Manure-derived synthetic crude oil

Manure-derived synthetic crude oil is a synthetic bio-oil chemically engineered (converted) from animal or human manure. Research into the production of manure-derived synthetic fuel began with pig manure in 1996 at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign by the research team led by professors Yuanhui Zhang and Lance Schideman. They developed a method for converting raw pig manure into bio-oil through thermal depolymerization (thermochemical conversion). This process uses a thermochemical conversion reactor to apply heat and pressure for breaking down carbohydrate materials. As a result, bio-oil, methane and carbon dioxide are produced.

With further research, large-scale chemical processing in a refinery-style environment could help process millions of gallons of "pig biocrude" per day. However, this technology is still in its infancy and could produce only 18 USoz of oil per 1 USgal of manure. In 2006, preparations for a construction of a pilot plant started. It is developed by Snapshot Energy, a start-up firm.

According to the tests conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology pig manure biocrude produced by current technology contains 15% water, sulfur and char waste containing heavy metals, which should be removed to improve the quality of oil.