Evening star., 1926-12-12
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Continued from Inlru Ea87c
drive tunnels in all directions through
the sands. From these tunnels small
perforated pipes are driven into the
sands, which drain the oil out OF the
at the foot of the shaft and thence Is
pumped out. This requires installing
an expensive plant, but in some fields
the high recovery that Is assured
might justify the cost. After the
shaft. tunnels and pipes are installed
it merely requires time for the OIL 10
be drawn in, as a sponge draws water
I understand the process Is about TO
be installed in a few fields in this
country, some companies being con-
vinced it is practicable and prohtabie.
"It is pretty well understood by
this time that oil can be distilled from
coal. In Europe much work is doing
along this line. But more appeal mas
been made by the plan OF extractlng
oil from shale. The shales OF Scot
land have been worked for three
quarters Of a century. and they are
almost unlimited in this country
richer in oil than those of Scotland.
Kentucky, Ohio, Colorado, Utah, Ne.
vada, wyoming and California are
particularly rich In shales. There Is
no doubt about the possibility OF ex.
traction; 1t Is; just q question or the
cost at which, with the best posslpie
equipment, 1t can be done. Congress
has made two appropriations, aggre-
eating about $180,000. with which the
bureau has installed a plant near hu-
lison. Colo, to distill oil from the
Colorado River shales. Two retorts
have been put in, one of the Scotch
type, and one American. Production
Of oil at Rulison is just getting fairly
started. and we are certain to learn
a good deal about it from these expe-
rinents. It is calculated that the
shales mined at Rulison will produce
about a barrel Of oil to the ton.
"In Scotland they are working
shales that produce about 70 gallons
Of oil per ton: the seams are from . !2
to or 10 feet thick. In Colorado
are seams many times as thick ana
containing much more OIL per ton
nous mining operation, and after the
oil is extracted, the vast tonnage OF
refuse must be disposed OF. So 1t IS
expensive compared with producing OIL
from wells. On the other hand, shale
resources are so extensive as 70 as
sure against any deficiency in Oil Sup.
plies, once the price Of oil is hlgn
enough to justify these operations.
But that may be long time ahead:
Ben e. Lindsly of the Bureau OF
Mines Experiment Station at Barties'
Vile, Okla, is confident that explora'
ton, better recoveries, better utiliza'
ton and deeper drilling would furnish
enough oil to meet all requirements
for at least rs to SO years. If 1t could
be extracted in that time. But as
practical matter. this would not be
possible. Within that period there
will be times of shortage, when oil
from shales will be needed to supple
ment the oil from wells, etc. =
Meantime Federal and State gov.
ernments and the industry are CO.
operating in an astonishing range OF
investigations and studies. The State
of Oklahoma gives an appropriation
to help maintain the Bartlesville Ex-
pertinent Station, while the oil com.
panies everywhere assist its work.
| The station Is carryig on investiga-
tions looking to larger recoveries, to
prevention of wastes, protection
against fire and effective utilization Of
lower grades Of distillates. These &C.
tivities cover such wide field that
even an enumeration Of them would