Petroleum Spirit Imports.
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Extracts from a Memorandum Furnished by Mr. A. Duckham to the Fuels Committee of the Motor Union.
Mr. Alexander Duckham, of Millwall, E., who is one of the most enterprising of the many restless spirits whose energies are devoted to the study, manufacture, and sale of various petroleum products, is to be complimented on the interesting collection of facts which are given herewith. The following table gives the imports of petroleum spirit into the United Kingdom for the last three years, and it will be seen at once that each year shows a marked increase over its predecessor.
following interesting table of percentages of imports from the different countries is obtained : Percentage Proportion of Petroleum Spirit Imported into the United Kingdom from Different Countries, From this it will be seen that a considerable change has taken place in the quantities imported from the different countries, and it is noticeable that the United States is losing its hold in this market, while the Dutch Colonies in the East have assumed the premier position as exporters to the United Kingdom.
The crude oil production has been steadily increasing for several years, the greatest progress being made in the United States, the Dutch Colonies, Roumania, and India. For the past three years Russia had been under a cloud owing to labour disturbances and political troubles. The part played by Russia in supplying motor spirit is, however, very small, so that its decrease in production has probably had little effect.
World's Production of Crude Petroleum.
The following table gives the world's production, in barrels, for the past three years :
Production of Crude Petroleum.—Expressed in Barrels of 35 Gallons.
Conditions of Production in Each Country.
Turning now to the principal petroleum spirit producing countries, namely, the United States, the Dutch East Indian Colonies, and Roumania, we find the following conditions obtaining.
I. THE UNITED STATES.-It is interesting to note that, although the production of crude petroleum is making enormous strides every year, the bulk of this comes from new territories which yield heavy oils containing little or no spirit. In fact, the fields
which have in the past supplied the world with petroleum spirit and high-class illuminating oils are failing, so much so that the centre of production is no longer in the Eastern States, but lies equally between the Gulf States and California. Recent work in the mid-continental fields shows, however, that there is a prospect of the supply of high grade oils being increased, but as their distance from the seaboard' is considerable, the heavy freights will retard their development as spirit producers. Another factor which must also be taken into account, when considering the quantity of petroleum spirit that will be available for export, is the growing home consumption.
2 DUTCH EAST INDIES.-AS the companies operating in these fields have only within recent years begun to export their light products to Europe, it is difficult to say to what extent they will be able to increase their business. At present the output of crude petroleum in the East Indies is steadily growing, and if reliance can be placed on so-called official reports in the Press, it is outstripping the local Pastern demand for their refined products and fuel oil. The trade, however, is in the hands of one or two very powerful organisations, who, having conic to a satisfactory modus vivendi with the Burma Company in the Indian markets, are now fighting the Standard interest. But until the outlet for their kerosene is larger, it is doubtful whether they will push their petroleum spirit production to any great extent, as that would leave them with very large stocks of kerosene, of whicb they could not get rid. Moreover, the freight to Europe is considerable.
3. RotImama.—Although the quantity of petroleum spirit imported into the United Kingdom from Roumania is not very large, still, that country plays an important part in the supply of the European markets. The growth of the spirit exports during the last four years has been remarkable, as is shown by the following table, which gives the production of crude petroleum, the quantity of crude treated in the refineries, and the quantity of spirit obtained and exported to different countries.
The rapid increase has been brought about throt gh the formation of a powerful distributing agency in France, which country now takes by far the greatest portion of Roumania's petroleum exports. Next to France comes Germany, but the growth of their imports is not so considerable as those of France. To these must now be added Italy, whose geographical position makes it likely to become an important customer. 4. Russia.—As a spirit producer Russia need not, for the tune being, be taken into account, for the following reasons :— Firstly, because Russia's crude oil, with the exception of the small quantity of oil obtained from Grosney, contains only a very sma71 percentage. Secondly, because the present shortage of mazout fuel) throughout Russia will make the refineries continue to use their light oils as fuel under the stills. 5. GALIC1A.—We have been unable to obtain figures of the spirit production of Galicia, though we believe that a considerable quantity is exported. Its inland situation, however, prevents it from ever being likely to export any appreciable quantity into this country.
General Conclusions as to Production.
Summarising the above, we see that the United States are no longer in the position to materially increase their imports into the United Kingdom ; that Roumania, while its production of crude oil is forging ahead, has markets very near at hand for all the petrol spirit that it can produce. The only other source of supply is in the Far East, where many difficulties have to be overcome in the shape of wastage of other products left over after the spirit has been extracted, and the heavy freight that has to be paid to Europe. One is, therefore, forced to the conclusion that unless new fields yielding out of low distillation point arc opened up in the United States, or the Eastern sources of supply are greatly developed, the spirit market will become tighter, and a shortage may have to be faced.
The Question of Residual Products.
The chief point to remember is, I think, that the average yield per cent. of petrol from crude is perhaps nearly 10 per cent., and, therefore, the manufacturers will have to get rid of 90 per cent. of residuals, and this fact seems to me of more importance at present than the question as to whether the output is controlled by a ring or whether the supplies of crude are increasing.
As soon as we have a carburetter which will satisfactorily deal with the heavier fraction, up to, say, the boiling point of an ordinary paraffin lamp oil, this great obstacle to the reduction of the price of petrol will be removed, because the manufacturer will then be able to rely on a market for 40 or 50 per cent. of his crude oil, at remunerative prices.
Effect of Shortage on Motor Omnibus Companies.
The rise in prices has a more serious aspect for the omnibus companies than for the ordinary user, as the former only run four to five miles to the gallon, and as 12 months ago they could contract at 51d. for the same quantity for which they now have to pay 10d. to 11d., and this means an additional ld per mile on their running costs.
The private motorist running perhaps as many as 20 miles to the gallon, and using his car for pleasure purposes, will naturally not pay the same attention to the increase in price, and will, thereby, spoil the market for the omnibuses.
The Distillation Test.
Considering, as I do, that the test to be applied should be a distillation test, I give below, for the information of the Committee, some distillation figures which we have taken at various times. In a jet carburetter where there is both an evaporating arid atomising action, it is lily experience that a heavy petrol can be used, so long as for starting purposes the spirit contains a fraction of a low distillation point.
On a surface carburetter I have found that invariably you get the best results with a spirit which distils over completely at a comparatively low temperature, because the action here is entirely one of evaporation.
Referring to the distillation figures which I have given above, it can..be seen mat although perhaps the private motorist would not in the ordinary course be able to test his petrol by this method, the Club might adopt such a standard for their competitions, and a series of tests might be carried out on the ordinary type of carburetter, and results obtained which would show the private motorist that he can use with complete satisfaction a petrol having certain distillation tests which would be much above those that are found in the spirits at present on the market.
Benzol.
There is some confusion between the tar product and the mineral product, because, when the latter began to be substituted for the former in industrial work, the mineral spire was given a name as nearly as possible corresponding to that of the tar product. For instance, mineral spirit is frequently called Benzine, and also Benzoline, because the tar product had the name of Benzene and Benzol.
My friend Mr Corbet Woodall, Governor of the Gas Light and Coke Company, has kindly supplied me with the following answers to my questions as to the output of tar spirit in this country :—
Coal Tar Spirit.
Total quantities of various qualities produced in the United Kingdom, over the past few years ?—Estimated at about 4,000,000 gallons per annum.
Approximate distillation points of these qualities?-80 dee. Cent. to 120 deg. Cent.
Approximate composition?—C61113 and C7H8.
Approximate prices of the various qualities over the past few years?---9d. to is, in bulk per gallon.
Information that you may consider to bear upon the subject of the use of tar spirit in internal combustion engines? -Experiments made with an internal combustion engine showed that Benzol gave 30 per cent, more work than ordinary petrol.
A 3h.p. petrol motorcycle, fitted with ordinary Longuemare carburetter, "give-and-take roads," weight of machine and rider 23st. One gallon of 90 per cent. Benzol lasted 1131 miles, as compared with petrol 97 miles. The machine was easily started, did not foul or soot, and the speed and power were satisfactory.
Mr. Duckham wishes to acknowledge the valuable help which he has received from Messrs. Thomson and Hunter in the collection of particulars dealing with production and imports.