Technologic Progress in the Oil Industry

By F. JULIUS FOHS,* NEW YORK N. Y.

As an industry approaches stabilization, greater and greater stress
must be laid on its technologic progress, which becomes a prime aid in
improving its condition. The oil industry is tending toward this stage
and hence its engineers must be pressed into greater service to prevent
stabilization and stagnation from becoming synonymous, and to supply,
either by improvements in processes or by new machinery, a means of
obtaining savings in raw and finished products. Thus profits can be
assured warranting continued investment.
It may be repeated, technology must apply a slight improvement
here, a change there, or a complete renovation, to eliminate inefficien-
cies and make each dollar invested yield greater results. The profits
of yesterday were made of rich strikes, of monopolized patents or pro-
cesses, of control of prices and of markets. Sixty-five years of growth,
of large investment, of healthful competition, and of expanding markets,
have put the oil industry in the foremost rank of world industries. Just
as the railroads passed a similar period of expansion and growth, and are
being stabilized with reasonable profits, so the oil industry must take
advantage of the efforts of its engineers and experts to promote its health-
ful growth and a better service to the people.
Herein is attempted a review of recent progress in which is presented
the advances in exploration, production engineering, transportation,
refining and greater efficiency in uses of petroleum, with a view not only
to stressing important new processes and methods, but also the problems
that press for solution. This review can only touch outstanding develop-
ments of recent years, but the several Petroleum-Division symposiums of
our program will present details worthy of attention.
EXPLORA TION
Geology offers directly little new in the technique of oil-finding-
major stress being laid on improvement in subsurface correlation by
means of foraminiferal studies, additions to the knowledge of which are
being made, slowly but surely, and by means of mineral, and especially
heavy mineral, determinations in well samples. The general application
of geophysics by means of torsion balances and seismographs, as a result
* Vice-president, Humphreys Corp.
19
20 TECHNOLO(HC PROCRERR IN THE OIL INDlTSTRY
of the experiments of the past two years, has proven the greatest new ait!
to geology. As if to prove the theory that man's ingenuity rises to the
requirements of his age-just at a time when the geologist had reached
the point where map able geologic structures were becoming as scarce as
dinosaur eggs, and far more valuable (despite our present apparent flood
of oil production)-the physicist has offered the two types of instruments
which will permit, under special conditions, the location of salt domes,
faults and anticlines. There are three types of torsion balances, Eotvos,
Bamberger and Oertling, but all are essentially the same as the original
Eotvos in principle, varying only in portability, sensitiveness and the
presence or absence of a self-recording photographic attachment.
These instruments give the differential in millionths of the density of
adjacent portions of the earth's surface. Thus, beds of a higher density
below one part of the surface (such as limestone-anhydrite-capped salt
domes) may be distinguished from those of a lower density (such as ordi-
nary unconsolidated sediments) surrounding them. The seismograph
attempts to make use of an entirely different principle, that of pressure
waves, refracted at varying velocities through different rock masses.
Such pressure waves are actuated by the explosion of a small charge of
dynamite (100 to 200 lb.) at or slightly below the surface, and the record-
ing of such waves, usually photographically, by means either of one of
two general types of seismograph-mechanical and galvanometric. The
mechanical type has frictional difficulties, while the galvanometric type
tends to magnify, to some extent, extraneous -sound or pressure waves.
With proper checks the latter type, due to greater magnification, offers
the greatest possibilities, for it permits, by va:r;ying the amount of explo-
sive, the separation and obliteration of most of the extraneous waves.
Of this type, three machines, the McCullom, Karcher and Rieber seismo-
graphs, each of which possesses some special advantage, are now, or shortly
will be, available for commercial use, and Eckhart is working on a fourth.
These machines all require less dynamite than the mechanical, are equally
portable and have recording cameras. The mechanical machines include
the German type used by Mintrop and improved types used by the
Humble Oil Refining Co. staff and Dr. Ricker.
Boring holes for the charges and using smaller quantities of dynamite
eliminate the high cost of filling craters. The inclusion of proper time
and air sound-wave devices, it is believed, will ultimately reduce the cost
of and necessity for the elaborate land survey parties now in use.
Insufficient Experience with Geophysical Methods
A word of warning: While a combined use of these geophysical
methods will determine the approximate outline and depth of certain
structures, a sufficient experience is not yet available in event surveys
F. JULIUS FOHS 21
are negative by either instrument to condemn the territory in which no
selective results are obtained. Results appear obtainable with the
torsion balance which are impossible to check with the seismograph and
until further studies are made and some of these localities drilled, the
failure of such check by no means condemns. This must continue true
until the effective maximum depths for each instrument and a large
amount of research into variable factors, such as the reflective and refrac-
tive indices of various rocks, can be determined. Seismographs are
practically valueless in most hard rock areas, where a repetition occurs
of thin hard beds. However, since the bulk of the world's oil supply
comes from younger beds, which often prove capable of study by this
means, they must become important factors in oil exploration. The next
step, and one being attempted by a number of competent investigators,
must be the application of reflected sound waves by means of which it
may be possible to determine depths of various strata, one below the
other, especially such as are of appreciable thickness. The general prin-
ciple of the sonic depth finder is here involved.
Following geology and geophysics, coring devices are becoming
more and more important, and the new technique has largely to do with
the improvement of double core barrels to be used in conjunction with
rotary and even cable tool drilling, in order to eliminate doubt as to forma-
tions penetrated. Diamond coring devices have long been efficient for
hard rock and these, with other means, are, except in special instances,
adapted to shallow coring. While the diamond coring machine is being
used somewhat for depth, special core barrels, such as the new modified or
Elliott Alco barrel, in conjunction with a rotary, permits accurate coring
results to depths of 7500 ft. and more. That accurate information as to
the character of oil horizons, etc., is available by this means is most
important when the great cost of deep holes is considered. The next
important requirement here is the determination, by quantitative study,
of the oil and water content of such cores; the Bureau of Mines will shortly
publish some results that may prove helpful in this respect. A series of
special papers on Coring, under the Production Engineering Symposium,
bring out many facts on this subject.
The increasing use of diamond and other coring for shallow exploration
will probably show a manifold growth in the next five years, first as a
means of proving indefinite structure and second, as a check on geo-
physical exploration. Diamond coring will be more and more restricted
to regions of r.igid beds, and light portable rotary rigs, with the double
core barrel, to wholly or partially unconsolidated beds and soft shales.
For details of subsurface correlation and geophysical methods, the
symposiums by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, to be
held late in March, at Dallas, Texas, are recommended.
22
TECHNOLOGIC PROGRESS IN 'I'HE OIL INDUSTRY
Recent studies by the U. S. Geological Survey of geothermic condi-
tions showing increase of temperature in proximity to structure may prove
an aid, as recently stressed by Dr. Thom. Water analyses are also proving
a help though further research is necessary to make their use effective.
PRODUCTION ENGINEERING
This subject is young-very young-actually only some 30 years old,
but has made great strides in the past few years and is already playing
a heavy part in changing the economics of producing petroleum. It
covers a broad range of subjects and reference can be made to only a few
of the more important that are being used to reduce exploration hazards,
to hasten completions and to increase the depth of wells, to increase
production and to lower costs.
In the development of new pools more complete and precise records
are being obtained, by coring and otherwise, so that complete records of
water levels and other essential data are available, from the earliest stages
of development, instead of being obtained as a post-mortem. Therefore,
unnecessary drilling into water may be avoided and cementing back may
be accomplished with precision, thereby saving many wells heretofore
water-flooded.
The two outstanding developments in well-spacing of medium to
deep wells in flush pools, where the oil contains much gas, have been:
1. A reversal of opinion regarding closely-spaced wells, as it has been
demonstrated that, while first cost is greater, due to increased number of
wells, their output is sufficiently increased to materially reduce the cost of
lifting, and
2. The necessity of arranging wells staggered in alternate rows in
proper relation to direction of rise of oil updip in order to partly avoid
triangular blocks from which oil would fail to reach the wells.
This stresses the necessity for testing by coring the limits of production
and for restricting the opening of new pools so outlined until the oil is
needed. While, in a few instances, offsetting agreements can be obtained
between competing companies, in the majority of cases cooperation
remains difficult of attainment.
In addition to improvements in the shape of cable tool bits and heavier
outfits and substitution of steel for wood drums, wheels, etc., a new type
of bit has been developed by the Empire Companies' research department,
which permits local circulations of fluid whereby more rapid drilling may
be done through muddy formations.
Rotary Drilling
Real progress in the oil industry has come through the improvement
of the rotary drilling rig and the perfection of rotary tools to answer
F. JULIUS FORS 23
almost every purpose. Ultimately this process will replace most cable
tool drilling. To this method must be attributed the rapid completiol1
of wells and rise to peak production of recent major pools.
Improvements in rotary drilling have CQme through the production
of heavier chain drive rotaries, with three-speed draw works, and the
development of disc and roller rock bits. The rock bit readily penetrates
hard rock and is more effective in deep drilling. Among new rotary
devices for attaining greater depths the Hild differential drive permits
control of drilling heretofore unattainable. It is perfected for use where
electric power is available and is being adapted also for steam power. An
aid of a similar purport is a steam-pressure strip recorder. A new type of
rotary, making use of the drilling mud as a source of power, is the Russian
turbinal rotary.
Improvement in steel derricks has been such that wood is gradually
being replaced. Special studies have determined the best steel stocks
for many types of oil equipment. Drilling bits have been improved by
use of specially tempered steels or dressing with special drilling edges such
as stellite.
Heavier casing and the use of a float valve for control in setting long
strings are aids in deep drilling, as are a number of new fishing tools.
In finishing wells, high-pressure control heads and oil savers have
proved invaluable in avoiding material losses of crude.
An electric water-witch, recently perfected by the Shell Co., ascer-
tains definitely the points at which water enters a well. The device is
based on the careful measurement of the differential conductivity of fluids.
New survey methods determine the extent of, and the direction in
which, a well is out of plumb.
Cementing
Cementing of casing and cementing for the repair of wells to shut off
water has received much attention. The Halliburton and Perkins pro-
cesses are largely in use. Improvements are largely due to the use of
portable cement wagons, arranged for the control of pressures up to 1400
lb., and the use of heavy compounds to weight the cement plug. Acceler-
ation of setting is attained by several compounds. One of these-Ium-
nite- is effective in 24 hr. Such compounds may prove worthless in
case of heavy gas pressures.
The exact measurement of muds and weighting of same by heavy
compounds admits of perfect control in drilling through high pressure gas.
Advances in Lifting Oil
In lifting oil, advances have been made through studies of the effect- of
vacuum, air, contained gas, extraneous gas, water-flooding and deep-well
24 TECHNOLomc PROGRERR IN THE OIL INDFSTRY
pumping; and, while much has been accomplished, much remains to be
learned. Through the application of the principles of the air lift to gas,
the intermittent gas lift was developed by Lewis & Dunn for Mid-Conti-
nent and the continuous gas lift by McLaughlin & Jones (and
a modified form by Templeton) for handling the large volumes of water-
free oil of California flush pools. A compressed air drive is being used in
some of the Mid-Continent and Eastern fields. Counterbalanced, long-
stroke pumping has been developed to handle large volumes of liquid.
Recent studies by Uren, of deep-well pumping problems, have been made
available through this Institute the past year.
The effects of systematic shooting for increasing production are given
you by H. B. Hill of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, while the results of
water-flooding, so successful in the Bradford field, are presented by
Professor Umpleby.
That continuous swabbing (as a means of lifting oil) has a harmful
effect on the ultimate production of a well is now acknowledged.
For cleaning out wells, the compressed air method developed by
Dunn, has the advantage over the cable-tool method of saving time and
reducing costs. The use of warm oil, to rejuvenate paraffined wells, has
been successful in both California and Mid-Continent fields, in many
cases practically doubling production.
Sanding of wells has been studied by John R. Suman and he has
recently, in MINING AND METALLURGY, suggested some remedies. This
problem affects the Gulf Coast and Venezuela wells and warrants
much research.
Reference is directed to two papers offered in our Symposiums-
"Deep Drilling Practice in .California," by Robert H. Garrison, and
'Improved Production Methods in California," by Frank O'Neill.
rhese papers, together with discussions on gas lift, long stroke pump,
ltC., constitute a comprehensive statement of advances in produc-
;ion engineering.
Dehydration of oil-field emulsions has been advanced by three
methods, (1) tretolite used with steam coils, (2) centrifuges and (3)
electrical separation. Dow, of the Bureau of Mines, recently presented a
summary of methods.
The increase of use of electric power in oil fields is notable, as important
installations have been made in California, Wyoming, Kansas and Okla-
homa. The only large direct installation made purposely for an oil field
is that of the Midwest Refining Co. at Salt Creek.
For the most part, electric power companies are not yet aligned to
supply power cheap enough to permit the change, and, moreover, it
requires the installation of special motor-driven hoists, pumps, engines,
etc. The great advantage lies in economy of power, as exemplified by
F . TULTlTS FOITR 21i
the URI' of portahl(' (,lIgill(,s, whrre heavi('r power requirements than normal
are' illtl'rlllit.t(mt.ly ]H'e(,RR:tI'Y. Tlw illlprovement of spark-proof housings
for lllot()I'R, hy hoth \V eRtillghou"e and General Electric, has he(m an
importallt and necessary advance to permit their use at oil and gas wells
where the fire hazard is great. The Hild electric drive permitting accu-
rate control of heavy loads, in connection with deep drilling, will bring
this type of power more into use for such wells. Besides, as water powers
become further developed and oil fields more nearly exhausted, greater
use of electric power in oil fields must be expected.
EFFECT OF IMPROVED METHODS
Improved methods are responsible for considerable increase in recent
production and probably account for more than 25 per cent. of the pro-
duction obtained from pools reaching their peak in the past three years
and perhaps for one-fifth of the total production for 1925.
Major factors in increasing production are:
1. Closely-spaced wells, including inside locations, completed within
a few months of the opening of the pool, thereby taking advantage of
gas contained in the oil to obtain a maximum flow of oil from the wells.
2. Use of air and gas lifts.
3. Long stroke pumping.
4. Systematic shooting.
In general, the effect of these methods is to cause a larger immediate
and cheaper production from new wells and earlier exhaustion of bonanza
oil, with possibly greater ultimate production. Conditions involved in
and extent of recovery of remaining oil are uncertain.
As to ultimate results; It is most important to distinguish pools in
which water under great pressure surrounds the oil. Most of the large
flush pools belong in this category. Hastened recovery under these
conditions means earlier exhaustion of flowing and pumping oil and often
in water-logging of portions of the sand.
Figures usually given of low recovery of original oil in the sands do
not apply to pools of this type; for, instead of from 15 to 30 per cent.
recovery, 'under ordinary conditions, these high-pressure pools probably
yield 50 to 60 per cent., or even more, by methods now in use.
In any review of new processes, it must be emphasized that each i8
refltricted to special conditions and, with additional use and research,
these limits become more clearly defined. Thus, the gas lift system of
the California flush fields is inadaptable to Mid-Continent pools with
their waters and thinner sands, while the intermittent gas lift, in use in
the latter fields, is inapplicable to such California production. Long
stroke pumping, suitable to large mixed fluid heads, is useless where wells
pump-off. Water-flooding, such as developed by Dorn and others, while
26 TECHNOLOGIC PROGRESS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY
applicable under Bradford sand conditions, where the sand has been
practically water-free and fresh water is available for flooding, can be
used in very few districts. Sand-mining methods are likewise of
restricted application.
There is necessity for careful study of each oil pool, or group of similar
pools, so as to apply the most practical process. Many of these processes,
while not patentable, are the result of long experimentation by certain
individuals, whose services can usually be procured more economically
than those of individuals attempting to duplicate their efforts.
OIL SAND MINING
Considerable work is being done on this important method of recovery
of deposits to which usual recovery methods are no longer applicable.
The Germans have developed methods which form a background for
experimentation in this country and George S. Rice described their
methods at the Mining Methods Symposium. Earlier in the year, Leo
Ranney gave us a paper covering his mine-well process. A steam process
has been developed by Georgeson for application to Athabasca tar sands.
The important feature is not that any of these methods are able to com-
pete at present with well production but that efforts are being made which
will permit processes to be applied when well production in this country
decreases sufficiently to warrant the next step which is oil sand mining.
OIL SHALE
Next to be considered after oil sand mining is oil shale, which promises
some 20 gal. per ton. In addition to laboratory experiments we are now
to have two experimental plants, one in Colorado, under the auspices of
the Bureau of Mines, and which will attempt a modification of the Scottish
process, and a second, a 1000-ton plant to be erected for the N -T -U Co.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation in the oil industry embraces the use of pipe lines,
tank cars and tank steamers and, collaterally, pumping equipment and
storage. Of more than $9,000,000,000 invested in the oil industry,
$850,000,000 are invested in transportation and, in addition, $175,000.000
in steel storage only partly owned by pipe line companies, and partly
inCluded in the previous figure. Recent advances in the technology
of transportation have not been on a par with those in either production
engineering or' refining and yet, in many respects, a high efficiency has
been reached.
F. JULIUS FOHS 27
Pipe lines are still largely constructed of soft steel pipe, usually 8 in.
in diameter, and the chief advance has been in the mechanical methods
used in construction; thus ditching machines and pipe-laying machines
have materially reduced the force of labor required. Joints, for the most
part, are still threaded, though heavier couplings are used. A few com-
panies lay welded joints. The latter are primarily used for gasoline
transportation and one of the largest lines for this purpose-48 miles-
was laid by the Midwest Refining Co. a few years ago. F. Ray McGrew,
of the Standard Pipe Line Co., Inc., will tell you about corrosion and
protective coverings, as well as offer you a suggested method of new
construction. He is of the opinion that only cement-encased lines are
effectively protected. The use of "No-oxid," a patented chemical
surfacing for steel pipe, gives results, but has not yet received
sufficient trial.
The Goulds Manufacturing Co. recently conducted, in cooperation
with oil companies, two research studies important to the pipe line
industry. The first of these undertaken, in conjunction with the Union
Oil Co. of California, was conducted by Professor Daugherty of the
California Institute of Technology on the "Range of Application of
Centrifugal Pumps," while the second, made in conjunction with repre-
sentatives of several companies, is presented by Nelson B. Delavan in
our Transportation Symposium and covers some causes of breakage in
pipe lines. More of such work should be encouraged.
Where oil is of high viscosity and requires steam heating to
transport, the old type of reciprocating pump still gives high efficiency.
Vertical pumps of this type are used above 300 hp. The centrifugal
pump is coming into favor for lighter oils.
Tank-car improvements have come chiefly in the form of heavier
and explosion-proof cars for carrying gasoline and high-proof gasoline.
An interesting development is the introduction of the use of trainloads of
tank cars for long distance shipments of gas, as for example, that insti-
tuted by the Standard Oil Co. (Indiana), from Casper to the Gulf Coast.
Tankers for ocean shipments have changed primarily' in rearrangement
of upper deck and distribution of compartments for storing oil and refined
products, . and also in conversion, to a considerable extent, to oil-
engine drive.
Efforts have been concentrated upon making steel storage tanks gas-
tight, in order to reduce the evaporation of, and loss in, volatile products.
In the case of stock tanks attention has been given improved bolted
tanks which can be readily moved without cutting down the size as is the
case with riveted tanks.
REFINING
The Refining Symposium covers important phases of development in
this fast-changing branch of the industry, so only a most general resume
28 'l'J<;CHNOLOUIC PIWHHJ<}HS IN TIIJ<; OIL INDUHTHY
will be presented here. The two outstanding tendencies in recent refinery
practice are:
1. Making of cracking stills the central feature and all other processes
secondary, due in part to the increased demand for motor spirit and in
part to the rapidly changing aspects of cracking processes, whereby
even low, gravity crudes may be partially and successfully converted.
2. The replacement of batch by continuous processes, and in this, the
improved tube still as well as liquid phase cracking processes, play
important parts.
A third factor is the extensive use of improved heat exchangers, which
greatly reduce fuel bills and permit better heat control.
With 35 per cent. of our gasoline now produced by cracking, R. B.
Day estimates a maximum efficiency for refineries will be reached when
this is raised to 62 per cent. Gustav Egloff raises this to 75 per cent.
This can be done only at large capital expense and a minimum of two years'
time if all started immediately. It is entirely unlikely that this could be
so rapidly effected for it involves restricting use of fuel oil.
The chief improvement in cracking has come through the development,
first of vapor-phase and then of liquid-phase cracking in a continuous
tubular still-type furnace in conjunction with a reaction chamber; this
largely replacing the shell still-batch process. Another tendency is
toward large units. Several processes of the former type are capable
of handling heavy crude or topped residuum direct, although some
of them require preheating in a tube still. In all of these, it requires
a somewhat higher cost to crack the low-grade than high-grade
crudes or light distillates. The batch still type cracks only light
distillates successfully.
It is considered that 45 to 50 per cent. of cracking installations are
already obsolete, due to research and keen competition.
The Tube Still and Its Uses
The efficient tube still has been evolved from the pipe still previously
used for topping light fractions. The improvement has come partly in
reducing the number of tubes, but chiefly in so building the furnace that
the heat is equably distributed to all the tubes and can be kept under
perfect control. The chief uses of this still are:
1. For continuous process distillation to replace shell still batteries.
2. As a preliminary heater for shell stills.
3. To handle crude or topped residuum preliminary to cracking.
One of its chief values is the low amount of carbon deposited during
its operation. It can also be used as a cracking still.
Improved fractionating and bubble towers are another outstanding
advance.
F TFLITTS FOIIl-\ 29
Thl' Uray proCPf;S is partially rppl:wing' sulfuric :wid in t.l'pating' oil!:;
awl silllilarly th!' e1wap!'r hYJloehlorit.!' solut.ion is replaeing til{' !'stahlislwd
"dodor" solution for sw(,l'kning eraekt,(\ gasolilw. The Allglo-Persian
refinery, in has a(\opted the hypochlorite :,mlutioll. A minor
change in practice at this same refinery is the use of bauxite to replace
the fuller's earth so largely used in this country as a filter and decolorizer
of oils and wax.
The use of centrifuges, both in elimination of sludge from lubricating
oils and cylinder stocks and in certain improvements in wax separation,
is important. The production of lubricants from asphalt base oils is one
of the outstanding advances in the industry.
The chief changes in topping plants are substitution of tube stills for
shell stills, use of baffled evaporators and new type fractionating towers.
The erection of new small topping plants is becoming daily a more
hazardous undertaking, for the large complete plants with cracking,
lubricating and wax units hardly admit of such competition.
In addition to the extension of the use of electricity as power for
refineries, some new possibilities lie in its use, for example : In the proposed
catalytic process for treating cracked gasoline; in the subjecting thin low-
viscosity oils to a glow discharge of high frequency electricity, to effect
increased viscosity of lubricants, as used in Germany; and in distillation
hy means of a furnace in which a thin film of crude may be spread over a
surface so as to be fractionated by an electric current. While none of
these will compete commercially with processes now in use in this country,
they do offer a field for further research worthy of encouragement.
GASOLINE FROM NATURAL AND CASING-HEAD GAS
Production of such gasoline represents almost 10 per cent. of the total
gasoline produced in this country, thus saving a product partly wasted
heretofore. The chief improvement in its production has been in the
use of cocoanut shell charcoal as an absorbent in the absorption proceRS,
which is rapidly replacing the compression process.
STANDARDIZATION
Technologic progress is of two kinds-one purely mechanical, the
other, one of method. To the former .belongs the progress toward
Rtandardization of tools and equipment used in production, which is one
of the most important results attained by the American Petroleum Insti-
tute and to J. Edgar Pew and Captain J. F. Lucey, who furthered such
Rtandardization, and the more than 400 co-workers much credit is due.
Results to date include specifications for steel and iron pipe for oil
country tubular goods, on rig irons and cable drilling tool joints and on
four Rtandard sizes of locomotive type boilers, covering two classes of
30 TECHNOLOGIC PROGRESS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY
working pressure. Practical agreement has been reached on standard
rigs and derricks, and specifications will be completed in June. Tenta-
tive specifications have been adopted for wire rope and Manila cordage,
and final specifications are hoped for within a year. Rotary drill pipe
standards were adopted and two standards for rotary drilling equipment
have been completed, as well as miscellaneous standards covering hoisting
blocks, drilling hooks and standard taper for drive bushing. Progress
has been made on pumping equipment, including sucker rods and engines,
as applied to the production of oil. Tentative specifications, covering
five kinds of belting, have been approved and it is hoped soon to have
tentative plans and specifications for steel storage and production tanks.
In addition, a new committee has been appointed to cover the matter of
gaging and gaging practice. These results are available through the
American Petroleum Institute bulletins and the specifications are being
adopted at great initial expense by manufacturers, for it means ultimately
It saving of millions of dollars to the industry.
Effective Use of Petroleum and Its Products
The supply of crude has more than kept pace with the record-breaking
demand. Echoes of the conservation movement started some years ago
in this country and kept alive by certain individuals and organizations,
who have attempted to make estimates of the extent of our unrecovered
and undiscovered resources, have reverberated until there has been
awakened in the industry and in its chief ally, the motor industry,
desire to determine both how refined products can be further perfected
so as to give greater efficiency, and what can be done in the improvement
of motor engines to make the use of these products more effective.
The perfecting of refined products is of course distinctly a refiner's
problem. The perfecting of motor engines necessarily falls to the motor
industry. Besides, the automobile owner is an important factor. How-
ever, cooperation is necessary to effect either of these improvements and,
while research is active, certain economic factors must playa part in the
solution of these problems.
With more than 20,000,000 motor cars and trucks in American use,
with 367 refineries active the first of January, and with all motor plants
now equipped with designs and dies for present type motors and cars, a
huge capital investment would require replacement by the public, the
refiner and the automobile maker. To effect this in a short period of
time would be catastrophic, even in such a rich country as this. . Besides,
the petroleum industry must make better adjustment in production of its
crude and storage of crude and products; also in restriction of the use of
fuel oil to really essential uses. All of this requires time. Hence, the
period required for further research to perfect petroleum products and
F. FULIUS FOHI:'! 31
perfect petrol-using engines would also be necessary for financial
readjustment and cannot be rushed.
EFFECTIVE USE OF GASOLINE
In the Refining Symposium the papers on new gasolines and anti-
knock compounds give some idea of the efforts of the refiners to produce
more effective products, also of aids to increase gallonage per mile.
Blending of straight run and cracked gasolines, production of more
volatile gasolines for winter fuel, addition of certain compounds, such as
benzol tetra'-ethyllead, etc., for increase of volatility and anti-detonation,
are a few of the efforts to increase effectiveness.
Synthetic fuels being developed from coal in addition to benzol are
methanol and that produced by the Bergius process, the latter not yet
commercial.
The General Motors Corporation, as well as others, has been working
on designs of high-compression motors, better carburetors, etc. For the
effective use of crude, highly developed Diesel engines will fill certain
requirements. The oil-electric locomotive, which can be operated at
one-third the cost of steam locomotives, and which is just coming into
use, is bound to become a large user of fuel oil. Considerable progress,
too, has been made in developing crude oil burners for domestic heating.
SOURCES OF TECHNOLOGIC PROGRESS
Technologic advance has been especially fostered by a few institutions.
Notable among these are the Federal Geological Survey, the Bureau of
Mines, and more recently the Bureau of Standards, the California State
Mining Bureau, the Illinois Geological Survey and the Pennsylvania
Geological Survey. The Petroleum Division of the American Institute
of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and similar divisions of the Amer-
ican Society of Mining Engineers, the American Chemical Society, the
American Society of Automotive Engineers and the American Society for
Testing Materials contribute valuable technical papers. The American
Petroleum Institute gives both technical papers and standardization
specifications. The petroleum engineering departments of various
universities, notably those of California and Pittsburgh, have undertaken
research. Private research laboratories of the large refining companies,
of motor companies, and those concerns developing special patents and
processes have also contributed much toward these advances.
Publications of these organizations together with a few text books
form the source material of petroleum technology in America. The
Bulletins of the British Institution of Petroleum Technologists, as well as
certain German and other foreign publications also furnish valuable
material. Certain of the trade journals are to be commended for their
publication of many worthwhile technologic papers. There are at present
32 'l'ECliNOLOUlC 11\ TilE OIL IN DUHTIH
two monthly indexes of current literature bearing on petroleum tech-
nology-that of the monthly MINING AND METALLURGY, published by
the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and the
exhaustive index, published by the Bureau of Mines. Honorable mention
should be made of E. T. Dumble, the father of production engineering in
America; Dr. Joseph Holmes, founder of the Bureau of Mines, the first
specifically technologic bureau of the Government; Dr. Bain, former
Director of the Bureau of Mines; Sir Bovington Redwood and A. Beeby
Thompson of London; Dr. William Burton, who first perfected a
commercial cracking process; the Drs. Cross, for first making high
pressure cracking effective; George F. Kettering, of motor research fame;
Dr. George Otis Smith of the Geological Survey, and a host of other::; who
have contributed to these advances. Credit is not only due to engineer::;
who have reworked and perfected the tools and processes, but to that
great group of practical field and refinery workers who have added some-
thing to a rule of thumb here, and deducted something there, laying the
foundation for all advances made.
l
Possibilities of Research
The field of research from which further improvements must come is
very large and Dr. Van. H. Manning will outline some of its possibilities.
In this connection more active efforts can be expected of the petroleum
industry, through the American Petroleum Institute, as a result of the
recent donations by John D. Rockefeller, and the Universal Oil Prod-
ucts Corporation.
It is desirable that better cooperation be established between thc
various practical, scientific and engineering a::;sociations, and an early
joint conference of representatives from each il" advisable for a more
specific allotment of efforts and to avoid uselesl" overlap.
Further interchange of ideas by memberl" of each of these
organizations cannot help but broaden them, as well as contribute toward
a better correlation of the several branches of the industry.
During the past year the Petroleum Division of the American Institute
of Mining and Metallurgical Engineerl" hal" made a start, in this direction,
as follows:
1. By inviting members and non-memher::;, including important
executives, to its National Committee, and to participate in its sessions.
2. By holding with the American Petroleum Institute a joint group
session on California production engineering.
3. By holding, at Tulsa, joint sessions of the Mid-Continent sections
of the American Society of Mechanical and the American
1 It. wa" to ]HI'Kent. :L sell'!,t.("I list. of' books ,Hill pap(,l's lIspd in \.lw
pl'qJ!l.l'at.ioll or t.hi:s I'evil'w. whi!'h laek of t.ilJ.!' PI'I'\'l'lItl'd. Dlle :ll'kll()\\'IPr\J,(Il\l'llt
is made to all work ha:; l'l'cn drawll 1l1'Oll for ill fo 1'1 II a.1 iou.
F .. TULIUS Fons
Institute of Mining Engineers, each contributing alternate pro-
grams monthly.
WHAT CAN THE ENGINEER Do FOR THE INDUSTRY"?
The engineer, as a thinker and plann.er, is becoming a well-established
factor in the industry. What can he do to best further its work?
1. Cooperate with the practical man, who also has a definite contribu-
tion to make, and thereby facilitate the effectiveness of both.
2. Sprinkle technical knowledge with the salt of common sense so as
to make both more effective.
3. Restrict his zeal so as to neither over-engineer nor over-machine
the industry, avoiding expensive changes and installations unless
fully warranted.
4. Participate in special and group research.
5. Contribute of his results by participating with papers and
discussions, thus clarifying his own ideas and avoiding duplication of
efforts by others, regardless of source.
6. Refuse to approve statements and reports unless warranted by
sound reasoning and facts, thereby maintaining a stannard of light ann
truth for the ultimate advancement of the industry.
CONCLUSION
A survey of the field of petroleum technology must impress all with
the large amount of real advance made in the past 15 years, for in that
period have come the problems of organized search for new oil pools, of
deeper drilling, of curtailing physical wastes, of handling large volumes of
crude and refined products, of improving production and refining methods
and of the many other problems hereinbefore stressed. And it has wit-
nessed the advancement and recognition of the scientist and engineer by
the industry. All of this demonstrates that progress is being made by the
industry toward conservation. There must be no contentment with
results attained but there must continue an earnest endeavor for the solu-
tion of such problems, as the search for difficultly discoverable pools,
better methods of recovery from sands, more efficient refining methods,
more perfectly refined products, and finally, the more effective use of this
unreplaceable bonanza resource.