I Have a Mansion in the Post-apocalyptic World (Web Novel)

Chapter 845: Oil grown from the ground

Translator: _Min_ Editor: Caron_

On September 28th, the continuously rising oil prices marked the highest increase of the month, and it closed at 71 US Dollars per barrel, more than double the previous year’s high. High pressure on the global economy caused by high oil prices was also seen from Future Heavy Industrial’s financial report.

Affected by rising costs, the profits of multiple Future Heavy Inudstries projects decreased by 13% from the previous quarter. Future Biology and Future Mining suffered minor impacts. Future Tourism’s profits was equal to the previous quarter’s. Only Future Technology maintained an upward trend.

As long as it maintained a technological lead, the Internet would be an infinite gold mine.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) issued a statement on the same day that OPEC members would hold an informal meeting in Algeria in October to discuss modest increases in production to maintain the stability of the oil market. Only when the oil price stabilized within a relatively reasonable range could the interests of these oil-producing countries be maximized.

If the global economy was in turmoil because of oil prices, although they could profit in the short term, the subsequent decline in oil demands would make their days much worse.

However, after the announcement of this statement, it didn’t mention the rising oil prices.

Tesla’s boss, Elon Musk, once said: You’re burning such an expensive chemical resource?

The petrochemical industry was one of the standards for measuring a country’s basic industrial development level. Ethylene production was a measure of the development level of a country’s petrochemical industry. Fuel was only a small part of oil’s usage. Why wouldn’t gasoline be used to measure the level of development of a country’s petrochemical industry?

Ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene, and xylene were examples of basic chemical resources; all were processed from oil itself!

The high price of oil was indeed a big problem for emerging economies.

However, for Jiang Chen, who possessed all the technology from the 22nd century, this problem didn’t seem so drastic.

Not enough oil? Then replace it with something else!

At that moment, at Future Biology’s lab, Jiang Chen entered the culture area with the subsidiary CEO, Tao Ming.

“This way please.”

Tao Ming gestured and respectfully opened the door for Jiang Chen.

Fresh air blew out as soon as the door opened.

The circular roof was covered with hexagon-shaped graphene plates, and the bottom was a trial field consisting of separate culture tanks. Inside the culture tanks were palm tree-looking plants inside.

More than a dozen researchers surrounded the culture tank. Some were recording data, some were debugging the experimental equipment, and others were checking plant growth

When Jiang Chen and the director of the Lab came in, the researcher, who was leading the experimental team, immediately walked in his direction with his eyes lit up.

The man dressed in a white coat looked very tall and thin. He was about 50 years old.

“This is Mr. Jiang Chen, president of our group.” Tao Ming introduced Jiang Chen, who was standing next to him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Jiang Chen. I have long admired your name.” Sullivan smiled and revealed his white teeth. He shook his hand.

Immediately afterward, Tao Ming introduced Professor Sullivan to Jiang Chen.

“This is Professor Bill Sullivan; we hired him from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His area of research is bio-engineering and gene technology. His main research direction is oil crops; he currently has an authoritative position in the research related to this area.”

“I am also very pleased to meet you, Professor Sullivan. Thank you for joining us. Our research project has taken a big step forward.” Shaking Professor Sullivan’s hand, Jiang Chen greeted him.

“No, no, I should thank you.” After releasing his hand, Sullivan shook his head very seriously and looked at Jiang Chen. “The DNA code provided by you is very interesting. After I examined the research, some of the problems that previously challenged me were immediately solved. Can I know who invented the code? If it’s convenient, I want to speak with this person.”

“Oh, this is a bit difficult because for various reasons, he can’t come here for the time being.” Jiang Chen briefly addressed the question then diverted the topic, “Let’s not talk about this. How’s the research progress? Can you show me?”

When Jiang Chen asked about the progress, Sullivan was proud.

“Of course, let me show you.”

He turned around and took Jiang Chen and Tao Ming to a “palm tree” then spread out his hand in the direction of the culture tank with a smile.

“This is the result of our research, Oil palm.”

Sullivan gestured to his assistant, took the gloves from his hands and carefully opened the glass cover of the culture tank.

“After modifying 37 DNA fragments from the palm tree, we created the genetically modified Oil palm tree through two generations of cultivation. The oil it produces is no longer palm oil but a liquid nearly 90% similar to oil… It’s like this.”

As he talked, he took a knife from his assistant and he gently slashed the surface of the palm tree.

A shocking scene unfolded.

With just a small slash on the bark, a dark red and viscous sap flowed out!

The assistant wearing gloves came forward and used a beaker to collect 20 ml of liquid. Then he went to an instrument and conducted component identification.

Soon, a report was placed before Jiang Chen.

Although he couldn’t read it, Jean interpreted the parameters on the report for him.

Indeed, as Professor Sullivan said, the sap produced by this Oil palm was indeed surprisingly similar to oil! With just a little bit of processing, it would be higher quality oil compared to conventional oil from underground!

“At first, we tried to produce this liquid through the fruit. However, we later discovered that if the oil-secretion is designed into the plant’s nutritional organization, it will greatly reduce production efficiency. Later, we simply deleted the related DNA and it was completely transformed into a palm tree without any fruit. Then the organ that produced the oil was designed next to the transporting tissue. Finally, we ended up with this.” Professor Sullivan, thrilled, knocked on the glass of the culture tank. “Only a small opening on the bark allows a lot of oil to be harvested from the tissue under the bark!”

Looking at this plant, which looked no different from typical palm trees, Jiang Chen looked stunned.

[Oh my! Growing oil from the ground; this is simply money being grown!]

The relevant DNA of this plant was brought from the database in the apocalypse, but a piece of DNA code that he didn’t understand was far less shocking than seeing “black gold” oozing from the tree!

[Oh no, it’s a dark red liquid…Who cares! As long as oil can be refined!]

“How long is the plant’s growth cycle?” Jiang Chen asked immediately.

In his memory, the early growth of plants in the palm family was quite slow. After the maturity period, it only grew about one meter a year. If he had to wait five years to use this palm tree to produce oil, it would too late!

“There’s no need to grow from the seed. We can obtain this kind of palm by using special means to make specific changes to the structure of the tissue. This cycle of induction differentiation is only two months long!” Sullivan said affirmatively.

“You made a great contribution!” Jiang Chen was filled with joy. He patted Sullivan’s shoulder and announced in a loud voice, “All the researchers involved in this project will receive a bonus of half a million dollars! As for Professor Sullivan, I’ll personally award him 5 million more!”

All the people in the lab had trouble breathing. Even Tao Ming’s eyebrows jumped.

The bonuses were in the tens of millions. No workplaces worldwide offered this kind of bonus.

However, Jiang Chen thought the money was worth it. He was never stingy toward his researchers

Talent was always at the core of Future Group. Only talent like this would allow him to own the future!