The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-11
FIRST gasoline
1PLANTINANER|GA
J INVEST VIRGINIA
'Gasollne Valued at s13,o4s,.
551 Produced In State
Two Years Ago.

Gasoline is a live subject. It is
particularly interesting TO the 49,
249 automobile owners in West Vir-
GINA who are compelled to buy
gasoline for their machines.
Many Of the automobile owners,
however, do not know that large
percentage Of the 'gas" they use Is
taken from natural gas. And COM
pafahyely few people In West Viz.
asginia know that the first natural
gas gasoline plant erected in the
United States was built near Sis
tersvtlle, w. Va, in 1903. This
plant was the type known as the
compression process and Operated
on gas derived from oil wells.
There is probably less known
about this industry than there is
about any other industry in the
state that approaches its magni.
tude. The market value Of gaso-
line produced in West Virginia in
1920. the latest statistics available,
Sas S13,04e,551.
This industry began to develop
IN q practical way about 1910. al.
though active expansion OF the in.
&dustry did not take place until
1915. In 1911 there we're in the
Xunited States 1856 plants for the 70.
Yeoyery OF gasoline from natural
gas, and in 1920 we find 1,149
such operations.
The Compression Process.
There are two methods OF recov.
sring gasoline from natural gas;
they are known as the compression
and absorption processes. In the
compression process all the gaso-
line manufactured Is from gas
gathered from oil wells. This gas
Isl subjected to varying pressures
D that cause the gasoline contained
this gas to condense. This pro-
duct is Of a light character and
must be mixed with a heavier pc.
tsoleum product before 1t can he
used for fuel or automotIve units.
West Virginia in 1920 had 1853
compression plants with an output
of 1872, $50 gallons Of gasoline
valued at s3,169,S59. This state
ranks fourth in the production OF
natural gas by the compression pro.
cess, Oklahoma leading with wide
margin over California, Texas and
West Virginia. However, the val.
ne OF gasoline produced in our
state Is higher than that produced
IN any other state in the Union.
The average market price in 1920
was: West Virginia, 1884 cents;
Oklahoma. 1874 cents; California,
1872 cents. and Texas. 17.4s cents.
The Absorption Process.
Gasoline produced by the Absorb
tion method consists Of passing
My or lean natural gas, that pro-
duced BY gas wells, through a
light petroleum oil which absorbs
the gasoline contained therein, and
this oil is subsequently piped to a
steam distilling apparatus where
the gasoline absorbed by the oil Is
recovered. This product having
been steam distilled, does not con
tain the percentage Of the extreme.
" light and volatile fractions char
acteristtc of the product made by
the compression process.
4 BY the addition Of from 10 to 20
per cent OF natural gas gasoline to
& 1.-The refinery gasoline, that produced
from crude oil, very satisfactory
motor fuel Is produced which in
siIresS easy starting and freedom
frol carbon. AS natural gas gaso.
line has high volatility, It is also
blended with other refinery pro.
ducts, such as napha, thereby in.
creasing the value OF such blend.
ing materials.
II Is OF interest to West Wiz,
ginians TO know that the largest
gasoline absorption plant in the
world Is located In this state at
Hastings. This plant is owned and
; operated by the Hope Natural Gas
7 D. I . .