The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1922-03-10
Represents About 3 Per Cent OF
Total Gasoline Produc-
ton Of Country.
IS VALUED At S26,84O,OOO
Report Of the United States Bureau OF
Mines Tells Of Many Other lnves-
LEGATIONS Made During
Last Year.

ton.-Investigations conduct
ed by the United States bureau OF
mines, in the course of special effort
to aid the mineral Industries to re-
establish themselves on a safe basis
to meet the renewed foreign competi-
ton and the changed conditions OF sup
ply and demand Of the postwar period,
point the way to the possible saving of
vast sums through the application of
improved methods in the production OF
various mineral materials, according
to ii. Foster Balm, director, In his an
nual report, just made to the secretary
of the interior.
An investigation of losses Of crude
oil through evaporation In storage and
in transportation, conducted during the
year by the bureau, disclosed losses of
startling magnitude. 1t was found that
in the few days in which crude oil Is
stored on the lease before being taken
by the pipe line, the aggregate loss per
year from evaporation amounts to
about 100, 100000 gallons of gasoline In
the mid-continent field alone. This has
a value, at % cents a gallon. Of $780,
$4,000. and represents about per cent
Of the total gasoline produced In the
United States from all fields and oil
sources. The bureau found that large
percentage Of this loss could be pre-
vented by the use of efficient equip
ment.
The bureau Of mines has pointed out
the considerable losses which have re-
suited from the failure Of many REIN
cries To recover gasoline from CON
densed still vapors. The significance
Of this investigation n shown by the
fact that one refinery Ia the m!d-con-
tinent field IL now recovering from s,lIl
vapors approximately 100 barrels Of
gasoline daily which. before the install
lation of this equipment, was either
lost or burned as fuel under the boilers
and stills. The value OF fractionating
towers at petroleum refnenes, by
means of which some companies have
increased the yield Of gasoline from
crude oil by as much az per cent, or
1914 per cent of the total, Is now gen
orally recognized.
Low-Pressure Waste.
Large quantities of gas are now be-
Ing wasted In the Usage Nation In
Oklahoma because of low-pressure con-
ditions, and the bureau Of mines is In
vestigating the feasibility of utIAzing
this waste gas by the use of low-pres-
sure burners for oil-feld boilers. The
demand Of the export market for
Sweet" gasoline led to the develop
ment Of process for treating gasoline
to remove the Objectionable sulphur
compounds, by which treatment some
grades of American gasoline heretofore
Objectionable were made suitable for
export.
Under the arrangement by which su-
pervision OF the drilling and production
Of oil and gas on the public lands Is
vested In the bureau of mines, the bu-
reau has supervision of about 100 pro-
ducing oil properties, which are pro-
ducing at the rate of about 10000
barrels of oil per annum. Even mt the
present reduced price of oil, the gov
eminent royalty from this should total
perhaps $2.0O0,O0O per annum. A spe-
cial process. devised at the San Fran
cisco station Of the bureau, for crack
Ing heavy oils and tars promises the
recovery OF large yields of gasoline ind
other lighter products. hitherto regard
ed as unrecoverable. Investigations
made by the bureau In Colorado and
Utah indicate that the oil-shaie de-
posts of the Rocky mountain states
contain potential fuel supply OF al
most unequaf6d, Importance. !. sl.f,
The experimental helium plant at Pc
trolia, Texas. conducted under the au-
tho,Ity OF the army and navy heiium