Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-01
CALIFORNIA HEADS LIST or pro.
DUCERs WITH OVER 7a,OOO,OoO
BARRELS.
USE OF FUEL OIL increases
Advantages OF OF Over Coal Rccog-
ni1cd by United States Navy
United states Leads

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-More
than 10000, 600 barrels OF oil, with
value Of nearly S12S.0OO, 600, were pro-
duced In the United States last year,
according to David r. Day Of the uni
ted States Geological Survey, IN an
advance chapter on petroleum from
Mineral Resources Of the United
States, for 1910, given publicity to-
day.
The petroleum industry In the uni
ted States, says DR., Day, has been
characterized by Il phenomenal In
crease each year for the last four
years. Each years gain over that of
the year before has been so remark
able as to lead to the belief that the
limit OF production has been reached,
but the increase has continued rap
Idly. After varying between 50,000,-
900 and 10000, 900 barrels annually IN
the decade between 1890 and 1900, the
oil output was over $4,000 600 barrels
In 1900 and increased to sS,00O,0 900
barrels in 1902. In 1903 II passed the
100, i 900. 000-barrel mark, In 1904 II was
over 10000, 900 barrels, and in 1906
nearly 135,0O0,0O0 barrels. After a
slight decline in 1905 the output rose
again. 1t was t7S.000000 barrels In
1908, 5000 600 barrels IN 1909, and
2O9, ,5a6,04S barrels in 1919, gain pf
Ia per cent over the record output OF
1903. This brought the total output
since the beginning of the petroleum
industry to more than two billion
barrels
United States Leads the World.
The United States is now by far the
greatest oil-producing country; in fact
1t produces more than all the rest of
the world together. In 1910 the wells
of this country yielded nearly "a per
cent of the total production. Russia
scoring a very poor second with about
70, 900, 900 or about 81 per cent. The
production of other countries is COM
paratively negligible, the third on the
list, Galacla, contributing only S.S7 per
cent of the total
The excess Of the petroleum pro-
duction of the United States over the
normal demand IL shown by the fact
that the 09.55G,04 barrels produced
In 1910 brought a smaller return
$127, ,S96, ,328-than the 183170,s74
barrels in 1903, which was valued at
$128. S2S,427. The even smaller output
in 1908, It's, 900, 900 barrels, was val
ued at still more-s129, ,079, 1874. AS the
production has increased the average
price has gone down from more than
81 barrel in 1900 to 81 cents in 1910. |
Due to Four New Fields.
These repeated great increases In oil
production have been due to the sue !
cessive development OF four great Pc
troleum fields farther west than the
old productive centers. By 1900 the
country had adapted Itself to the in
flux of oil from western Ohio and In !
diana; then came in rapid succession |
the development OF the Gulf field In |
Texas and Louisiana, the Mid-Conti-
nent field in oklahoma and Kansas,
and the Illinois field. In the mean
time Californla's production had been
increasing so rapidly that 1t became |
the dominant feature Of 1903 and |
1910, outstrlpping the production of
any other state and promising to re-
tain this supremacy in the future. The |
trade effect of these developments |
was largely discounted by the small |
production Of gasoline and kerosene |
Welded by the Gulf and California |
oils and It was only when the superior |
character Of the Mid-Continent oil was
recognized that the middle western
contributions began to be taken SER
iously In the general trade. Geograph-
ic and technical factors put Califor-
mia petroleum at a disadvantage COM
pared with the eastern supply. but the
great production has compelled such
advantages in refining methods as TO
make 1t reasonably certain that Cal
ifornia will in the future yield good
refined products, including lubricating
and Illuminating oils
Nearly 10000 Wells In Operation.
There are now 14S.440 oil wells in
operation in the United States They
average about barrels a day, but In
Pennsylvania and New York old wells
in some districts yield profit on an
output Of less than one-flfth of bar
rel a day. The original Drake well,
drilled IN 1850. would probably. If 1t
were cleaned. be capable of yielding
one-third of barrel a day. Another
we'll close to the Drake well IS i5
years old and ls still being pumped.
Increased Use of Fuel Oils.
The use OF fuel oils Is steadily in
creaslng. Railroads consumed 1886
los barrels In 1910. against 19.9S9,394
barrels in 1909. The advantages OF
oil over coal have been clearly recog-
4