Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1921-09-03
Temporary Gasoline Excess Now
Does Not Solve the Question
for the Future.
UNMINED RESERVE LIMITED
If 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-
cheering, University of MICHIGAN.

9Ineerlh9, university OF michigan.
At present petroleum is being pro-
duced faster than it is used, and stocks
of gasoline are increasing. Crude oil
produced in Oklahoma has dropped in
price from $3.50 TO $1.00 per barrel,
and the price of gasoline has been low
cred several cents per gallon. But
one should not be miSrd by the pres
cnt situation, which is only part of
the business cycle through which we
are passing. 1t is Il popularity of the
Oil-prOducing business that the drilling
of new wells reaches maximum ut
the crest or even after the crest, OF
the wave of prosperity. The result is
an ovCrproductiOn of crude oil in the
time of depression. Prices drop, prof
its vanish, and new drilling stops. But
within year or two the pendulum
swings the other way, and again there
is Il 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 bust
ness pendulum, although the present
abundance Of fuel is pointed to by SUI
perticial critics as showing how wrong
have been the predictions of the scien
lists that have warned us of future
shortage.
The problem arises in part through
the fact that the underground reserve
of petroleum is limited. At present
the unmined reserve of the United
States is only about 5,S00000,000 bar
rels. We're this oil to be extracted
from the ground at a rate equal to that
Of the year 1920. Il feat that is quite
out of the question from a practical
standpoint the reserve would only last
13 years. 1t is thus evident, however
that after few years we must expect
a decline in the domestic production
of petroleum.
On the other hand, the use of auto
mobiles, tractors, trucks and gasoline
engines is becoming more general. To-
day the total number of registered
motor vehicles is over nine millions,
an almost unbelievable increase in the
short period of % years What is
more, the number is still growing, and
will probably exceed 13.000.O00 within
n few years.
Where are we to get the fuel to run
this vast number of ears?
The quality of market gasoline will
not change greatly in the next few
years. ut least not until the automO-
tive engineers perfect devices that will
handle heavier and less volatile gaso-
line satisfactorily.
In spite of the fact that for several
years the United States has produced
tWO-thrdS of the worlds Oil. we have
recently been dependent upon foreign
sources Of supply of crude oil. Eighty
per cent of the worlds oil is consumed
in this country In 1920 our imports
were 110.000000 barrels, or % per cent
of our domestic production. This oil
came largely from Mexico. AS the
years pass, the United States will be-
come more and more dependent upon
imports Of petroleum. This will mean
higher prices and therefore necessitate
more efficient utilization once the oil
is In this country.
Other Sources Of Fuel.
What other possible sources of fuel
are there? Much has been heard of
Shale oil and of alcohol. Neither of
these commodities will be important
as motor fuels until many far-reaching
developments have taken place. The
development of a Shale Oil industry on
Il scale sufficient to furnish large guam
titles Of motor fuel is an undertaking
comparable to the creation of the
whole coal mining industry of today.
And to produce alcohol we must first
have available suitable raw material.
1t Is quite out of the question to make
large quantities of fuel alcohol from
food materials, such as grain aud po-
tatOes. Possibly wood may be the flu
lure source of alcohol and refOresta-
ton of waste areas the means of sup
plying the wood.
Lastly, it IS probable that necessity
will be the mother of invention in
methods of utilizing fuels. Present en-
gines and devices for carbureton will
be modified in such a way that where
we now drive car 10 to 20 miles on a
gallon of gasoline, we shall later be
satisfied only with 20 to 40 miles. The
chemist will be called upon to study
what happens within the engine cylin-
ders and to find means of producing
more salutary results.
Let us not allow the momentary
oversupply of gasoline to blind us to
the real situation. The cooperation
of scientists. commercial interests, pub
lie and government is needed for the
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