Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-04
The Gasoline Shortage.
I.y Frederic J. Haskin.

Washington, ID. c., Aug d.--Special
attention is being given 20 the seriousness
Of the gasoline shortage, and the Bureau oi
Mines is becoming more optimistic about
the possibility Of producing the ten mil
lion or more gallons Of gasoline used every
day in the motor cars of the United states
So rapid has been the increase m the
numbers Of motor-driven vehicles IN this
country that, despite the stupendous
production Of gasoline, the consumption
has surpassed il. The increase IN the out
put Of oil is by no means keeping pace WIN
the Increase IN the machines when use its
most refined product gasoline, ana the
question is anxioisIy asked where TINS
tendency viii end.
The Bureau Of Mines holds the pros
pect Of greatest prominence ~ the DC
vclopment Of process which will reduce
greater percentage Of the crude OIL 70
gasoline Crude oil it should be under
stood, is subjected TO n process oil renne-
ment in the production Of gasoline. his
treatment is little more than the applica-
ton Of heat to IT, When the heat IS ap-
piled the first part of the crude 70 pe
driven off is the gasoline. After certain
time the material driven of ceases 10 be
gasoline and becomes kerosene, which ~ p
quite different product. Further down INC
scale other products emerge.
CRACKING THE MoLEcrLE.
Now il happens that the difference be-
tween gasoline and crude oil lies ~ the
formation Of the molecule II the mole
cue in crude oil can be cracked, additional
uaaoline can be secured from the crude
There is a process now ~ operation when
actually cracks this molecule. through
that process last year ) per cent Of the
gasoline Of the nation WAS procured mere
are strong probabilities Of tins mcthon
being so improved and perfected that "
may lead to the doubling Of the gasoline
possibilities OF the crude oil Of tho nation
II this hope develops into TACT the gaso-
line problem has been solved temporarily.
The possibility Of increasing the OIL
output of the nation, which is gwen
second importance by the Bureau oi
Mines. is that Of obtaining greater guam
titles Of the fuel from the exhausted helds
When given field has been exhausted ~
the flow OF its wells, followed by their
pumping until no more oil ls procuranle,
not more than 20 per cent Of the OIL mas
been obtained. Eighty per cent still re-
mains in the sands below the ground. he
Bureau Of Mines believes that greater
attention should be paid TO the possihlll-
ties Of procuring more Of that 70 Der cent
Greatparts Of sand remain saturated WIN
oil, and if some method could he devised
to extract it the desired result would -
accomplished If il could be economlcalty s.
mined, for instance, IL could De reforted
and the oil driven from the sand and r.
covered.
The possibility Of third importance q
increasing the oh supply lies IL the treat
r,f - 4
/ are found In Utah, Colorado, Wyoming
| and elsewhere. In every ton Of this -naie
rock there are about 40 gallons d oil
/ The method Of its EXTINCTION i similar p
! that az getting oil ont 1t sand. II must te
+ subjected to heat, thus drvlnG~1ut the ~
and recovering it, In scotland there has
been IN actual operation Tor 90 years, q
plant which successfully retorts shale ana
profitahly secures the Oh from y.
WILL TRY THE SCOTCH sYsTFM-
Strenuous attempts are beng made 70
adopt the Scotch system and improve
upon il for Use IN this country One q the
interesting problems incident 70 the opera
ton Of this process on large scale is the
disposal Of the ash which IS secured wnen q
ton Of shale Is Tetorted. here would -
about 700 pounds Of this ash tor every
barrel of III which is secured In the pro-
/ cuTemeuL 0I enough bAl ~ ilaNN oAA 49,
/ mobiles one dav, there would result a
mountain Of ashes TO be disposed oi.
+ In Germany during the war the chiet
/ fuel used III driving motor cars and arr
/ planes was benzol Benzol i a hv-pro-
4 duct Of the coke oven, and i a powerful
propellant Last year the benzoi produced
Ii the United states was about Two per
cent as great as the gasoline. Il AL the
benzo from All our coke ovens were re-
covered II could not possibly pc hoped
tia, this fuel would 20 further than sup
plviug 10 per cent Of the demand Tor
. fuel for motor-drlven vehicles.
In It's recent session Congress gave
evidence OF being very much exercised
over the possibilities of Cevelopug alco-
ho as a substitute Tor gasoline. Tins pos
sihihty has been favorIte theory for
decades and much has been made Il 1t
from tim, 70 tme Ample proof has been
giyen that alcohol can be economically
rade from waste potatoes, apples, and
slch materials that are thrown away
shout cannerles and sugar actories.
When the possibilities Of tins sort D
utilization 81 waste are measured agains,
the great increase in motor tuei demand 4
becomes apparent that little impression
would be made were al such waste uuAE-
ell