March 31, 2007

Louisiana is a “Saudi Arabia” for pet coke, says Eric Smith, clinical professor of finance and economics at the Freeman School’s Entergy-Tulane Energy Institute and co-author of a new report on petroleum coke, a byproduct of refinery operations that can be used for electric power generation. Louisiana produces 11-13 million tons of pet coke a year but uses only 600,000 tons, Smith told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The rest is exported at a significant discount to be used as fuel in the Mediterranean and elsewhere.

The report, The Potential for Use of Lignite and Pet-coke for Louisiana for Electric Power Generation, was commissioned by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and is available online at http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/energy/.