Fuel from coal: How relevant? What are the prospects?

In general, the French public does not know that coal is not only the number one fossil fuel worldwide but also the fastest growing fossil fuel. Few observers know that coal can be converted to petroleum products, even though South Africa has been satisfying 30% of its fuel needs thanks to coal liquefaction for several decades now. This industrialized process called Coal-To-Liquids (CTL) is not something magic. This highly complicated technology calls for heavy investments and involves difficult operations owing to the nature of the liquids being processed and conditions related to temperature and pressure