Evening star., 1942-08-22
Fuel Oil Ration
Studied Despite
Aid for East
Steps to Increase
Seoboord's Supply
Moy Not Prevent 1t

Developments on several fronts to
increase the flow OF Oil to the East
and keep homes warm this winter
were accompanied today by the sp-
polntment by Production Chief
Donald M. Nelson OF committee
to determine whether use Of fuel
oil should be curtailed and what
form rationing should take II
decision to curtail is made.
Newly found methods for bring
ing >oil 10 the Atlantic Seaboard, it
was said. may not obviate fuel oil
rationing. In addition, steps to in
crease Eastern oil supplies brought
gasoline rationing much nearer u
the Midwest and Southwest.
Members of Mr.. Nelson's COM
mittee are Undersecretary OF War
Patterson. Secretary of Interior
Ickes and Price Administrator Hen
derson The committee has been
granted full power to act on this
fuel oil problem. Mr.. Nelson will
meet with the group.
Mr.. Ickes, as petroleum co-ordi-
natoi. was responsible for most of
the new moves to increase the EaSt's
oil supplies. In the latest step. ne
reported approval of plan for the
emergency movement of $4,000 bar
rels of essential Oil products east
ward through temporary use OF
Great Lakes tankers or barge trans
portation between Toledo and
Cleveland.
Co-ordinated With Pipeline.
The plan. it was explained, will
enable earliest possible utilization
of pipeline facilities now being ar
ranged, expanded and extended in
| Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
1t will remain in effect pending
completion of new 100-mile pipe
line across Ohio, which will elimi-
| nate need for the lake movement
to Cleveland.
Mr.. Ickes earlier had reported
OPC's approval of plans for extern
sion Of the Plantation Pipe Line
| from Greenboro, N. c., to Richmond.
move designed to bring 30 900 bar
rels of oil daily for use in Wash
ington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and
the Virginia capital. Most of the oil
will be moved by barge from Rich
mond to Washington and the points
farther North. This transportation
method will release tank cars to
bring in more OIL
The extension from Greenboro will
require 165 miles of second-ha
8-inch pipe, which it is believed can
be obtained by digging up and re-
conditioning existing lines now
either idle or only in partial use.
The Government will finance the
project. estimated to cost S., ,OOO, 900.
Meanwhile. Deputy Petroleum CO.
ordinator Ralph K Davies reported
that good progress was being made
on the 550-mile, 24-inch pipeline
under construction from Texas to
Illinois. This line, scheduled for
| completion in late December, will
carry 100000 barrels of oil daily,
about half of which will be for East
! Coast use. ~
Gas Rationing Spread Probable.
| Other Oil developments were:
/. A ban by OPC of the hauling
of automotive gasoline by rail in
! 20 Midwest and Southwest States,
designed to release from 5000 to 1000
additional tank cars for transporta-
ton of fuel oil to the East. In this
way, the movement of oil eastward
| will be increased by about 100000
! barrels day. The order, it was
said. makes extension of gasoline
| rationing to the Rocky Mountains a
virtual certainty.
2. A report from the Office Of
Defense Transportation that more
than IS per cent of the 1000 tank
cars loaded in Southwestern fields
are now moving to the East in solid
train lots of from so to so cars.
This has greatly increased the eff
! cheney of car operations.
3. Announcement of OPC that a
| production rate for September of
| 4,O66,5O0 barrels daily of all pc
troleum liquids had been certified
to the various petroleum producing
States Except for California. where
the production quota was increased,
no marked changes from August
rates were recommended.
With the increase expected from
the new diversion of tank cars from ,
| Western service, the railroads
| shortly will be hauling about 95O,000
barrels of Oil per day to the East.
The movement by barge and pipe
! line raises the total to we'll over
! 1,200,0 900 barrels. When the Texas
Illinois and other pipeline projects
are completed the total movement
by all means will be raised to over
100000 barrels per day This ap-
proximates the estimated current
consumption in the East.
1t was pointed out, however, that
stocks in the East, particularly of
fuel oil, are low The need for oil
by January. the middle of the heat
ing season, will be raised we'll above
100000 barrels daily. Therefore.
unless other methods of oil trans
portation are discovered, fuel oil
rationing Is near certainty.