Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-09-07
Petroleum statistics for 1897.
Washington, Sept: 2, 1898.

Geological Survey upon the pro-
duction of petroleum in the United
States for 1897 has been completed
and through the courtesy of DR..
Day Chief of the Bureau of Mineral
Statistics, the Reporters cores
pondent is enabled to present the
following abstract.
The significant features of the
industry for the year were, first,
the total quantity of crude petro-
1eum produced in the United States
was almost identically the same as
in 1896; second, there was slight
increase in the Appalachian field as
whole, especially in the State
of West Virginia; third, there was
adecided decrease in the production
of Lima crude petroleum in the
States of Ohio and Indiana; fourth
there was a large decrease in the
number of wells completed in the
Appalachian and Lima-Indiana
field; fifth, there was a comparative.
1y large increase of production in
the State of Texas; sixth, there was
a considerable increase in stocks;
seventh, the price of petroleum de-
creased.
The entire production of crude
petroleum in the United States in
1897 was o,56S,oSI barrels, as
compared with 6o,e6o,361 barrels
in 1896, showing decrease Of $685.
ESQ barrels, a decline of two thirds
of one per cent The production
for 1896 was the largest of any year
heretofore; the production of 1897
next to it; that of 1891 being 81,
2o1 $50 barrels, ranked third in
quantity. The percentages of the
total crude petroleum produced in
the leading fields and in the remain
ing fields, combined in 1896 and
1897, were as follows: Appalachian
field, 1896, $50 per cent; 1897,
5S.1o; Lima Indiana field, 1896,
4I.4o per cent; 1897, 1857; all
other fields, 1896, 2,eo; 1897, 4.14.
Increase in the Appalachian
field. This field includes all of the
territory on the northwest flank of
the Appalachian Mountains. and
the total production therein was
35,22e,949 barrels in 1897, as COM
pared with 33,97o,222 barrels in
1896, showing an increase of 1885,
727 barrels, amounting to 5 II per
cent. The production for 1897 was
only 6o9,S2S barrels short of the
production in 1891, which year had
the largest production in the histo-
ry of the industry.
Decrease in the Lima Indiana
field. The Lima Indiana field de-
creased from 25,255,S7o barrels In
1896, to 22,So5,o33 barrels in 1897,
showing a decline of g o4 per cent.
Of this total, Ohio furnished in
1897 1S,6S2,677 barrels, as com
pared with 2o,575,I3s barrels in
1896, decrease of o.IS per cent,
while Indiana decreased from a, $780,
1872 barrels in 1896 to 4,122,356
barrels in 1897, decrease of $40
per cent. This field showed an in.
crease of 29S per cent ia 1896 over
1895.
Other States. Colorado increas.
ed from 36I,45o barrels in 1896 to
477,4eo barrels in 1897, gain OF
116,o4e barrels. amounting to
32.11 per cent. California increas,
ed from I,252,77o barrels in 1896
to 1,9o341I barrels in 1897, gain
of 65o,634 barrels, amounting to
51.e3 per cent. Texas showed the
largest gain of any of the states
yielding petroleum. The produc-
ton for 1896 was 1850 barrels,
while that of 1897 was 65,975 bar.
rels, an increase of "A so barrels in
1897 for each one produced in 1896.
Kansas declined from 1861 bar
rels to 81 .oeS barrels in 1897, de
crease of $3.50 per cent.
Decrease in the number of wells
completed. There was large fail,
ing off in the number of wells com
pleted in 1897 which represents
the field work as compared with
1896. In the Appalachian field
there were 1852 fewer wells drilled
In 1897 than in 1896. In the Ohio,
Indiana field there were ,466 fewer