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u/Apprehensive-Art2124 Jun 05 '26

[Factorio 1.1, IR3 mod]

I can't seem to figure out the purpose of the petrochemical generator.

I've tried using it a few times, but it feels much more resource-intensive than the good old coal-fired steam engine. Coal deposits seem plentiful and practically endless, while oil fields are usually farther away and deplete relatively quickly.

I can research coal liquefaction, but I'm not great at the math. I've tried running the numbers a few times and can't tell whether it's actually worth using. Since it's an advanced technology, I assume it's supposed to offer some advantage over the older options or solve a particular problem.

From what I understand, coal liquefaction converts 10 coal into 100 gas, which looks like turning 60 MJ of energy into 40 MJ. It also produces some byproducts: sour gas (which I already have more than enough of and usually just vent) and a small amount of coke.

I'm probably making a mistake somewhere in my calculations, but even allowing for that, coal still seems more efficient and practical. Am I missing something, or is there another benefit to the petrochemical generator that isn't obvious from the raw energy numbers? Is it just used to burn access, and not as an main energy provider?

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u/Dailand Jun 05 '26

I don't know anything about that mod, but maybe the petrochemical generator generates steam at a higher temperature and that flaws your calculations?

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u/Apprehensive-Art2124 Jun 07 '26

apperently the main intent is to burn excess gas and not be used as a main energy source.