Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-12-13
BIG WELLS MARK week At CUT BANK field
THIS IS OUR WAR
Outlining the No. project Of oil producers and refne the
Rocky Mountain region.

NOSAJ NNVunNNH ASSASA|
With the opening of hostiies the Pacific coast
OF Montana and Wyoming take rank of the vital factors
With Japanese bombe already cruising over California is ap
parent that oil fields and reneres first military obc
tves Sprawng tank offer ideal target They will be
first object of attack California refneries were not DESIGNED for war
Until underground neres and storage tanks be built in
land the refneres of the Rocky Mountain region have
form heroic part in this
Needless state Pacific will be infested Japanese
submarines which will restrict of fuel supplies to
Portland Puget British Columbia Unquesonaby
of Japanese fishing boats will appear from bases along the
rugged haass anes None knows better than the Japanese
The European has taught the vuneraby high
pressure cracking plants which dnegrae from the conclusion Of
high explosives be said without hesitation that the California
oil industry will be greatly haassed if temporarily eliminated
While is apparent that Japan will the the Pacific
coast which is detensvey unprepared to meet such attacks It IS
probable that any bombers will the Rocky mountains
Accordingly, will become the task of Rocky Mountain oil fields
supply the petroleum needs of the Pacific northwest
We already hearing lamentations failure build the oil
pipeline Bank Spokane and when proposed 1t would
be of nemab military value in the contingency which quickly
However these not days for lamentations failures
great drilling campaign to develop more production in present pro
ducng fields and to find II there one about scene
planes the essential factors in modern
They without gasoline Gigantic American supplies
of fuel nearly safe the limited supplies which
Japan and Germany have made preparations safeguard
Enlargement of refining capacity increase OF oil production and
producers should for military orders proceed Major
pnes which moved out of Montana should return to Mon
open development campaign fields and fon
years Scores of undeveoped structures Wyoming
await development deeper drilling by the well financed companies
President Roosevelt pointed Tuesday night this the
simple of Licking the Japs have often discussed The
American people believe that with Japan
would be thewek job But today know differently en- days
ago no American would the Pearl Harbor base might be
out morning without blow struck back
would admit that Japan with inferior naval and aircraft forces
night launch simultaneous offensves with greatly divided forces
all its detectives without being met and
by superior of Yans None would then admit that
arpane might evade the watchu of the of
patrols launch planes cities
lights Impossbies today probabilities Accordingly there
doubt but that this fight for survival In view of what has
happened happen when Germany launches its often
against the Atlantic coast it not impossible that the Rocky
fountains will be last stand of the United States
Russas impossible resistance due not to her front line Tor
caons preparations in the HINTERLAND Except for
Preparations beyond the reach of a Russia would have been
rushed before
The Rocky Mountain may provide the fuel the
1brcan the STEEL "copper" zinc lead mobdenum and
with which carry the nations last stand IN its tight
Or life
None is foolish enough today say happen here
Pacific refneres and oil fields be destroyed will
of the Rocky Mountain rene keep planes flying and
and trucks rolling for the defense of coast industries That
than TEN TIMES the present production be required
By these lines reach readers the Philippine islands
Jay the hands of the Japanese serving their western base
their operations against the Pacific S
navys this is OUR and the Rocky Noun
oil industry should moving TODAYno in 1913 any
tewith the attitude that the of the de-
ends z
The sinking great British batesps and the unquesoned
image to the States Pacific fleet demonstrates that this
ARPLANES and the best and fastest planes and not dread
ughs will win this war That fuel which 100
aviation gasoline which the United States has great supply
the Pacific eneres bombed There isn't western
gasoline plant outside of California and should the Caor
supply be lost the be osuness other sources be made
d
somewhere in the Rocky Mountain regionpossby Billings
utilize iso-butylene penane and isobutan from
VERY refinery in the Rocky Mountain region o.
1t believed that every refinery with cracking facilities could with
expenditure small arrange for of
forming 1Ooctane gaso
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