The Washington times., 1916-01-07

sidered the present remedy and the
ultimate results from these conditions
We must adopt the new processes
petroleum.; must get 60 per cent gaso-
iene instead OF 10 per cent. Yes, it can
be done"
Then came the explanation. in words
or one syllable. OF the process of get
ting go per cent, instead of 10 per cent
OF ensolene from petroleum. The thing
has bcen explained plenty of times in
terms that layman couldn't possibly
hore to understand. DR.. Rittman. in
ventor Of the best of all the processes.
told II so simply that the philosophy of
1t could be understood in a moment
"Ietroleum.' he said. lis a combina-
ton OF chemical elements: contains gas.
Easolenc. Kerosene. ct cetera. Now.
these elements are closely related to
each other: so closely. that the size OF
the molecule is all that determines
whether a given part OF the product is
Kerosene or casolene. The molecule IN
Kerosene is about twice as big as in
sasOlene; they're made of the same
material. but by reason of its smaller
molecules the Casolenc is more volatile.
knowing all this the problem be-
comes one Of breaking the kerosene
molecules in two. so that they will bc rs
volatile as in SaSolcnc. That done, the
stdff becomes Gaso!cnc: IFS al! the dif-
, ference. There are different 'CrACklng'
or 'hreakrg' processes. The STANDARD
Oil engineers have developed ono IN
which the petroleum is treated under
| high pressure and high temperature.
| They treat it in tho liquid state, while
| treat Il in the vaporized state. making
different application of the hea;.
Either process greatly increases the
| amount OF EaSoicnc extracted. We get
up to 60, and even ~, per cent saSoero
by these processes
The most wonderful thing about this
| Rittman process is that it will get gasO-
| lenc oTt OF oils which under the old
| treatment, were not supposed to con-
| taR GosoicnC In truth. they didn't
| contain II; they wern heavy oils" com
| posed OF the bigger molecules. that don I
| compose gasolcne. But these same
heavy oils. under tho cracking processes.
/ turn out a good proportion Of Grlsuiene.
: 1 said a moment ago" Dr. Pittman
! explained. that of thu 1O0Nc0 gNO barrels
! of petroleum produced annually in Cali.
| fCrnia, onc-half contained only = per
| cent and the other half no CaSolcnc at
all. Thus. tor pra CtiCal purposes. unless
| it be prOccsSed, the California oil might
as we'll be discarded. hut the cracking
| process will get in excess Of 30 per cent
! Sasolcnt from IT, all
/ about the same is true of the Pc.
. troleUm from the Mexican field. Thcr,
| is an immense natural wealth in ne.
| troleum in that country, though il
must be understood that there Is nt
other production in sight, anywhere in
| the world, to compare with that or the
| United States. MeXiCo nov produces
! bout orc-ihird as much oil as Cali,
| fornia. 1t would increase thts vastly
il internal conditions would permit
| This also is a heavy oil. like that o
| California, capable Of yielding 40 al
, IG per cent of Easolene when process
ed. whereas the richest oils will Civ,
even as high as 90 per cent rasolen,
under the cracking treatment"
| hr. Rittman doesn't see hriCh In
prospect for the gasolCne user. II,
firmly hclioVes tn" worlds demand fo
ra> olcne is outstripTinw. all possihili
ties of production, and that prices AZ,
destined to go on rising. Neither doe!
I've hrli"V" auNhndy il rubbinE tn,
user; the conditions ave what demanC
and supply make them.