Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-09-27
U. S. is RICH
in OIL SHALES
New Source of Motor Fuel
Awaits Development by Chem
lists, Says DR.. Mckee.
USE MORE THAN We PRODUCE
Shortage of Petroleum Is Made Up by
Large importations From Mexico
Big Source Of Supply Seen
in Shale.

WaShingtOn.-In the last six years
the gasoline used in the United States
per automobile has decreased from 600
gallons per year to approximately 100
gallons per year, owing not to a de-
crease of mileage per car, but to IN in
creased efficiency of carburetOrs and
engines. Were it not for this in
creased efficiency we should already
have reached our limit of gasoline con-
sumption and with it probably price
of at least 40 cents gallon.
Since 1921 the United States has
been consuming more petroleum than
it produces. The excess has been
largely provided by Mexico and last
year showed an importation of more
than 100000 barrels, that is, ap-
proximately 2G per cent of the Amer
lean production. Moreover, about
year ago the geological survey called
attention to the fact that we should
not expect to find any more large
fields Of petroleum in the United
States-in other words. that practi
cally all of the possibilities in the
way of large Petroleum fields in this
country have been we'll protected and
that now We can calculate fairly close
~ what the production will be in the
future.
Continually increasing.
On the other hand, the use of motor
vehicles in this country is continually
increasing. At present there are about
100000 passenger ears, trucks and
tractors in use, and it is certain that
the SatHration point is more than 49,
oVQ,pO0, and perhaps will exceed TO-
COCOON machines. With this expected
larger demand for gasoline on one
hand, and on the other, even less pc
troleum available In a few years than
we have at present, there arises a
question as 10 how the motor fuel def
icit is 10 be met. Of course, imperta-
tons OF oil Can be made from Russia.
Persia, Mesopotamia, and South Amer
lea. The consumer will purchase his
gasoline at from 60 to IS cents gal
lon. We must have q domestic supply
of motor fuel and at price more rea
sonable than go cents 4 gallon. Thlr-
ty-6ve or forty cents q gallon will prob
ably be considered a fair price by the
consumer.
Alcohol and benZOl and the synthet- |
ic ,nlptor; fuels haring "a mixture of |
these Two as their base, will meet a
smalki but .only. "a Very. .stnaIl portion;t
Of aeeds.s the tota sssaniodlft OF /
tReseSs:tTp motor. fuels available in /
4Amesea, Is BIT small percentage of
the 20,OO0,O00 gallons of gasoline now !
used daily.
Oil .shale Resources.
In the last two years another source !
of motor fuel has begun to be cOnsid-'
cred seriously in America. In Europe
oil shale has been used for nearly Il !
century for the obtaining of petroleum. .
Indeed, the word petroleum was
used for shale oil for Il generation be- .
fore Colonel Drake drilled the first oil .
well (ritusville, Pa, 1859. Oil shale I
does not contain petroleum, but by
heating oil shale petroleum distils !
from which a motor spirit similar to
ordinary gasoline may be obtained.
The European oil shale yields 20 to /
% gallons of oil per ton of shale mined.
In this country We have large deposits
of shales that give double this yield of /
oil. The largest, OF these are the Green
River deposits in Colorado, Utah and t
Wyoming, but there are also deposits |
in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, and /
some of equal extent in New Bruins
wick and Nova Scotia. Many of these
win yield a barrel az sgallons) of oil
per ton of rock. 1t is not edmmonly ap-|
pEeciatfd how large these oil sbale de-
posts gre. in tie Green River section
alone there are khUwn deposits yield
Ing a barrel or more of petroleum per-
ton. These are sufficient to furnish
more than Eve times the total world
production since the commercial devel-
epment Of well petroleum go years ago.
Experimental Work.
In the last two years 'copversa-
.ttops' regarding shale oil possibilities
have been followed by real experiment.
tel ind small plant operations, 80 that.
today we have several processes ipl
course of trial. 1t is as yet a question
whether we haze found the best meth
cd of obtaining oil from the shale. 1t !
should be said in passing that the /