The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-05-06
RICH OIL FIELDS ...
FOUND IN RUSSIA
Nav Be Most Extensive Resources
No. Attended Now i.

Observation-Disclosures the United
States and Mexico are forging ahead
in the production of petroleum, few
er;shly developing their discovered
fields and trapping new ones" says
a bulletin issued by the National
Geographic society, "the Russian
fields. where some geologists believe
are situated in the worlds most ex-
tensiye oil resources are to a con-
siderable extent marking time be-
of disturbed conditions result
ing from the World war. Although
the Mexican oil fields are more spec
tacular and though those of the UNI
ted States are now yielding in the
aggregate much more oil, the Rus
sian fields, especially those near Ba-
ku on the shores of the Caspian Sea-
have long been very near the front
in world interest.
"The oil territory about Baku IS
not like that in u W mid-contl-
neut fields where grain grew IN a
rich surface soil, and where there
were NO indications to tell the lay
man that far below the surface were
pools, Of liquid gold. The oil bear
ing strata reach the surface, or out
CROP over a, considerable area in
the neighborhood of Baku; and the
oil and gas escaping at the surface
have made their presence known for
ages.
"There are no indications that in
remote, times either the oil or gas
was put to much practical use as
modern people understand that term
but there is little doubt that priests
Of the fire worshipping cult which
fourished in old Persia made a
good thing out Of the phenomena
Not far from Baku T the ruins Of
a temple of the cult which is be-
lieved to have been in existnce for
more than $500 years. Tower bea-
cons and affairs r provided with
channels concealed in the masonry
which demonstrate that gas fitting
is not a craft Of modern birth. These
channels led from assures in the
earth which ono furnished natural
gas. To this temple came pilgrims
from all parts Of the East as late as
the '80's Of the last century. Beside
the walls of the temple today stands
q modern refinery furnishing an en-
6hasic contrast in the old and new
uses of natures gift Of oil and gas.
"Appreciable production Of petro-
leum began in Russia in 1853, four
years after the first oil well was
brought in on Oil Creek in Pennsyl-
vania. The first year Russia turned
out a little less than 41,000 barrels,
while production in the United
States was more han 2,500,000 bar
rels.
Early commercial development Of
oil in Russia was strikingly different
from development in America. Dug
wells were used They were several
feet square and Of depths varying
from a few feet to so feet Of more.
The oil seeped into the bottoms of
the pits and was bailed out. These
crude methods continued for eight
years but under them a considerable
production for those days was main
tanned. In 1870, the year before the
bringing in of the first drilled well,
more than 100000 barrels were pro-
duced.
"The bringing in of what Ameri-
cans would speak of as the first
gusher was not an unmixed bless
ing. This fountain or 'spouter' as
such wells are called by the English
oil men of the Baku fields, was I'M
expected. Nothing was known of the
handling of oil flows under high
pressure at that time, 50 the well
ran wild and could not be brought
under control. Most of the !. oil was
a total loss.
"When later fountains were
brought in under control nothing
ike the present demand existed in
Europe, carrying facilities were poor
and the presence of great quantities
Of the liquid above ground democrat