West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-02-27
Gl4WelIs Street.

If, 1t was said, petroleum was de.
rived from animals 1t must also
contain nitrogen. Peckham, who
earned great credit through his
contributions to the knowledge OF
Pennsylvania petroleum, conceded
the animal origin of California oil
on account of Its nitrogen con-
tent { 1:I1 per cent. but disputed
1t In respect OF Pennsylvania oil,
owing to the absence of nitrogen
therein. In this matter, however.
he entirely overlooked the fact that
the natural gas from Pennsylvania
wells contains up to 27:87 per cent.
of N, so that after deducting the
oxygen 60 equals o:I6; CO equals
o.58 c o equals o.22 per cent. }
that might have come from the air,
there still remains a considerable
excess of nitrogen.
Hence, In the formation of pc
troleum, the animal nitrogen was,
in many instances, gasifed.
Another objection against the
animal theory was the frequent
poverty of the oil horizons In ami
NAL remains. In the conversion
PROGRESS carbon dloxide was al
ways formed all analysis of natural
gas show this constituent-which
exerted solvent action on the
solid, calcareous portions OF the ami
mails, thus destroying the shells of
the conchyles, radiates, &c. Great
er resistance was afforded by the
bones and scales Of fish, especially
vertebrates, and still more by the
delicate siliceous integument of the
lower animals and plants. AS a
matter of fact, numerous formations
were detected In Galician petrole-
um strata, nearly all exhibiting
siliceous shells, whist the calcare
Gus nummulties, so frequently in
Eocene rocks, are almost entirely
absent, and even when present ex
hibit corrosion In their shells.
| I purposely selected my expert.
ence In Pennsylvania and Pechel-
bronn for the present paper, In or
der to illustrate the falsity of gener-
alizing In applied geology.
II Is universally known that my
anticlinal theory has not only
proved tenable In Pennsylvania
and other districts of North Amer
ican-I may refer to OrtOn's and
Whites investigations-but has
also been of practical value In Gall
ella, Roumania. the Caucasus, Itlia,
etc.
have had frequent occasion In
Roumania to test the accuracy of
the anticlinal theory; and the min
istry OF lands In Bucharest pre-.
pared for the Paris exposition an
extremely valuable chart of all the
known oil lines, which are invari-
ably found to coincide with anti
clinals, chart that will be of the
greatest utility In practice. Ger.
tain of these oil lines disappear TN.
der the diluvium and the anticlinals
become more and more hattened
as they approach the diluvial plane
just as occurs In Galicia.
+ Both countries possess great
treasures of oil In the visible anti
clinals, which wealth Is very con
siderably increased by those over
lain by the diluvium. The folds
here are flattened; and have al
ready stated at the outset of the pa
per that 1t Is the fattened arches
that are so particularly rich In oil
In Pennsylvania.
One of the most important tasks
assigned to the petroleum geologist
Is the discovery of ways and means
of determining the position and d.
rection of such folds IN the petroE-
ferrous tertiary rocks as are con-
cealed by diluviun.
That the solution of this problem
will present great difficulties Is
clear to every one; bat this should
not discourage us from seeking
ways. even though 1t may be that
they do not lead Us direct to the
desired ends, or may even direct as
to the desired ends, or may even di |
rect as into the wrong path, ! may
be permitted to set up few finger |
posts. whose inscriptions might |