The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-02-05
ItH Mexican OH licIds---lhc Worlds
Most Spectacular Petroleum
Source.

Most Spectacular Petroleum
| Source.
Washington, Feb. 2.--Since the
world war emphasized the Importance
or petroleum in modern warfare and
awakened a keen realization Of the
even greater part it will be called
on to play in reconstruction and in
the industrial and commercial de-
rciopment OF the future, interest has
turned more and more to Mexico.
which contains the most spectacular
or the present producing Oil fields.
| This nearby Oil region is the subject
OF the following bulletin issued by
! the Nationaa Geographic Society:
Mexico came into the world race
FOR oil production late. It's first pro-
I du2ing we'll, Yielding Il modes; SO
barrels day, was brought in not
quite twenty years ago. Now it has
a group OF the greatest gushols in the
world. number of which are ca
pable OF producing from $1,000 to
100000 barrels each Of liquid gold
daily. BY 1911 Mexican production
reached twelve and a half million
barrels annually and surpassed that
OF three Of he long standing leaders
among the countries to which the
world looked for it's oil supply-Ru-
mania, Galicia, and the Dutch East
! Indies.
! Mexico Passes Russia
In 1913 this production was
doubled, and by 1917 1t had more
4 than doubled again. In 1918 Mexican
oil wells yielded nearly $4,000, 900
barrels, and in 1919, more than ST.
100000 barrels. This latter produc-
ton was in excess not only of the
current annual production of Rus
sia. previously second among oil pro-
ducing countries, but also exceeded
Russias high watermark of $1,000
coo barrels in 1901. Now only the
United States, with a production OF
nearly 4O0.00O,00O barrels, is ahead
Of Nfexico.
but Mexico is accepted as having
the greatest demonstrated oil field in
the world, and it Is estimated that if
all its producing wells had been
permitted to flow at their maximum
during 1919 the resulting production
would have been 100000 barrels
more than the actual production OF
the entire world In 1918. AS q mat
ter OF fact only about IL per cent Of
the potential flow Of the Mexican
wells is permitted because storage, re-
inning. and transportation facilities
are inadequate TO take care of more.
These facilities are being steadily in
creased. however, and exports alone
for 1920 probably averaged ten mil
lion barrels O month, the rate def
nitcly established for the first sin
months Of the year.
The Worlds Greatest Stream OF OIL.
"The practice Of Mexican natives
OF collecting fragments Of asphalt
and bitumen which fioatcd on the wa
tors Of n large lagoon near the coast
OF the Gulf Of Mexico--south OF Tam
pico adm selling them in the neigh
boring city. led to the realization
that there must be underground Pc
troleum supplies near. Small pro-
ducing wells and even fairly large
producers were brought in from 1901
onward, but it was not until 1908
that the first OF tho tremendous gush-
ers that have astonished the world
was brought in, near San Geronimo,
spouting between $4,000 and $4,000
barrels OF oil day.
NO such stream Of oil had ever
been encountered before and the
drillers were entirely unprepared to
cope with the situation. The great
Seyser OF oil caught fire from the
boiler OF tho drilling outfit and for
two months constituted the greatest
and most spectacular Oil fire that the
word has ever known. The roaring
pillar OF flame shot upward during
It's greatest fury to q height Of 500
to l,400 feet, Illuminating the coun-
trEs!de at night for many miles, and
was visible to ships more than 100
mics a, sea. 1t was finally eXtn-
guiahcd by huge pumps throwing
streams Of gravel and mud.
The gigantic SuShcrs OF Mexico
are believed to flow not from oil sands
as in many fields, but from caverns
followed from limestones by erosion
and later filled with oil. 1t is sup
posed that the underground lakes OF
Oil rest on water under artesian pres
sure. What may eventually be ex-
pccted is illustrated by one Of tho
'n'r 'amou@ of ut' wells. tur Prptnyu
, ia, L'aNo. His w"N flowed q l..ightv
stream Of Oil for eight years, produc-
ing more than million barrels reg
ularly each month, year in and year
out. Finally the golden stream
tulned 20 worthless salt water over
night.
Tremendous Territory UndevelOpcd.
Rich as the known oil fields OF
Mexico are, 1t is possible that only a
beginning has been made in uncov-
cring the liquid mineral wealth of the
republic. The fields now undcr cX-
IE'oitat"n cover only about 500 square
miles. Grologists have found prom
ising structure for oil in Mexico over
an area aggregating 100000 square
mics.
'"The future of the Mexican oil in
ding. rN ia il1alX, ha ,arofa,,.,