Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-02-17
NEED FOR MORE
OIL PRODUCTION
$50 100000 Barrels More Fuel Oil An.
nually Could Be Absorbed, Accord
ing to Editor Sinclair's Magazine.


$50 100000 barrels of fuel oil annu-
ally could be absorbed by the 'poten-
TALLY available" fuel oil Market" ac-
cording to a detailed estimate by Ed
itor Glen B. Winship, in the current is
sue of Sinclair's Magazine. "In cur
rent practice, this would call for a
crude oil production of about 1,7O0,-
barrels of fuel oil in year.
"If a third of the worlds ocean
tonnage Exclusive of sailing vessels)
were today burning oil instead of coal
as fuel, they would be consuming not
less than 100000 barrels of fuel
oil annually! About two and half
times the present crude oil production
from Mexico, or more than 80 per
cent of the quantity of fuel oil pro-
dIced by American refineries in 1918!
And this takes no account of the fuel
oil requirements of navies.
"A convenient formula to remember
is that one million gross tons of ships
would consume more than ten million
gross tons of ships would consume
mae than ten million barrels of fuel
oil in year.
"In 1909, American railways con-
sumed almost 2O,OO0,O0O barrels of
fuel oil. Last year the consumption.
as estimated by the United States
Railroad Administration, was approx
irnately 5O,OOO,OOO barrels, an increase
of more than $50 per cent. in ten
years.
"If the railways of the United
States were today using fuel oil for
a third of their traffic, they would be
consuming fuel oil at the rate of at
least 10000 900 barrels annually! We
have in this country more than third
of the worlds railway mileage, and
handle perhaps half of the worlds
traffic. From this rough calculation
it would appear that about 100000
600 barrels of fuel oil would be re-
quired annually to handle . thir! of
the worlds railway traffic under pres
ent operating conditions. =
"The use of fuel oil for industrial
purposes has gained greater headway
than might be supposed. The United
States Geological Survey, a few mon
tbs ago stated that from reports
showing operations in 1917, fuel oil
consumed in the United States in that
year, including crude petroleum used
as fuel, was about 2O4 100000 barrels.
This did not include exports. In that
year the railroad consumption was al
most 46,OOO,OOO barrels. leaving for
other purposes more than 10000, 900
barrels.
Subsequent reports, showing the
movements of fuel oil from American
refineries indicate that domestic con-
sumption of fuel oil is even greater
today than at any time during 1917
or 1918. :. If adequate supplies
are available at competitive prices
there is no doubt that foreign indus
trial consumption of fuel oil will in
crease with great rapidity.
ut would be difficult to find an oil
man." the article continues, "who
would venture the prediction that the
worlds crude oil production could be
trebled in ten years. Yet the indus
trial and commercial world needs the
quantity and kind of service suggest
ed by these estimates. This is not
merely a prospective need; it is urg
ently felt today, and far-sighted con
sumers, while sharing the confidence
of petroleum experts that fuel oil pro
duction will increase, are exercising
the most careful business discrimina
.ti0 in entering into long term con
tracts in order that they may have
positive assurances of obtaining reg
ular and adequate deliveries of thi:
highly priced liquid fuel.
1.-The confidence of these buyer:
NAV be explained in part by the fac
that prevailing methods OF utilizing
fuel oil are less efficient than scienti
f;c knowledge even now would permit
There are recent improvements which
have not been adopted by more thar
a small percentage Of users and fur
ther improvements appear imminent
These improvements when adopted
will be highly advantageous, not onl!
to consumers, but to the oil industr!
also.
"With improved methods of utiliza
tion, q barrel of fuel oil will affor'
much greater service than is possible
with the methods now prevailing, AM
this will add proportionately to OH
competitive advantages. That thes
improvements must be eventually,
obvious. The sooner they are mede
the more quickly will fuel oil attain
it's merited high position in the econ
oniic world"
Filthy and impossible streets de
tract more from appearance and repu
tation of town or city than mos
anything imaginable. Give us cieane
and better thoroughfares and visitor
Vim be more favorably impressed WIT
f3saanvood