The process has been known from the turn of the century and used widely in countries that didn't have access to oil.It is an energy intensive process, so that was where the cost was. I though maybe they should make it with solar furnaces in Arizona or somewhere like that. If you do some "googling", you can even find a place that will sell you a unit to make it yourself if you have access to coal. The one I saw before would fit on an 18 wheeler and could be hauled anywhere.
The lignite found in Texas tends to be relatively low in sulfur.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/coal_trans/chap2.html
See Table 2, West-South Region