The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-07-31
Edwin Robinson Reviews
History of It's Develop
ment in State.
1T Brings US MILLIONS
Bureau Chief Gregory Talks
About the Governments
Policy.

AAI IGlA eAAAhu0A AbhNNANAeAA va
thO natural gas men Of West Virginia
which was held at Huntington last
week was one Of the most interesting
Of the whole series OF these meetings
and the following paper by Edwin
Robinson, Of this city. which present
Cd q resume Of the economic side OF
the natural gas history OF the state
was one Of the most interesting mum.
beFB on the program:
The producer. transporter and dis
tributeF Of natural gas have been
Given public attention and criticim as
70 the manner in which their business
q conducted from the incipiency oil
the natural gas industry.
In the early stages Of the business
little % no attention was paid 10 the
LEAKAGE, defective pipe line laying or
bad plumbing in the consumers resi-
doneo.
Cas- IN those days was plentiful and
the market was scarce. AS everybody
vas after oil, gas was considered OF
little value and . great amount OF II
Waa allowed 10 80 TO waste.
Along about 1902 the possibilities
Of WoSt ViFglnla's Natural Gas Re.
sources became evident to some OF
ne larger producers, leasing Of terri
t0Fy began On earnest, leases we're
drawn more carefully, the drilling OF
wells vas begun. locations were made
niles apart for the purpose Of testing
TIE scope Of the gas belt.
When gas was found In large quan
tlilos N scattered districts, 1t was
then that the Industry was put upon a
business basis Careful records OF
everything done, every formation and
strata through which the drill went
was noted.
Conservation, which heretofore was
unknown, was being practiced In a
primary was BY some Of the larger
companies. Il was not long after this
that the gas companies began In
earnest 10 see what gas once In the
line should 90 to the consumer.
Leaks were stopped, line walkers
were started IN all directions TO note
any leaks, the condition OF the lines
Of ne probable chances Of slip or
land slide. And this is in practice
today.
Now. efficiency experts, biologists,
enFlneorS and chemists and every
known device and invention for the
bolterment Of the service have been
adopted.
Some gas companies that formerly
used gas for driving the gas compress
era have installed boilers. opened coat
mines that more gas could be deliver
Cd % &c customers.
The amount OF gas used under
boilers for drilling wells was one hun
dfed and ten thousand cubic feet
every twenty four hours, now thirty
tive thousand cubic feet is used.
Everything Is being done 10 con
serve gas BY the producer. The state
has passed laws and the Public Ser.
vice Commission rules to regulate the
Fas company In the conduct OF Ito
business. RepCrtS OF its business,
IN many OF the most minute details
are made, pressures in cities are re
ported, IN fact everything about Its
business q knows to the Administra'
ton at Charleston.
There IS no objection to this-all
the gas people ask is fair treatment
ana % be treated like other people and
corporations. ! will say that our re-
latiOns with the Public Service Com
mission and the Administration and
Sc Department have been most cor
dial and fair.
Conservation by tina consumer has
not yet begun. He has not made any
noticeable effort TO improve the use OF
gas IN his home. for believe that
ninety percent Of the appliances used
N the homes in West Virginia where
Natural gas Is used as a fuel are the
name that we're originally installed
twenty 70 twenty-five years ago.
There has been no attempt on the
pA't Of the consumer TO insist upon
d idern appliances properly installed
hat win save gas and reduce the gas
.,llL
A great many companies have men
whose only duties are to see that its
customers burn gas in the proper man.
ner and not waste II. II this method
vas adopted by all Of the distributing
companies and the consumers would
not object to installing modern deVi.
cas and appliances the amount OF gas
saved would take care Of considerable
% ne shortage that occurs during the
tIlreme cold weather.
there q another class OF consumers
where conservation Of gas is unknown
I an speaking Of the free consumers.
We can cite an instance in West Vir.
EInIa where q free consumer used one
million cubic feet Of gas In one month
m hls residence. This should be suf-
llcIent gas Tor one hundred consumers
~ ne same period.
A gFoat deal OF this waste comes
nom The training and conditions Incl.
dent % the early use Of gas. From the
11I|nnlng Of the business until within
y very slDFt time ago natural gas had
tIl little commercial value except as
3 BAN for locating industries by offer
nc ffoo gas FOR a term OF years or
- rate 90 exceedingly low to amount
~ almost the same thing.
an West Virginia the earlier in
llofs 81 the natural gas business
followed 81 the footsteps OF the north
western Ohio producers by making II
Incident 10 the real estate business.
Along about that time the Ohio and
Indiana gas fields we're exhausted and
D UumbeF Of Industries that were seek.
no locations where gas was plentiful
ald cheap, turned Their oyOs 10 West
Duihia