Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-09-26
TERN $500 PER YEA
A STUDY OF ROtK OIL.
Sea Water and Carbon OIL at the Bot
tom of IL.

L
tom OF IL.
A long time ago il was jOkingly men
toned IN the papers as bear pointer
that Frenchman by an artificial process
had, after much labor produced 4 good
article of crude oil, the actual cost of
which to ia manufacturer would be
about ten dollars per gallon. The
Frenchman was VI. Ber'helot and as 4
sequel to the above tie Petroleum World
of Iitusville, published the results of his
scientific experiments.
L.. the effort to explain the origin of
petroleum some scientists have assumed
it to be the result of vegetable decompos.
ition, while others proved this a fallacy
and endeavored to show that it was the
result of animal decomposition. When
this was shown to be wrong most people
gave up in despair. NJ. Berthelot, how
ever, carefully studied the chemical de-
composition of petroleum and when he
had satisfied himself on this point he
began experimenting, endeayoring TO
make petroleum or substance that had
the same chemical constituents as pet
roleum
This he finally accomplished and as
result established what is assuredly the
correct theory of the cause and source
of the origin of petroleum. BY the
action of superheated steam on cast iren
that was en- ceedngly rich in carbon, in
fluid state at very high temperature,
a product was produced which after a
careful investigation was found to be
indent:cal with the hydrocarbons FORM
ing crude petroleum. This discovery
no. only offered a hypothetical theory
of the formation of petroleum but IN
doubtedly perfectly explains the nature
and origin of its formation at great
r depths in the interior of the earth.
The way in which nature, in her great
laboratory, makes petroleum is easily
, comprehended and understood when a
!. few well known philosophical facts are
G considered.
q 1t is a demons. rable fact that the
specifc gravity of constituents of the
= clrth greatly increases as the centre is
n approached and that at a gleat depth
there is a vast accumulation ofthe heavi-
~ er metals; and it is also known that the
:, heat OF the interior of the earth so in.
81 creases as the centre is approached that
e. at great deoths it is hot beyond any
10 artificial heat that man can create on
n earth's surface. 1t is also proven by
experiments that iron, at very high
~ temperature and under great pressure,
n is able to absorb much larger percentages
to of carbon than the cast iron in blast
j, furnaces.
" is also known that through assures
III the oc can bed water filte rs TO very
le eat depths, where the heat is excessive
r. and where iron would be in melted
re condtion4nd under great pressure.
Here, then, are the necessary conditions
to prod uce the same results as were pro.
~ duced in the laboratory of VI. Berihelot.
IN The chemical action which produces the
ly petroleum is as follows:
The sea water coming into these very
hot depths is converted into supefheat-
ur ed steam, which coming in contact with
the melted iron, rich in carbon, is de.
is composed into free hydrogen and
,o oxygen. The oxygen combines with The
iron to iron oxvde and the hydrogen
10 unities with the carbon, which was set
D. free through the oxidation process thus
d: forming the hydro. carbons. These
~ nv jro-carbons consist of gas, vapor and
oils, which in the intensely hot regions
III where they are formed, are in a vaporous
up state. These vapors, ascending through
q. fissures to higher and cooler region,
will by condensation, deposit all their
'0 condensabie products upon reaching a
a strata of porous rock able to absorb the
| I'll AI NH oh har ia ON
ne imperyious strata to prevent their furth-
rs or ascending. The result of these con-
ip densed liquified products is petroleum.
or rock oil, as found i'm the soctlled oil
ne bearing rock.
w II NAV be asked why, il the above bc
es true, tina. petroleum is not found in aii
'e. parts Of tine world and why, when 1oubd
le- in n strata Of rock ut one place, 1t Is ot
nd sometimes only short distance away.
q The shortest answer would be hat the
se combination of the several necessary
conditions for not only its formation,
at hut condensation and deposit did not
n exist in those places where 1t is not
tie found. Ii must lie remembered that not
he only must the hydro carbon vapors DC
all formed IN the interior, but there must
ID. be assures in the various sub stratas
OF through which the vapors come up
Its toward the surface. and that these nssures
at do not exist in all places. Further, even
when the vapors do ascend, condensc
'b- and form petroleum IN deposit the
srs yapors must lind their way TO strata oi
,at rock Sufficiently porous TO absorb aud
,f hold the condensed products and that to
'er condense 'he vapors these strstas OF rock
to must be sufficiently near the surface to
ls be cold enough to cause the necessary
Ite, | Ioon1onoatiop And AGAIN that such
tly stratas of iock must be overlsid with
al shell or crust or strata that is imrerviou'
ter TO the ascending vapors, otherwise they
lily will continue TO ascend to the surface
and ;:>,tead of condensing, escape ano
The pass off into the air in gaseous or va
ing porous state, az is frequently the case II
q Is many parts Of the world where ther'
po' exist gas springs, so called.
20 20 A lady from New York who was OF
lfO | .oo.I ,ba otarmer TicOndeIOpa on LAX