Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1911-01-27
American Petroleum Used In All
Parts Of the World

The United States lights the world
In one hundred countries, colonies and
islands, scattered in every grand divi-
sion and in every climatic section of
the world American kerosene supplies
light, while in more than eighty coun-
trys the products of our mineral oils are
used in generating power or for lubri-
cation of machinery there in operation.
About l 1000 million gallons of American
kerosene pass out of the country an
nually, to be used chiefly in lighting
homes and places of business, and the
value of all classes of mineral oil sent
out of the country approxmates 100
million dollars year.
The United States now produces two
thirds of the worlds supply of pa
troleum, the quantity produced in the
year just ended having been, according
to statement recently issued by the
Geological Survey, over 200 million bar
rels OF crude oil, or more than eight
billion gallons. Just what quantity of
refined oil was produced from this more
than eight billion gallons of crude oil
produced in 1910 cannot now be stated.
but the Bureau of Statistics of the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor shows
exports of practically billion gallons
year of the refined illuminating oil. and
approximately one and one-half billion
gallons of oil of all classes, including in
this term Illuminating oil, lubrcating
oil, naphthas, and certain quantities in
the crude or unrefned state
What is the value of this more than
eight billion gallons Of mineral oil pro-
duced in the United States last wear?
Probably IT'S million dollars. though
this is necessarily an estimate. What
is the value of the finished article. the
Illuminating oil, the naphthas, the gas
oline, the lubricating oil, the paraffin
and other grades manufactured from
this raw product? This can only be
estimated, though the census of 1905
shows the value of the products of "pe-
troleum refining" in 1904 to be IT'S
million dollars. What is the value of
the mineral oil exported? The Bureau
OF Statistics shows that the total value
of the mineral oil exported in 1904 was
gu million dollars, and in 1908 was 109
million, of which 76 million was illumi-
mating oil; 10 million lubricating OIL
four and one-half million naphthas, and
other lighter products of distillaton;
six and one-half million dollars crude
oil and about three million dollars
residium. In 1909 and 1910 the value
of the exports was slightly less than in
1908, due chiefly to a fall in export
prices, though the quantity also showed
slight decline in 1910 when compared
with 1908.
What becomes of this billion and a
half gallons of our petroleum passing
out of the country? 1t goes, as already
indicated, to hundred different coun-
tries, colonies and islands. Scarcely a
country in the world can be named to
whom it is not sent. Even Russia.
which was for years our chief rival in
the worlds petroleum markets. now
takes considerable quantities of Ameri-
can lubricating oil made from petro-
leum, and her Asiatic possessions take
also certain quantities of our illumi-
mating oil. The largest customer for
our Illuminating oil is England, to which
the exports of 1910 amounted to about
$50 million gallons, valued at more than
eight million dollars. Germany ranks
second, the quantity sent to that coun-
try in 1910 being about 108 million gal
Ions; to Netherlands about 100 million
gallons; China about 80 million; japan
about 45 million; and even British India
about 81 million gallons. In fact prac-
tically every country in the world re-
ceives greater or less quantities of our
petroleum. The list of countries to
which it is sent includes Greenland. Ice
land, Malta, and other of the Mediter-
ranean islands; the Azores and Madeira
Islands, Turkey in Europe and Asia,
Egypt, Siam, Korea, Hongkong, the
Straits Settlements, Dutch East Indies,
French East Indies; French, German.
and British Oceania; the PbiIippine
Islands, Madagascar; Italian. German.
French, Portuguese, British, and Span,
ish Africa; British Danish, and Dutch
West Indies; Haiti, Santo Domingo. the
Central American States, and every
country of South America.
Not only is our kerosene popular in
the homes of all parts Of the world. but
American gasoline exported under the
general title of naphtha, is furnishing
power for motor-boats, automobiles and
flying machines in various sections of
the world, while lubricating oil export
ed goes to more than eighty countries.
and is valued at more than 20 million
dollars year.