Public release date: 29-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dave Guerin dguerin@latech.edu 318-257-4854 Louisiana Tech University

RUSTON, La. Recognizing a national need to eliminate U.S. dependency on foreign oil and reverse large trade deficits driven by oil imports, Jupiter Fuels a privately owned startup development company focused on proving the economics of breakthrough natural gas-to-liquid fuel conversion technology is capitalizing on nanotechnology energy research taking place at Louisiana Tech University.

Fuel conversion technology developed at Louisiana Tech can covert natural gas to liquid fuel more efficiently, at lower pressures (meaning dramatically lower capitalization costs), than current industry methods. Private investors in Jupiter Fuels, which include James Madden and his sons Doug Madden, David Madden and John Madden of Minden, Louisiana, are joining with Louisiana Tech to embark on a $3.3 million prototype development effort.

In an effort to continue working closely with faculty and researchers at Louisiana Tech, company officials announced today the establishment of a Jupiter Fuels, LLC development office located in Louisiana Tech's Humana Enterprise Center. David Madden, who will serve as president of Jupiter Fuels, Doug Madden and John Madden are all graduates of Louisiana Tech.

Joining the board of Jupiter Fuels are Dr. Chester Wilson, an associate professor of electrical engineering and nanosystems engineering at Louisiana Tech, and Dr. John McDonald, one of Wilson's former students. Wilson and McDonald are the inventors of the nanotechnology developed at Louisiana Tech.

"It's simple economics that drives the value of this invention and investment," said David Madden. "The cost of natural gas is pretty low while the price of liquid fuel is high. If we can more efficiently convert 9,000 cubic feet of natural gas to the same amount of liquid fuel that comes from a barrel of oil, then I think we may have something valuable for America."

Wilson and McDonald were introduced to the Maddens by Joel Martin, a retired Air Force colonel and local entrepreneur, who has experience in helping research and development efforts at universities.

Jupiter Fuels was created to prove the economic value of converting feedstock methane gas, such as Louisiana's plentiful natural gas reserves, to liquid fuel. The gas-to-liquid conversion is done using the Fischer-Tropsch process that was invented in Germany, originally for coal gasification, before World War II.

Wilson and McDonald found new bulk-process nanomaterial catalysts that greatly improve gas-to-liquid conversion efficiency. Their breakthrough research also allows the catalyst to convert gas to liquid fuel at far lower pressures than current industry methods. Lower pressures in their improved process means that the cost of the establishing and maintaining fuel production plants can be greatly reduced.

Original post:
Nanotechnology developed at Louisiana Tech University leads to breakthrough in fuel conversion