Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1921-08-12
Temporary Gasoline Excess Now
Does Not Solve the Question
for the Future.
UNMINED RESERVE LIMITED
II Oil Was Extracted From Ground
at Rate Equal to That of 1920 the
Reserve Would Only Last
10 Years.
BY e. H. LESLIE,
Associate Professor of Chemical En-
nineerina. University Of Michigan.

cheering, University OF Michigan.
At present petroleum is being pro-
duced faster than 1t is used, ana STOCKS
of gasoline are increasing. Crude oil
produced in Oklahoma has droppedtln
price from $3.50 to $l.OO per BARREL
and the price of gasoline has been low
cred several cents per gallon. But |
one should not be misled by the pres
ent situation, which Is only a part OF |
the business cycle through which we
are passing. 1t is popularity OF the
oil-produclng business that the drilling
OF new wells reaches maximum az
the crest, or even after the crest, OF
the wave Of prosperity. The result Is
an OverprOductiOn of crude oil III the
! time of depression. Prices drop, prof.
| its vanish, and new drilling stops. But
within a year or two the pendulum
| swings the other way, and again there
is scarcity of oil due to the inter-
ruptiOn of drilling in the time OF de-
preston. This cycle OF events would
take place even If there were an end
less supply of crude oil underground
Real Fuel Problem.
The real motor fuel problem Is not
concerned with the swings of the busi-
ness pendulum, although the present
abundance of fuel Is pointed to by su-
perticial critics as showing how wrong
have been the predictions of the sclen-
{ fists that have warned us Of future
t shortage.
The problem arises in part through
the fact that the underground reserve
of petroleum is limited. At present
the unmined reserve Of the UnlteC
: States is only about 5,S00,OOOOOO bar
+ rels. Were this oil to be extracted
t from the ground at rate equal to tina
Of the year 1920 feat that is quit
q out of the question from a practlca
standpoint, the reserve would only las
@ IL wears. 1t is thus evident, however
that after few years we must expec
II a decline in the domestic productio
D Of petroleum.
= On the other hand, the use OF auto
% mobiles tractors, trucks and gasolln
G engines is becoming more general. I'
e day the total number Of reglstere
motor vehicles is over nine millions
an almost unbelievable increase In tn
" short period of % years. What
n more, the number Is still growing, an
s. will probably exceed 100000 with
c. a few years.
m Where are we to get the fuel to ru
-, this vast number Of carsP
:, The quality Of market gasoline WI
y not change greatly in the next re
Is wears, at least not until the autOm
Id tive engineers perfect devices that wi
handle heavier and less volatile gas
h. line satisfactorily.
ST In spite of the fact that for sever
ha years the United States has produce
I tyo-thirds Of the worlds OIL we ha'
ny recently been dependent upon foreil
~ sources of supply Of crude oil. Elgh
ed Der cent of the worlds oil is consum
re in this country. In 1920 our impor
err, were 100000 900 barrels, or % per ce
is of our domestic production. Thls
,,+ came largely from Mexico. AS t
- wears pass, the United States will
VI come more and more dependent up
imports Of petroleum. This will me
rs. higher prices and therefore necesslti
lot more efficient utilization once the
tie is in this country
all other Sources of Fuel.
on What other possible sources OF T
ide are there? Much has been heard
A. shale oil and Of alcohol Neither
these commodities will be imports
ms motor fuels until many far-reach
'oy developments have taken place.
eX- development of shale oil industry
q scale sufficient to furnish large gu
axe titles of motor fuel Is an undertake
,ol comparable to the creation OF
If whole coal mining industry OF toe
- And to produce alcohol we must
have available suitable raw mattel
u0il II is quite out Of the question to m
large quantities of fuel alcohol l
food materials, such as grain and
tatoes. Possibly wood may be the
ture source Of alcohol, and refOre
ton of waste areas the means OF
Vers plying the wood
ded Lastly, 1t is probable that neces
will be the mother Of invention
tho methods of utilizing fuels. Present
gines and devices for carburetion
-, be modified in such way that w
III we now drive a car 10 to 20 miles
gallon of gasoline, we shall latel
ton, satisfied only with 20 to 40 miles.
his chemist will be called upon to $
what happens within the engine c
for ders and to find means OF prOdu
more salutary results.
Let us not allow the momen
PRIV oyersupply of gasoline to blind L
'oou the real situation. The co-oper'
of scientists, commercial interests,
lie and government is needed for
.,,oooSefnI sOlutiOn of the problem