Evening star., 1940-05-26
All Be||iiqerents Have
Adequate Oil Supply,
Expert Believes
Reich Sources Declared
Sound Despite Lock
Of Russian Cooperation

From available information on
their oil supplies, "it appears that
none Of the belligerents Of the
European war Is faced with a pros
pect of oil starvation" B. Orchard
Lisle, consulting petroleum tech
nologist, declared in an article In
the current issue of the Infantry
journal.
The Anglo French alliance can
more readily meet the demands Of
increased consumption than can the
Germans unless commerce raiding
by the latter becomes more success
full" he said.
However, mo early capitulation by
Germany is to be expected from
lack Of oil supplies alone" he de-
clared in his review of military oil
consumption.
1T is most obvious now that
economic warfare is a permanent
addition to the methods of over
coming an enemy. But essential to
the success of any attempt to con-
troll an enemy's commerce-in which
liquid fuel plays such an important
parts the backing of armed serv-
ices capable of enforcing the re-
strictions," he pointed out.
German Sourses Analysed.
Mr.. Lisle devoted considerable
Of his article to German oil sources
and declared the Russians are pro-
viding little cooperation in deliv-
cries. In chart giving break
down of German sources and po-
tential yield for this year he indi-
Gates German and Polish oil fields
will provide more than 984,00 tons.
Pledged shipments from Rumania
are listed at 100000 tons and
Soviet Russia is supposed to pro-
vide 350,0O0 tons.
He indicated the hydrogenation Of
coal and Ignite would provide Ger
many with 2,075,000 tons and that
the synthesis of oil from this same
source would yield 100000 tons.
Distillation of coal and coal tar is
estimated as providing 100000 tons.
Benzole. amounting to $4,000 tons,
Is expected from industrial gas
works and the reclamation OF used
lube oil is charted at $4,000 tons.
He said probably half million tons
or less of alcohol would be taken
from vegetable products.
Unofficial reports have it that
the Russians in Poland have been
deliberately sabotaging shipment of
petroleum to the Reich through fire.
quent delays in train movements
along the one narrow-gauge track
by which tank cars can proceed to
Germany. Such delays probably
exist. but are, 1t is likely, due not
so much to deliberate action as to
inevitable confusion" he said.
German domestic crude petroleum
supplies have been increased by
about 10000 tons obtainable from
the Polish Jaslo area to a new total
OF $4,000 tons a year. 49,.
But efficient German methods Of
production and the recent dis
coveries in that region already noted
may bring the domestic total as high
as 1,050,000 tons without any great
difficulty" he said.
Pay Dear for Rumanian Oil
"All in all, in about IL months
time Germany should have available
in the neighborhood of 8,079 900 tons
of oil products per year, even though
the British blockade has severed
her from her former chief source OF
supply"
The desire of Germany for Ruma-
nian oil 'is clearly indicated by the
fact that she is willing to pay $45
per ton, compared with SIT per ton
at the beginning of the war" he
declared.
The Allied loss of merchant ships
has been substantially below the
World War level. He pointed out
that "only few dozen tankers"
were lost during the first six months
compared to one daily at the height
of the campaign of 1917-18. "Con-
flscations are said to compare
favorably with the amount of oil
lost" the author declared
Purchases from the United States
and South America have been re-
duced considerably in order to con-
serve dollar exchange. but produc-
ton in areas in the British Empire
and under Allied control has
been stepped up wherever possible
to offset this reduction. Meanwhile,
the severe rationing of gasoline and
other oil products undoubtedly has
made vast savings" Mr.. Lisle said.