Salt Lake Telegram | 1916-02-27 | Page 19 | Oil Shales of Utah May Solve Gas Problem

OIL L OF UTAH MAY SOLVE GAS It 7 PROBLEM Sc Secretary r ta y of I Interior te io Reports Reports Re- Re Re Re- ports p to to Congress Big 1 fc Possibilities That the United States Interior department de department department de- de looks to Utah and her herwon wonderful wonderful won won- I oil shale areas for a possible I solution of the gasoline shortage is ia stated In a a. report on gasoline a made by Secretary Franklin K IC Lane Lae to to congress congress con con- gress at the special request of the sena senate sen sen- a ate te A copy of tile report was received here yesterday The report in conclusion sion says The net result of the examinations already ady made is that these oil shale areas In Colorado and Utah constitute a latent petroleum reserve whose possible pos pos- sible yield Is is several times the total remaining supply of petroleum The gasoline g-asoline content of the petroleum of the petroleum that can be distilled from these can be conservatively estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated in fn billions of barrels The development of this enormous reserve simply awaits the time when th the price of gasoline or the demand for other distillation products warrants the utilization of this substitute source This may happen In the near future At Atall all events these shale are likely to he e drawn upon tong long before the exhaustion exhaustion ex ex- ex- ex of the petroleum fields of n no greater oil content have long be been mined and distilled In Scotland Tb The general gasoline situation Is summed up as follows The c consumption of gasoline Is rapidly rapIdly rapidly rap- rap Idly in increasing The production of crude has been generally regarded as near its maximum maxi maxi- mum Some immediate relief may be af afforded afforded af- af forded by means of the following a The use in Internal combustion engines of heavier distillates approaching approach approach- ing kerosene b bl An fin acceptable e kerosene carburetor carburetor tor w would wood at o once go goa a a long way to toward ard jel the present shortage of ot gasoline c use of cracking processes processes processes pro pro- whereby gasoline is made from ie and other less valuable pe petroleum petroleum pe- pe oils Such cracking processes aio aro being rapidly developed and promise promise prom- prom ise near near It is practicable to prod produce pro pro- duce dice d ce gasoline from kerosene gas oil fuel t el oil Vl oU and heavy by present da day cracking processes and no oil should be used for fuel that has not been so treated d Increasing the production of crude to furnish the necessary supplies of gasoline but this Is not to be recommended recommended recommended mended if it increases the output of distillates for which there is no marKet market market mar mar- Ket ket