The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-01-07
OIL PRODUCTION
SHOWS BIG GAIN
But Increase of GEO Per
Cent Since 1909 Short
of Demand
EIGHT MILLION AUTOS
Four Million More Expected
and Cottrell Asks Where Is
Fuel Coming From?

Spetlh 10 inc Woflu.
WASHINGTON, Jan. G.--F. q
Coitrell, director OF the bureau OF
mines. I'm recent address said
IT would be "a waste of time TO
present arguments showing the
great Importance of petroleum ana
its products In the worlds woif.
There IL scarcely n phase of oui ma
tional life which IL not largely dc.
pendent upon petroleum products
They deliver our merchandise, color
our garments. propel our cars. carry
our mails, cook our food, provide fof
our pleasure in our leisure hours
drive our battlcships and mbricat,
tho wheels of every Industry upon
which our prosperity our prcsen
standards OF living and our very
existence Itself are dependent"
Ho pointed out that tho acute
conditions OF the gasoline situation
were well known. The production
OF gasoline has Increased from
around 100000 barrels in 1903 To
almost 99,000.000 barrels In 1919,
or so per cent. In the same period
1t is estimated that the number OF
automobiles ana trucks have IN
creased over ITO per cent. Mr.
Cattrell says there are about S,OOo,-
900 motor vehicles In the United
States today, and, although we are
producing gasoline ms never bciof'
In our history we are unable to Keep
them supplied. our western states
especially, realize this, because they
have just passed through the incon-
vcnlcnccs and annoyances OF gaso'
line shortage. At tho present rate
OF increase there may soon De ~
a AIr a
saks, "Wherc In their fuel supply To
como from?' Continuing, he says
AT tho rate we are consuming oil
tho estimated supplies are sufficient
10 meet our needs for but com
paratively short period. OH IN beins
drawn from our reserves In the
United statca Mt the rate OF approx
imntely 100000, 900 barrels year.
This is five times the rate at which
Il was being produced In 1901, ana
more than twice that OF 1909.
"since the Drake we'll was drilled
81 years ago, nearly 5000. 900. 900
barrels Of oil have been produced In
this country. Conservative esu-
mates made by the geological survey
indicate that this IN about ~ per
cent OF our total available supply,
based upon the present cfflcicny OF
recovery. and that II we continue to
consume at the present rate we may
expect tho reserves to DO exhausted
In Is or 20 years.
until very recently supplies nave
bean abundant and therefore OF Nv
tlc value. We have been wasteful'
careless and recklcsSly Ignorant IN
the production and use OF these OF,
sunplies. We have abandoned
whole fields, leaving n large part o,
the oil stili In tho sands ana nav
allowed what remained 10 peco.n.
SO disseminated by infiltratins wa,c'
AS to be practically irrecoveIao.e
We have permitted enormous auaa,
,,,es ~ gas and the lighter products
30 tbs oii 10 waste into the air, W.
have lacked the knowledge to en-
able us to produce one produc
which we needed without wastinl
other produots for which Mt ina
time we had little need. You a.'
aware that for many years IN ou
ouest for kerosene we perntte'
great quantities of gasoline TO d.
waated fbecauso We did not khoV
how 10 use Il. Nature has provide'
with prodigal generosity and W
have consumed with profiigat
waste. n,
"Within the space OF scarce
five years we have passed FROM
condition of overproduction TO on
Of undersupply,- which threatens I
become more and more acute q
time COOS on. The prices OF cruu
oil IN our principal, fields have II
creased from 40 cents barrel
$3.50 a barrel. or almost soo "
cent. From an exporting nation v
nav. rased to an importing nauo
and are already depending on io'
eign supplies. Our stocks, whio
formerly eaualcd eight months cor
sumption, have now been deplet'
until they are equivalent TO haru
three months supply. Although on
nroduction Of oil products has col
tinually Increased. 1t has been u
outstripped by our constantly gro,
ing consumption. and Increased d
mands are held in check only py o'
inability to assure adequate supph
l..t.