Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-09-13
THE PETROLEUM SUPPLY.
A Member of PennsylvanIa's Geological
Survey Takes a Gloomy View.

Survey Takes a Gloomy View.
John F. CARL is assistant geologist
of the State OF Pennsylvania, and for
several years it has been his especial
business TO collect statistics and all
available Information regarding petro-
leum and natural gas.
In conversation with Prof CARL he
Expressed some rather sensational
opinions regarding the future supply
OF petroleum. Notwithstanding other
views are taken by producers, Prof.
CARL says the petro cum fields OF Penn
sylvania are being rapidly drained, and
at the present rate OF exhaustion
it will not be many years until the
question OF supplying the world with
petroleum will be most serious one.
''For the last year" said Prof CARL.
1.-The supply was 100000 barrels short
of demand, as gagged by former years,
and every day the demauo is moro and
the supply much less \ few years ago
the reverse was the case. Stocks were
piling up at the rate OF 1000, 900 bar
rels per month. or about that, and now
100000 barrels a month, and have
been for the last year. This shortage
in the supply includes the large produce
ton OF the Ohio fields, where eXtraor-
binary results have been obtained in
the way of large wells" There are
now something like 10000, 900 barrels
of petroleum in tanks in the Ohio field,
bat this was because Ohio oil was not
yet used extensively as an illuminant
Prof CARL was asked his opinion re-
garding tho probable extent OF the Ohio
field and said he believed it would be
found much less in extent than the
trade and the public generally believed.
There have been opinions expressed
that the yield OF the Ohio field could DO
increased to 100, 600 barrels day. He
thought it would not last long at this
rate of production. when this field
comes to be entirely Defined" he said,
lit is pretty sure to fall very much be-
low the expectations that are now held
out for ii. When asked if he thought
Ohio oil would ever be successfully re-
fined and enter the market as com
petitor Of the Pennsylvania product he
said: Il certainly hope 50. Without
this oil can not SEQ where the worlds
supply is 70 come from, and il would be
very great hardship to the people il
they had to give up this cheap and
popular illumnaut. Neither gas nor
electricity. in my judgment, can ever
take its place as a means OF illumina-
tion for the masses. And yet, with the
known fields being as rapidly exhausted
a. they are. | look before many years
for great scarcity of petroleum"
Bradford was the field that produced
such an extraordinary quantity of oil.
piling up the stocks on tanks until they
reached $4,000 600 barrels. with the
fields still yielding 60, 600 barrels a day
or thercabout. In regard to the posi-
bility Of another such field being dis
covered Prof. CARL said he believed
there was absolutely no likelihood of it.
The number Of experimental wells that
had been drilled in search Of another
Bradford sand in al parts of the coun-
try seemed to establish the fact that
Bradford was unique and alone. He
did not believe that such petroleum
deposit as this would ever be found in
any country in the world. The Brad
ford field and its annex in Allegany
County, New York. are apparently be-
ing drained to the dregs. At one time
the production OF the field was as high
as 10j, 900 barrels every twenty-four
hours Now it is down below 20,-
900, possibly as low as 1900 barrels.
Bradford has produced about o.
600, 600 barrels of oil. and "a pool that
will yield the tifty-siXth part Of this is
something that the oil-producer is
eagerly looking for. Prof. CARL said
there were yet possibilities of opening
up small pools that would produce from
1000 600 to 5000, 900 barrels. even in
some of the old fields, such as Venango.
Warren and Butler Counties. in Penn
sylvania, but even these possibilities
were growing more and more remote.
The Cogley field, which has produced
EaItk