Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-02-04

far below the capacity OF the huge in
dustria plants designed to utilize such
veritable floods ~ oil as have char
acterzed late years.
For two years, however, discover
les of oil fields OF great size haey fol-
lowed one another so closely that
doubt has become conviction that the
supply is abundant for years. II can
not be denied that the quality Of geo
logic deduction has so changed for
the better, thanks To more exact and
intelligent field investigations, that
the gcOloglst's estimates of the oil re-
sources are now more than generally
accepted by the oil producers and us-
ors. The common expression, "Oil Is
everywhere is "A daily eXaggeratlon
Of the idea that the oil supply may
be depended upon.
Growing substitution of Oh for coal.
For just about year the oil trade
has been developing under this new
conviction of sufficient oil supply
which has especially effected the con-
sumer. The tendency To substitute
oil for coal in many Industrial ostab-
lishments is growing rapidly. II is
further encouraged by the posslbil-
tiles Of still greater economies by
burning oil in internal-combustion en-
sines.
The mid-continent field began the
year with the oil at ~ cents barrel
and on January the price was
q ig Ia 4 A IN, Is.RH v Ia 10 ~
changed to Ga cents, on June II to AS
cents and ON September 10 to so
cents.
In California the prices were held
at 30 to 50 cents, according to quail
~. with higher prices for oils near the
Los Angeles market.
INmprONc cmcnis IN the Methods of
Operation,
In oil well drilling the most signiti-
cant advance has been in the ncreas-
ed popularity of the rotary drilling
method and its adoption, with modi-
ications, in regions whore the stand
ard rig had prevailed, especially in
California. The notifications in
.clude, chiefly, the installation of cost
~ but efficient combination rigs
where the plant contains a complete
system of standard tools and even its
own engine and boiler equipment and
also complete rotary rig. Another
modification consists in the use of GER
tain patent rotary bits for drilling
very hard, finty limestones, cements.
etc, As last resort these are all
temporarily set aside by the standard
rig, especially when boulders are en-
countered
In oil storage large concrete reser-
voirs have found favor in Califor-
mia.
In transportation the use of rifled
thick oil while pumping have been
extended with goo dresults.
Better Refining Methods.
The Improvement in manufacturing
processes tends in the direction, first
of heat conservation. by pre- heating
the oils by waste heat of the Vapors in
the condensation tanks; second, of the
distillaton of crude oils clear to coke
without transferring the residue or
tar to special stills and third, of
topping" or skimming" oils to take
off the gasoline or gasolene and kero-
sene from crudes which are used
chiefly as fuel oils A tendency is also
evident toward obtaining larger yields
Of gasoline and the light products
from crude oils by partial cracking
processes.
Gasoline from Natural Gas.
The production of gasoline from
natural gas has made rapid strides
and the process is evidently success
ful when applied to most natural
gas from oil wells. An interesting de-
velopment has been the extraction of
oils of low boiling point from wells by
attaching a vacuum pump to the
well and casing and causing the oil to
distill out with the gas. 1t is con-
densed again at the atmospheric pres
sure. The gasoline thus obtained, is
of course, heavier and more valuable
for general use than the lighter pro-
duct.
Increased oil Exports i'm 1911.
Greatly improved conditions in the
export trade of all petroleum pro-
ducts characterized the year 1911 in
remarkable contrast to the depression
in 1910.
According to the bureau of statistics
of the department of commerce and
labor the exports of crude oils in.
creased from about 65,OO0,O0O gall
Ions for the first II months of 1910
to 1S3,0OO.000 gallons for the CORES
ponding period of 1911; of napthas
from about 92.0Q0.OOO to over no.
100000 gallons' u illumin. ting oil
from S61,000,006 to 1,025,OO0, 900
Of lubricatng oils from 15O.-
100000 to 164,0OO,OOO gallons; and
of residuum from $4,000, 900 to 1885,
600, 900 gallons.
For every product the exports in the
first eleven months of 1911 not only
increased over those of 1910 but even
exceeded the quantities exported in
the twelve months of 1909, before the
decline took place.
Prices for eyportad prnJno.e ,vIi,b