Evening star., 1943-10-22
Maryland Geo|ogist
Minimizes Fears Of
Shrinking Oil Supply

Talk Of rapidly diminishing Amer
lean petroleum supplies was termed
merely alarmist" by Johns Hop
kins University geologist today as a
congressional committee was told
that foreign oil supplies will be de-
veloped more intensely in the future.
DR.. Joseph T. Singewald, jr.,
chairman of the Johns Hopkins
geology department and director OF
the Maryland department of geol-
ogy, mines and water resources, said
unoeveloped and yet undiscovered
supplies would fill the Nations oil
needs "for many years to come
Emergency conditions, he said, have
restricted facilities available for new
discoveries.
Meanwhile, Deputy Petroleum Ad-
ministrator Ralph K. Davies told 9
House committee that steps to util-
ize Middle and Near East refineries
to the full extent of refinery capac-
ity and available stocks would not
mean more gasoline for civilian mo-
torists. Rather, he emphasized, the
supply of high-teSt gasoline for the
average motorist likely will be cur
tailed because of increasing military
demands next year.
DR.. Singewald declared that the
critical petroleum shortage will be
postponed much longer than the
II years alarmists now lead us to
believe" and added:
They forget that we experienced
threats of oil shortages before when
temporarily the discovery rate fell
below the production rate. but each
time numerous discoveries resulted
in our having an abuncance of the
fuel. ="
Another fault of the alarmists is
that they take into consideration
only liquid oil. = Before we en-
tered the first World War this coun-
try was on the verge of producing
fuel from oil shales, but this was
made unnecessary by new petroleum
discoveries. Another factor con-
Germs the production of petroleum
from coal"
DR.. Singewald said there was
enough low-grade coal to supply all
petroleum needs for several hun
dred years or So
Increased Production Planned.
DR.. Davies handed the committee
a memorandum on the Middle and
Near East oil situation which said:
Specific steps have been taken to
provide additional supplies of prod
ucts which can be utilized to advan-
tage from Middle and Near East re-
fneries to the full extent of refinery
capacity and available stocks. y -
The extent to which supplies
from the Middle and Near East can
be used to diSplace Western Hemi-
sphere supplies OF uSable products
will be limited. however, by the
present refinery capacity Of the area
and at the start will provide a rela-
lively small increase over the pres
ent output Of such products"
A sharp exchange Of words be-
tween Mr.. Davies and Representa-
tive Brown, Republican, of Ohio de-
seloped when the latter inquired
into the former private business
connections of PAWS policy making
executives, many Of whom came
from major oil companies.
Mr.. Davies declared the question
implied that the Petroleum Ad-
ministration for War is stated with
major company people who still
have interests in their companies;
the questions would carry the i'm
plication that they would be in
1uenced thereby"
There are 25 executive heads of
the PAW, Mr.. Davies testified, II
of whom came from major oil COM
panies. Most of the others came
from minor companies or university
faculties. The agency has 1900 en-
ployes.