New-York tribune., 1902-05-22
TEHAS OIL.

For the greater part of the last year the ef-
forts of those who have peCuniary interest in
Texas oil have been confined to demonstrating
its fitness for fuel and opening up domestic and
foreign markets for the crude product. These
efforts are now supplemented by preparations
for refining on a rather large scale Several
diStilling plants are being erected near Beau
mont and Port Arthur and elsewhere in the
Lone Star State. J. NJ. Guffey and the For
ward Reduction Company appear to have taken
the initiative in the movement, but other In
dviduas and corporations have followed suit
with remarkable promptness. Enthusiasm in
this business is catching Millions of dollars
are being invested In buildings. stills storage
tanks and pipe lines in the hope of producing
a fair grade of Illuminating oil in the near
future
When the world first heard OF the Lucas we'll
and Spindle Top. more than a year ago. almost
the first question that was asked related to the
quality and composition OF Beaumont oil. Early
analyses gave something like 3 per cent Of
naphtha and gasolene, and about Il per cent Of
Kerosene, whereas Pennsylvania petroleum con-
tains from II TO 90 per cent of the former and
80 or 60 pc cent OF the latter The comparison
was little discouraging to the expectation of
using the Texas product for anything but fuel
However, the Russian refners now get ONLY 20
per cent Of Illuminating oil out OF the Baku Pc
troleum, and they labor under great disadvan-
tages while doing So II costs much more TO
drill well in Russian territory than in Amer
lea, The maintenance of the well Is also more
expensive. and the operator is obliged to pay
the government royalty. II, IN spite Of these
drawbacks, the Russian refner can make n
profit when he gets only 90 per cent of kero-
sene, It is not incredible that the Texan will do
even better with II per cent Besides com
parisons Of this kind assume that the dlstilla-
tion occurs in all cases at the same temperature
OF course If little more heat is used there
will be n little more oil BY slight departure
from established standards. therefore the
Texas refineries might produce more than if-
teen barrels of Illuminating oil for every hun
dred of crude petroleum treated. Moreover,
whether the amount of cream thus taken off
from the milk he larger or smaller they would
still be able to sell the residuum as fuel SO
long as the refiners do not indulge in extrava-
CANT anticipatOns they would seem 10 have n
reasonable chance of success. The experiment
In which they are about TO engage is certainly
an interesting one. Other States than Texas
may learn something from it before the current
year is ended
Within the last few days it has been reported
that the Beaumont wells have ceased to spout.
and that hereafter 1t Will be necessary to obtain
oil there by pumping No one who is Mt all
familiar with the history Of the industry else
where will be surprised Mt this announcement.
1t would be still more remarkable If Texas had
different experience from Pennsylvania and
West Virginia in this regard. Some wells never
gush, but in those which do a subsistence occurs
sooner or later. Spouting is due to the presence
Of gas in the cavities which contain the oil The
earth behaves very much like colossal soda
fountain. The gas, being both lighter and more
elastic than the fluid, escapes first The cessa-
ton Of its pressure is no indication of the ex-
haustion of the OIL Eventually, of course, a
limit is found to the latter but a well often
continues TO produce for five or ten years
Pumping will add slightly TO the cost of pro-
duction no doubt. but this is not a serious mat
ter. Give Texas a decent market for her oil
once and she will not worry over the necessity
for buying a little machinery.