New-York tribune., 1911-12-01
MEXICO OIL FIELDS
Rich Deposits and a Growing De-
mand for the Product.

ueIeu tl' lSdueG OF q group Oh OH eNpeltH
Who few weeks ago were ranged about
one OF the newly brought i'm gusher wells
near this city. The man who gave the
order was acting as guide, in a general
survey Of the oil situation i'm the republic
to fifteen or twenty scientific men and
practical oil experts who carie down from
the United States to estimate for them
selves the present and future potentiaiities
OF the Mexican oil fields. They had been
giving attentive ear to their cicerone as
he described the sensational birth and per-
formanccs OF this particular well. He told
how millions of barrels of high grade oil
had geysered hundreds OF feet skyward
and run 10 waste before the well could he
capped and storage facilities provided for
TIE liquid wealth Yielded 80 lavshly from
the bosom Of Mother Earth Some of the
visitors who had seen few famous gush-
erS in their time. half-jokingly intmated
that possibility existed that the en-
thusiasm Of the Mexican oil man had be-
trayed him into cxtravagant statement.
Tie accepted tho implied challenge.
III show YOU" said he. turning to the
boss Of the gang in charge of the well,
open 1t up
There was risk in II. for the we'll had
been fought for three months with all the
Wiles and articles known to oil operators
prior to its successful Gaping. In this
time more than 100000 barrels of oil a day
had hurled itself into the air. propelled by
o pressure of S2j pounds. The spray and
gases mad destroyed vegetation for five
elfhths Of mile on every side of the
gusher. The well had come In so uneX-
pectcdly that storage facilities for the oil
were lacking. So while hundreds of men
worked night and day for weeks. con-
StiuctlnG huge earthen reservoir the oil
gushed without let or hndrance and found
Its way to the sea through natural water
courses Nothing else could be done with
1t. When the unruly giant finally was
shackled and the flow controlled. the
earthen reservoir impounded $500. 900 bar
rcls. The on is still there. while construc-
ton is being rushed upon pipe line by
winch It may be transported to the coast
ana transmitted into gold through the nro-
cess OF refining for Eliminating purposes,
or being sold IN its crude state for fuel
Nhen an oil well like this Is securely
capped ii is well TO let il stay capped
until everything Is in readiness 20 take
care Of the output. To uncap Il merely
for exhibition purposes, while certain to
provide spectacular exhibition. means
mat big risks must be taken hundred
things are liable 10 go wrong. Nothing
did on this occasion. Three men. clad in
rubber outfits resembling divers rig-outs
began to manipulate the mechanism whi,n
controls the cap. The spectators sought
Nanlag" ground at what they deemed a
safe distance outside of the zone of the
coming rain Of oil There was = low
huWning as the immense pressure of gas
IN the well began 10 find vent The hum
increased to roar until man with his
mouth to his neighbor's car barely could
make himself heard. Up, up. up. until its
foathered crest was by actual measure
ment i9i feet above the ground. grew 2
column Of oil between and feet thick.
expanding to this size from the s-inch
orifice Of the pipe There was no wind but
thc plume OF spray at the top Of the col
unn was hurled like torrential rainfall 10
a distance Of several hundred metres.
douchinG the spectators with oil and ruin
Ing their apparel The show lasted for
twenty minutes. Then the lid vas again
put on, the skeptics wiped the oil from
their faces and hands, figured No the cost
Of new clothing and agreed that the Mexi-
can Gilman had not been blufTing.
II seems 10 be generally agreed among oil
experts that the time is rapidly approach
ing when Mexico will supply good share
Of the fuel oil and no tnconsderabIe part
of the Illuminating fluid that will be used
by the world. This prediction is based
upon what is actually known Of the extent
and richness of the Mexican oil fields and
Of realization that many of the regions
which are now, and long have been, send
ing out much Of the petroleum required by
the constantly increasing demands of con-
sumers i'm all countries soon will he pX.
hausted. Careful and exact Judgment has
been brought to bear upon the possibilities
OF the Mexican fields by men whose pro-
noun cements are the last word on the sub
iect Investigations so far made have es-
tablished the fact that oil in virtually un-
least $1,000 square miles in the states Of
Tamauipas and Vera cruz, bordering the
oceans front on the Gulf of Mexico 1t is
also known that oil is TO be found i'm dozens
Of other sections throughout the republic.
cesSful development work has been done I'm
the states named The present available
supply IS conservatvely estimated at 10000
barrels daily. or sufficient to supplant the
consumption Of 5000 tons Of coal Seven
large ocean tank steamships would be re-
qured in daily service to transport the oil
that Mexico Is now producing.
This supply comes from half a dozen sec
tions widely separated. II is only di-
minutivc fraction of what could be mar
keted II It were possible 10 get the oil 10
the seaboard. The development of the
Mexican oil fields has been so rapid and
the discoveries Of such immense quantities
Of oil were so little anticipated when the
exploitation Of the fields began that the
actual production has far outstrpped the
provisions that necessarily must be made
before most Of the present available supply
can be realized upon. The placing OF OK
tonsive contracts for export purposes, too.
is dependent upon positive assurance that
the oil contracted for can be delivered
without interruption or cessation once
shipments are commenced.
This means that pipe lines must he laid.
These are being constructed with as much
CELEBRITY as possible. Also there must be an
ample reserve supply, at least 100000 bar
rels. stored at tidewater. This too, will be
provided soon. With the storage and piping
facilities I'm existence and a steady and cer
tain production at the wells guaranteed,
Mexican fuel oil should soon he largely
used 10y the navles OF Europe and by trans
atlantic liners. as well as hy coastwise
vessels There H. now about 100000 bar.
rels on hand at Tampico and TuXpan. In
the neighborhood Of thirty companies.
financed hy Mexican, American and British
capitaI have been organized 10 exploit ;he
Z, n-ILn 1.11r,nl lnr ~ thnan- nnrnn. Mo.