Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15


tions of the world to secure present
and future potential oil reserves Is
explained as follows:
Demand Exceeds supply.
The United States has furnished
nearly two-thirds of all the oil yet
taken from the ground in the world
SIS billions OF barrels out of a total
Of S5 billions. Our American fields
are now pouring about IS per cent of
the worlds annual supply, while our
country is using over IS per cent OF
that total supply. In other words, in
spite of the great Influx of California
oil which temporarily floods the mar
ket. this country requires In round
numbers 100000 barrels more than
1t produces. The production in 1929,
due to the amazing increase In Cali
fornia, was 551.197,00O, and the re-
Quirements. including manufacturing,
were 5S6,359,000. But the American
fields as a whole are generally in
adequate to meet the needs Of the
country. With our auto vehicle pro-
gram, which already has passed eleV-
en- million cars and which is still
growing: with our merchant ships
compelled to burn oil to compete with
those Of other nations; with trac-
tors, trucks, pumps, small machinery
and miscellaneous equipment being
multiplied annually; and with air
service destined to become an every
day necessity. the demand for oil Is
increasing rapidly.
Obviously the one good business
thing for this government to do is
to take stock of how much oil there
is left in the United States and then
how much oil there Is in the rest of
the world: where the principal de-
posts are located; and endeavor to
assure that American interests will
have a fair share of this future sup
ply.
The world war was fought largely
over. and ALLEGATION of territory
among the allies was based largely
on, distribution Of natural resources
oil, metals. diamonds. coal, forests.
agricultural land. ETC..
Worlds Oil Resources.
The oil resources of the principal
or more important regions of the
world total approximately SO billion
barrels, according to estimates COM
piled by David White Of the United
States geological survey and Eugene
Stebinger, formerly geologist OF
the government, while the total re-
sources of the world are estimated
by DR.. White at about rs billions of
barrels. Our reserve in this country
Is estimated at billion barrels dn the
ground, recoverable by present methods.
Some biologists believe there may be as
much as Is billions Of barrels.
Outside of the United States the
supplies Of oil have been coming
mainly from Rumania, South Russia,
Mexico and the Dutch East Indies.
Supplies in less amount are being
produced in India and Galicia (now
Poland). The results OF the explora-
ton by the Anglo-Persian Oil Com
pany ESQ per cent owned by the
British government in southwestern
Persia bordering Mesopotamia have
resulted in marked success and rapid
increases in production, In wells
drilled and capped capable of greatly
charging the production and trans
portation when marketing arrange
ments are completed. A very small
production has been for some years
obtained In Peru and south Canada.
For many years the Japanese en-
pire has for the most part supplied
it's own needs. So much for COM
mercial sources at the present time.
Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela
are entering the lists.
AS regards the future. the foremost
potential region of the eastern hem
isphere and probably of the entire
world is in Asia Minor-the region
embracing western Persia, which is
now nearly all in British control
through the Anglo-Persian Oil Com
pany; Mesopotamia, in which lies the
Mosul district, which seems to be
claimed by the British; Syria, the re-
Rion of the Caucasus in Russia, and
the southwestern corner of Siberia,
including Turkestan.
OIL In south America.
The other great region of prospective
Importance Is western South America,
embracing Venezuela. Colombia. and
the broad Andean zone and foothill re-
gion of South America.
AS information now stands, 1t Is
most probable that the principal new
REGIONS Of subordinate Importance are to
be found in India. Afghanistan. portions
of Africa, the island Of Sachalin (Sag-
halian) and eastern Siberia, China,
tho East Indies and Mexico. The
Philippine Islands offer possibilities
that may be important in spite of
disappointing results of searches so
far made. according to biologists.
The Chester project attaches to a
railway concession extending from
tho Black sea across to the Persian
border. with a prospective branch
heading northeastward toward Lake
Van. The line taps important agri-
cultural lands. It penetrates the
heart Of the Mosul region, where oil
has been obtained from open pits for
centuries and where drilling tests and
geological conditions assure a great
future production.
Oil projects at other points, includ-
ing the Lake Van district, and copper
deposits reported to be of great
value are comprehended in the Ches-
ter concession.
It is understood also that the Ches-
ter concession or an additional con-
cession to the Chester interests en-
braces plans for city building in
Angora-
Field OF Vast Extent.