The Washington herald., 1920-05-04
UNITED STATES
OILRESOURCES
AT Present Rate of Con-
sumption They WllLast
Only I8 Years.
HUGE FOREIGN SUPPLY
Resources Abroad Large
Enough to Last ESQ Years
Based on Present Figures.
HUGE FOREIGN SUPPLY

The latest figures on the world's
oil supply given out By the United
States Geological Survey. Depart
ment OF the Interior. show that the
foreign countries are using only
half as much petroleum as the
United States. but have seven times
as much oil in the ground.
These countries are now using
about 20o. 900. 900 barrels Of oil year
iy. but they have resources large
enough to last over $50 years at this
rate Of consumption In striking
contrast are the production figures
for the United States. which at the
present rate of more than 4oo. .oOo.-
900 barrels year. has only Ap
eighteen years supply. In other
words the United States is using up
its own oil supply fourteen times as
fast as the rest Of the world.
The general distribution Of the
worlds supply OF "oiI in sight" was
shown on a map published by
George Otis Smith, Director Of the
Geological Survey. in the February
issue OF the National Geographic
Magazine, TO which added data are
now given on a map illustrating an
article by David White. chief Feolo-
gist Of the Geological Survey, now
being printed in the May issue Of
the Annals Of the American Acad-
emy of Political and Social Science.
Mr.. White has drawn largely on
data prepared by Eugene Stebinger,
chief Of the foreign minerals section
Of the Geological Survey, whose es-
Inmates represent several years
work in reviewing and compiling
the available data as to the geol-
ogy. the oil indications and the re-
suits Of explorations in all parts Of
the world. Not counting oil to be
obtained from shales and other re-
tortable materials by distfllation.
the worlds supply Of recoverable
petroleum amounts to as much
as $4,000. 100000 barrels. OF this
amount $4,000. .0OO. 900 barrels may
be regarded as oil more or less def
nitely in sight" as shown by ac-
tusl drilling with successful results.
The remainder covers the available
oil which IL is believed will be found
in other regions in which oil seeps
asphalt deposits or favorable geol-
ogic conditions point to oil. although
no producing wells have yet been
drilled. OF this great amount.
which is thirteen times the oil al
ready taken from the ground In
America and about eight times all
the petroleum yet produced in the
world. 1000, 0oO, 900 barrels only, in
round numbers. are believed to be
left in the United States and Alaska.
the remaining 5000. .0Oo, 900 being in
foreign countries.
II is noteworthy that this supply
is nearly equally divided between
the old world and the neN. the
Americas having a total very close
to that Of the remaining continents.
However. as in the case OF coal.
much more oil will be developed
north of the equator than TO the
south.
Fortunately. it is simply impos-
sible to discover and take out the
oil remaining in the ground in the
/ United States. .O0O. 900, 600 barrels
in so short period as eighteen
years. Instead of mining our petro-
leum GO rapidly we must either de-
pend more and more on oil from
other sources or get along with less
Oil Our children will doubtless do
both