or had rosey predictions on scaleability.
It does make oil from organics, it is just the cost that is prohibitive.
DK
Here's the gory details:
http://www.mindfully.org/Air/2005/Changing-World-Technologies12apr05.htm
DK