The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-03-17

When the drill has penetrated A dis
tance of say $50 IT., a pipe or tube,
eight inches in diameter, is driven to
prevent the caving of quicksand In the
wall of the well. When another hun
dred feet or so has been reached, sec
Ond tube, six and one-quarter inches IN
diameter, known as the casing, Is
driven to shut off all fresh water.
Inside of this casing the well is drill
ed until the oil and gas bearing rock is
reached, which is generally at depth
of from LOO #. to $500 #. A third
and smaller pipe is then let down,
through which oil is pumped practical
ly as water is pumped from well.
only on larger scale and with power
methods employed.
From the oil pool gas rises between
the oil pipe and the outer casing. BY
Gaping the casing and attaching an
outlet pipe to the side connection there
in provided the gas can be conveyed to
any desired place. The securing Of the
gas interferes in no way with the
pumping of the oil.
The gas is conveyed from the well
through pipe lines to the converting
plant, where it enters central, up
right, dirt trap tank at the bottom
AS gas rises, any sediment naturally
remains at the bottom of the tank.
thus preventing any dirt or sediment
from entering the compressor plant,
this tank taking care of such dirt, etc.
At the Johnston Matthews plant gas
from 225 wells is used. Owing to the
fact that some of the wells are distant
three miles or more, a vacuum pump
is necessary to draw the gas into the
plant. This operates at a vacuum of
fifteen inches or less, depending on the
flow of gas.
Through a pipe leading from the top
of the trap tank mentioned gas is
brought to the first condenser in the
plant. first passing through filter in
side directly in front of compressor
as a second preventative. Here 1t Is
placed under a 40-lb. pressure, which
heats it moderately, and is then passed
through pipes into a set of coils known
as the condensers, on which cold wa
ter is constantly running. The sudden
cooling throws portion OF the heated
gas into a liquid form; gasoline Of
about TO-, which passes off into tank
and is then piped to large storage
tanks, awaiting shipment to market
The same gas, after obtaining the
above mentioned gasoline, is again put
through a similar operation, except
that 1t Is subjected to a pressure or
$50 lbs, from which gasoline of about
eOO test is obtained. Thus, whatever
gasoline is left in the gas after com
preston of 40 lbs. is obtained under
the 25O lb. pressure, unless it is high
er gravity gasoline. Under this meth
cd 1000 ft. of gas will give up about
three gallons of 9O0 and one gallon of
70o gasoline.
But that isn't the most interesting
part. The gas still left is utilized for
operating gas engines throughout the
propertv and for heating and lighting
purposes. and it is of a better quality
than before. For whereas ordinary
gas contains 1900 heat units, this gas
has some 1900. The gasoline and wa
fer thus taken from the gas Is a hy
drocarbon and contains no heat, thus.
this hydrocarbon eliminated, gives the
gas a perfect heat, which is the same
as when slack coal is thrown into a
clean fire. the slack must burn out be
fore heat is produced.
Talk about packing everything but
the suueal" This is taking something
from nothing and having the some
thing left-better than before.
The outlet for 9O' gasoline is some
what limited. being used by airships.
racing cars. etc. For automobile use,
it is reduced to lower degree test by
blending it with naphtha, a commO-
dity described as low grade gasoline
or high grade kerosene. 1t is then
piped to railroad siding dn this case
the Buffalo. Rochester & Pittsburgh.
and loaded in tank cars for shipment
to various parts for automobile use
Buffalo. Rochester & Pittsburgh Rail
way Employees Magazine.