Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1941-09-18
FORMER RESIDENT FLIES
OCEAN TO EASE OIL
SHORTAGE


place, is taken from the Columbus
Citizen:
The Far East is boiling-planes
roar through the air-ships churn
the sea-oil and gasoline are need
ed to explode the engines of war,
and from Washington the Austral-
ian ministry is calling Leo Ran
ney.
mo, Mr. Ranney is not in his
office in Columbus, o., the long dis
tance operator reports. "You must
try MORO Bay, Calf" "Mr. Ran
ney,' the voice crackles over the
wires from Washington to Califor-
mia, "Australia must increase her
output of motor fuel and lubri-
cants. You have been recommend
ed. Will you help?"
He had bored for oil in South
America, he had poked exploring
fingers along underground veins to
find water for London, England; for
Lisbon, Portugal for Athens,
Greece, and at the outbreak of
World War II was planning new
water sources for Paris, France.
Yes, he would go.
So Leo Ranney, longtime be-
lever in horizontal drilling while
vertical boomers scoffed, boarded
Pan-Am Clipper at San Francisco,
and before month was out, he and
another petroleum engineer from
Canada were rigging Australian oil
and gas resources for about pro-
duction.
The south Pacific continent has
such small oil production that
large imports of petrol must be
made from the United States and
the Netherland Indies. Mr.. Ranney
found gasoline selling for 64 cents
a gallon with each automobile on a
monthly ration of four gallons.
as they are with war
nearer home the Australians must
be ready to meet a petroleum short
age.
The methods proposed by Mr..
Ranney and now awaiting final ap-
proval by the new government of
Prime Minister Arthur w. Fadden,
are:
1: Mine shafts will be sunk 1900
feet to the oil bearing sand and
from the bottom Of each shaft will
be bored "a horizontal wells rad
iating in all directions to tap a high
quality lubricating oil.
2: To obtain gasoline substi-
tute, natural gas will be extracted
from underground coal seams and
confined in steel bottles. This bot
tied energy can be used in auto mo-
tors after minor adjustments.
This claiming Of mineral wealth
horizontal drilling had been
developed, perfected and patented
by Mr.. Ranney, and in recent years
as oil has become the black gold of
war the governments of Japan and
Germany have become interested.
He hasn't and won't do business
with Hitler, and his partners, Mr.
Ranney said yesterday in his office
at A East Broad street. But he
firmly believes his methods could
be applied to the oil fields of Ohio,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania and
New York as a successful solution
of the eastern seaboard gasoline
shortage. Geared to the present
days of priorities, horizontal drill
ing requires less steel, less power,
less labor and less transportation,
he said.
The world-famous petroleum en-
gineer, a native of Iowan, first came
to Ohio for his experiments near
in the outcropping
of the First Cow Run sand.
In Australia, he found oil fields of
small production with both rotary
IL
for the pay. Mr.. Ranney and his
fellow expert, c. o. Fairbank, of
made a detailed study of
he Lakes Entrance field near Mel |
bourne where a good lubricating oil
IS struck at 1900 feet.
AS soon as the plans are approv- |
I'd, an Australian mining company |
s to sink shaft eight feet in diam
ster to the sand and Mr.. Ranney is |
o return and direct the drilling of |
he horizontal wells. He expects ,
such a shaft to produce 500 barrels |
Der day.
During his month down under"
Nr. Ranney found the Australians
me of the most modern peoples of
he world in their outlook.
What does he think of Japan's
outhward drive?
"She is committing suicide" Mr..
2anney asserted.
He pointed to Russia, the Indies,
Australia, New Zealand and Great
Britain as her opponents if such
lrive is launched, then he added an
lnecdote.
Two Dutch naval officers, fellow
on the transocean trip