San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-11
Will Be the Largest Such
Plant in Republic
of Mexico.
TO COST $1,000, 900
Will Be Capable of Turn
ing Out $4,000 Gal
Ions a Day.

idmpicO, MEX, March lU.-lnt
largest plant in Mexico for making
refined gasoline is rapidly being COM
pleted by the Huasteca Petroleum
company at its Mata Redonda ter
minal on the Panuco river at Tam
pico. 1t will be capable of turning
out $4,000 gallons daily, from light
crude oil from wells of the company
in Cerro Azul, Chapapote Nunez
TERRA Blanca and Cerro Viejo.
Started in September, 1922, 240C
men were employed at one time in its
construction while at present 1900
men are working. Hblf of the plant
is ready for operation; bailers have
been fired and trial patches of crude
naphtha put through the agitators and
stills.
A plant for the distilling of crude
naphtha stock for the refinery consist
ing of &C stills. ran an average OF
10000 barrels of light crude oil q
day during 1922. Since January 1,
1923, this has been reduced to 100,.
600 barrels a day average, because OF
lack of storage and it is this old plant
which will furnish stock for the new
refinery.
To Cost So 400, 900.
The total cost is estimated as So
100000. Four buildings averaging 80
by 100 feet have been constructed as
well as IL smaller ones. A battery OF
ten $50 horsepower boilers will fur
nish power while six pumps, with COM
bined capacity of 1900 barrels of
distillates per hour, have been in
stalled together with a complete ma.
chine and welding shop for the making
of all>necessary repairs.
Eight 5000 barrels steel storage
tanks for crude naphtha working stock
have been erected. together with six
tanks for gasoline from the stills; two
for gas oil fall working tanksl five
10000 barrel tanks for finished gaso
| line storage and one of similar sizC
for crude naphtha storage. These are
in addition to five $4,000 barrel stec
tanis previously erected at the ter
minal which have been released to thu
refinery for crude naphtha storage.
Three of the six 1000 barrel stce'
agitators have been completed and the
rest are in various stages of construc
ton. Through each agitator il will he
possible to pass a batch of crude
naphtha in four hours including wash.
ing down. The steam stills include IL
condensing towers with a combined
capacity of $4,000 gallons of crude
vaporized naphtha per hour.
Use Good Process.
} 1t Is estimated from the cracking
process TO be used by the Doheny com
pany. that from the crude naphtha
which they. manufacture. 81 per cent
will be finished product when passed
through these stills. with the balance
as gas oil. No endeavor will be made
to further reduce the balance into
Kerosene or any of the other petroleum
by-products.
In order to save time in the con-
struction OF necessary buildings. A. r..
Martin. refinery superintendent Mt
Tampico since 1916, made most of the
steel used, at the terminal and in adj
dition TO saving time, was able TO
utilize a considerable quantity of ma
terial which had been on hand from
previous construction work.
The space occupied by the refinery
ls one kilometer long by half n kio-
meter wide. completely fenced with
wooden cottages for stillmen. bumpers
and other members of the operating
force lust outside this fenced area.
To Enter Gasoline Market.
With the beginning Of the operation
OF this plant, the Mexican Petroleum
Corporation subsidies will enter the
wholesale and retail gasoline market
This markst has been controlled nv
the Pierce Oil Corporation and the
Mexican Eagle subsidiary. Cha Mexi
cana de Petroleo FL ASuila, s. A..
The Huasteco has obtained conces
sions for opeting two stations in Mex
leo City and it is understood to b.
negotiating for location in the zen
ter of the business district Of Tam
| pico.