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Petroleum production in the United States
670
CURRENT TOPICS.
for getting rid of the last traces of certain impurities from iron; and it is pointed out also that modification by hydrogen must go on in any ferrous metal which is submitted to successive heating and cooling. It is considered that hydrogen probably plays an important part in connection with many changes which may be effected in the solid metal and which must often be accompanied by the absorption or elimination of hydrogen. Petroleum Production in the United States. ANON. (Board of Trade f., Feb. 27, I913.)--The preliminary estimates place the production of petroleum in the United States in 1912 at 220,2o0,000 barrels (each of 42 United States gallons), valued at $15o,ooo,ooo, or 68 cents per barrel, as compared with 22o,449,3Ol barrels, valued at $134,o44,752, or 61 cents per barrel, in 1911. The year 1912 is the first year since 1859 in which the quantity produced has not shown an increase. The California output of low-grade oil reached 87,ooo,ooo barrels, an increase of about 6,000,000 barrels over last year's figures. This increase was counterbalanced by the decreased production in the high-grade fields, with the exception of West Virginia, where the production increased by about 2,000,0oo barrels. Oklahoma and Illinois still maintain their position in the high-grade field, as they are jointly responsible for about two-thirds of the total output. Last year, however, showed a decline in Oklahoma, as the average for the year was only 50 barrels per well, compared with 73.4 barrels in 1911. No new States were added to the list of producers in 1912, but Wyoming and Michigan, hitherto only small producers, gave promise of becoming of greater importance. With the exception of California, where overproduction and other causes made prices very low, the price of crude oil steadily advanced throughout .1912. This rise was due to fundamental conditions and not to manipulation. Last year production remained steady, while consumption increased so as to result in a shortage, and prices would have gone even higher but for the surplus for previous years in store. The price of very high grade Pennsylvania oil rose from $1.35 to $2.oo per barrel at the well. In. the year i912 there was a marked increase in the number of independent oil refineries, especially in Illinois and Oklahoma. Machine Mining of Coal. ANON. (Amer. Mach., xxxviii, 9, 34o.)--The coal report for 191I, recently issued by the United States Geological Survey, throws an interesting light on the improved methods of coal mining. In 19II, I3,8I 9 machines were used in mining coal, 565 more than in 19IO. The leading coalproducing State is Pennsylvania, and it also leads in the total tonnage mined by the use of machines, and in the number of machines used; but Ohio outranks all other States in the proportion of machine-mined coal to the total output.
CURRENT TOPICS.
for getting rid of the last traces of certain impurities from iron; and it is pointed out also that modification by hydrogen must go on in any ferrous metal which is submitted to successive heating and cooling. It is considered that hydrogen probably plays an important part in connection with many changes which may be effected in the solid metal and which must often be accompanied by the absorption or elimination of hydrogen. Petroleum Production in the United States. ANON. (Board of Trade f., Feb. 27, I913.)--The preliminary estimates place the production of petroleum in the United States in 1912 at 220,2o0,000 barrels (each of 42 United States gallons), valued at $15o,ooo,ooo, or 68 cents per barrel, as compared with 22o,449,3Ol barrels, valued at $134,o44,752, or 61 cents per barrel, in 1911. The year 1912 is the first year since 1859 in which the quantity produced has not shown an increase. The California output of low-grade oil reached 87,ooo,ooo barrels, an increase of about 6,000,000 barrels over last year's figures. This increase was counterbalanced by the decreased production in the high-grade fields, with the exception of West Virginia, where the production increased by about 2,000,0oo barrels. Oklahoma and Illinois still maintain their position in the high-grade field, as they are jointly responsible for about two-thirds of the total output. Last year, however, showed a decline in Oklahoma, as the average for the year was only 50 barrels per well, compared with 73.4 barrels in 1911. No new States were added to the list of producers in 1912, but Wyoming and Michigan, hitherto only small producers, gave promise of becoming of greater importance. With the exception of California, where overproduction and other causes made prices very low, the price of crude oil steadily advanced throughout .1912. This rise was due to fundamental conditions and not to manipulation. Last year production remained steady, while consumption increased so as to result in a shortage, and prices would have gone even higher but for the surplus for previous years in store. The price of very high grade Pennsylvania oil rose from $1.35 to $2.oo per barrel at the well. In. the year i912 there was a marked increase in the number of independent oil refineries, especially in Illinois and Oklahoma. Machine Mining of Coal. ANON. (Amer. Mach., xxxviii, 9, 34o.)--The coal report for 191I, recently issued by the United States Geological Survey, throws an interesting light on the improved methods of coal mining. In 19II, I3,8I 9 machines were used in mining coal, 565 more than in 19IO. The leading coalproducing State is Pennsylvania, and it also leads in the total tonnage mined by the use of machines, and in the number of machines used; but Ohio outranks all other States in the proportion of machine-mined coal to the total output.