Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20

NG& - nomic value and in
aS &S its influence on
AS civilization. 1t is
@ not too much to say
that it has brought light TO almost every
household. To the United States it has
been of great economic value, for the reason
that it has given an increase of our CONNER
cial products amounting in value to between
S2O, 1000, 900 to S3O,OOOO00 per annum,
in this respect ranking with anthracite
coal 1t has also been a large element
in our foreign trade. For awhile it seemed
that as regards this substance, the United
States would encounter no considerable COM
petition in the worlds markets. II now ap-
pears evident, however, that the marvellous
wells at Baku. on the shores of the Caspian,
will contend with us for the trade beyond
our own frontiers. In 1887, 81, 600, 600
gallons were shipped from the Russian field,
amounting to about one-third of the pro-
duction in the United States. The produc-
ton from the Caspian territory is increasing
by leaps and bounds. The flow from the
wells is so enormous that no storage can be
provided for it, and indeed, from one well it
is said that more than l, 900, 600 barrels were
lost from the impossibility OF constructing
reservoirs with sufficient rapidity to contain
it.
COLORADO OIL.
The competition from this unexpected
source makes it a matter of Importance to
ascertain how far our sources of American
supply are TO continue A few years ago 1t
was supposed that all the profitable oil
fields OF this country were known. As these
fields already began TO show symptoms of
exhaustion, the question was as to the en-
durance OF the source OF proht. a recent
paper bv Prof. j. s. Newberry, read before
the New York Academy OF Sciences, was
printed in the Engineering and Mining
Journal. 1t describes the general conditions
of the oil field in the northwestern corner of
Colorado. The discovery was first made 20
years ago, but it is only within four wears
that the oil was found in paying quantities.
There are now about 40 weis; none OF them
yield oil in the large quantity which is
afforded by certain Pennsylvania wells, but
they pour out from 20 to 100 barrels day
from each opening, and the yield now
am UNITS TO about 900 barrels day.
There are a number OF interesting facts
connected with this Colorado oil which de-
serve the attention OF the reader. In the
first place the discovery is of much import
ance because the oil comes from the rocks of
the cretaceous age, horizon which has not
previously yielded any considerable guam
tity of petroleum. Within the valley of the
Mississippi all the oil has been derived from
rocks below the coal measures, and the pre-
sumption has been that deposits as modern
as the cretaceous would not be likely to
yield any profitable quantities of this SUBJ
stance.
The quality of the oil is also peculiar in
the fact that it has an agreeable odor The
process of refining is very easy, and the
residuum left after the preparation of the
material for market is extremely rich in
parafne.
After setting forth the facts concerning
the Colorado oil fields, Prof. Newberry dis
cusses the formation OF petroleum. He is
inclined to believe that it is in all cases due
TO the decomposition of vegetable matter
contained in the rocks where it is produced
Concerning this view there is no general
concensus of opinion. The facts seem to me
to lead to the conclusion that any organic
matter, whether vegetable or animal. NAV
produce by its decomposition both oil and
natural gas.
CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION.
Prof. Newberry inclines to the opinion
that there is continuous process OF pro-
duction of this material in the rocks, the
ancient organic stores not having yet COM
pletely undergone the processes of decom-
position which produce such oils. He notes
the interesting fact that the oil wells at
Mecca, O., which at first yielded consider
able quantities of petroleum, were soon, as
it appeared, exhausted. Further observa-
tionS has shown that these wells can be
pumped for a few days each year, the guam
tity so obtained showing no marks of diminu-
tion. He concludes from this evidence that
there is a process OF continuous production
going on within the rocks.
Another new field for the production of
coal oil seems likely to be developed in the
far north of this continent A committee of
the Senate of Canada has recently made a
report on the resources OF the area of Brit
ish America lying in the valley of the Mac
kenze river. From this report it is ascer-
tanned that large part of that valley, near
ly half of its area, Indeed, gives promise Of
producing petroleum in large quantities.
The general character of the geological
structure in that region is in favor of the
conclusions attained by this commission.
Thus, although the matter has not been sub
mitted TO the economic tests, it seems not
unlikely that in this vast area, far exceed
ing in extent the previously known petro-
leum districts of North America, we may
find a source of supply of this valuable
material. 1t is true that large part OF the
country is close to The Arctic ocean and in a
climate which precludes all hope of gain
ing access to it within the present century;
but an area of 100000 square miles or more
is south of the parallel OF 600, and an area
of 10000 or more square miles lies within
600 miles of the Canadian Pacific Railway
That portion of it is likely to be made ac-
cessible by railway communications within
few years.
1t seems not improbable that the contin-
ued supremacy o this continent, as source
of petroleum supply, may be insured by
this great field. The limited area of the
Baku district, if we would apply to that re-
gion the conclusions drawn from our Amer
ican ground, makes it probable that the sup
ply from the Caspian district will not prove
enduring. No other important stores be-
yond the limits of North America have
been discovered. Within our own field it
seems likely that we have store calculated
TO last Tor century or more to come.
CURIOUS THEORY.
In connection with these considerations
concerning petroleum, we may call attention
to a curious theory concerning its origin
which has recently been put forth by the
distinguished Russian chemist Mendelj jeff
His notion is that petroleum is produced by
water penetrating downward through the
earth's crust to the heated regions and there
Uniting with the various combinations of
carbon and the several metals, especially
iron. In this reaction he conceives water
gives up its oxygen to the iron, the hydro
gen of the water combining with carbon
forming hydrocarbons, the gases ascending
toward the surface, where they condense in
the form ofpetroleum. He deems his views
supported by the fact that he has succeeded |
in producing an artificial petroleum by the
combination of decomposed water with car
bides of iron.