This is potentially disruptive technology and as such will be...

This is potentially disruptive technology and as such will be seen as a threat to some. It creates value from previously unmineable deposits deep underground, but doesn't help those that have mineable reserves near the surface. So perhaps companies like RIO and BHP will be more interested in trying to use their existing coal reserves in a cleaner way than seeking new ones. Ultimately the new technology will win out if it is superior. It looks like it is the customers of RIO and BHP that are taking the lead - I just saw a news alert about China's first UCG plant today and India and Japan also very interested.

Good to see BP and Chevron taking an interest, they have less to lose from it and have shown more than just a passing interest in alternative energy sources. Lets hope the others see the light soon or it will be their own loss. There is no reason that they couldn't set up their own operations except currently they don't have the projects, the expertise or the experience and these are in short supply. The RIO/BP project in W.A. is already running into trouble due to a lack of these things, so these should be highly valued even if impossible to monopolize.

http://www.marketwire.com/2.0/release.do?id=743500&sourceType=1
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21882710-5005200,00.html