Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-11-21

The Alaskan situation is sufficiently inn
portant from a military standpoint that
Montana should be bending every effort to
increase the output of oil Montana re-
finers should be preparing to move their
gasoline northward possibly for storage at
Edmonton or at other rail points along the
route, notably Dawson Creek the nearest
railroad connection.
Military necessity is the factor which
makes it possible to get needed casing and
other steel for oil well drilling. California
has received consideration from the WPB
on this account and while the work is called
'reconditioning, California operators are
now practically unhampered by regulations,
just so that they can develop more produc-
ton.
The same situation should apply here in
Montana. Every operator should be doing
something about it. It is one thing to sit
back and weep because the WPB and OPC
don't realize the tremendous problem that
faces the army in providing gasoline for
the trucks on the Alaska highway 1t is an
other thing to get in touch with the proper
authorities and impress upon them the
necessity that steps be taken NOW.
Representatives of Canadian refiners are
now in Montana preaching this gospel but
they are not getting any results. The matter
should be presented in Washington where
there is a growing consciousness of the too
little, too late" theory.
Montana can supply the Alaskan highway
trucks with gasoline, if drilling restrictions
are modified and if casing and other
supplies are made available.
"Oil is desperately necessary for any
armed force operating from Alaska and
even more necessary for its defense If the
tides of war continue to run against us" says
the Cole report. I'VE have neither the Pc
troleum products available nor the tankers
or tank cars for its transportation if it were
available to supply the needs of a large
armed force in Alaska If we fail to develop
such a supply, or develop it too tardily, our
armed operations in Alaska area will fail"
Congressman Cole proposed the develop
ment Of oil resources in Alaska He added,
however that it takes two years and per-
haps longer, to get new oil discoveries de-
veloped to a point where they deliver re-
fined products in appreciable quantities TO
the market
A pipeline is now being built from Fort
Norman oil field to Dawson Greek, and
Imperial Oil Co. is drilling some additional
wells in that field. Production in Fort Nor
man is small 1t win help but it is unsuf-
ficient. The great problem is to fill the tanks
Of outgoing trucks as they start out of
Edmonton on their westward trek over the
new highway. That is the problem of Mon
tana producers and Montana oil refiners. 1t
is Of vital Importance during the next two
or three years. Rather than the development
of an oil industry in Alaska Montana de-
velopment is the most important factor
Given adequate supplies Kelvin and Cut
Bank operators have hundreds of locations
which if drilled viii surely produce oil The
refineries of Canada and Montana have the
capacity to run an additional 5000 to 5000
barrels per day. Every north Montana re-
finery should be operating at capacity;
every string of drilling tools should be
night and day.
Nor is this wartime market alone. IN
less some important oil discoveries are made
In Canada in the near future, Montana will
nave to continue to provide gasoline for the
Alcan highway traffic 1t win probably be a
great tourist market in times of peace.