Huntsville gazette., 1889-08-24
THE PETROLEUM SUPPLY.
A Member of Pennsylvania Geological
Survey Takes a Gloomy View.

Member of Pennsylvania's Geological
Survey Takes a Gloomy View
John f. CARL is assistant geologlst
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 ne
expressed some rather sensational
opinions regarding the future supply
of petroleum. Notwithstanding other
views are taken by producers. frol.
CARL says the petroleum 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,
.'the supply was 100000 barrels short
of demand, as gagged by former years,
and every day the demand is more ana
the supply much less few years ago
the reverse was the case. Stocks were
DllluS up IIiC dIC VI -'NSNtNN0 49,
rels per month, or about that, and now
they are being decreased at the rate OF
100000 barrels month, and have
been for the last year. This shortage
in the supply includes the large produc-
ton of the Ohio fields, where extraor-
dinary results have been obtained IN
the way of large wells" There are
now something like 100000 barrels
of petroleum in tanks in the Ohio field,
but this was because Ohio oil was not
yet used extensively as an illuminant.
Prof. CARL was asked his opinion re-
garding the 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 be
increased to 100 900 barrels day. He
thought it would not last long at this
rate of production. when this field
comes to be entirely defined. y he said,
lit is pretty sure to fall very much be-
low the expectations that are now he'd
out for it." 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: 81 certainly hope so. Without
this oil | can not see where the world S
supply is to come from, and it would be
a very great hardship to the people if
they had to give up this cheap and
popular illuminant. Neither gas nor
electricity. in my judgment, can ever
take its place as a means Of iliunina-
tion for the masses. And yet, with tho
known fields being as rapidly exhausted
as they are, look before many years
for a 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 36,000, 900 barrels. with the
fields still yielding 60, 900 barrels day
or thereabout. 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 all parts of the coun-
try seemed to establish the fact that
Bradford was unique and alone. He
did not believe that such a petroleum
deposit as this would ever be found in
any country in the world. The Brad
ford fold an6 it- -,
County, New York. are apparently be-
ing drained to the dregs. At one time
the production of the field was as high
as 105, 900 barrels every twenty-four
hours Now it is down below 20
900, possibly as low as $4,000 barrels.
Bradford has produced about 56,-
000,000 barrels OF oil. and a pool that
will yield the fifty-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 100000 barrels, even in
some of the old fields, such as Venango,
Warren and Butler Counties, in Penn
oylNdHio, pu0 o'0h tIcoO PoSSlDIllIleS
were growing more and more remote.
The Cogley field, which has produced
about 100000 barrels, was the last
extensive field found in Venango Coun-
ty, and this was perhaps as large field
as would ever be found there again.
Cor. St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
An Unceremonious Caller.