[Footnote 1: Abstract of a paper read before the British
Association, Cardiff meeting, 1891, Section G.]
By O.C.D. Ross, M.Inst.C.E.
Petroleum is one of the most widely distributed substances in nature,
but the question how it was originally produced has never yet been
satisfactorily determined, and continues a problem for philosophers.
In 1889 the total production exceeded 2,600,000,000 gallons, or about
10,000,000 tons, and, at fourpence per gallon, was worth about
£44,000,000, while the recognition of its superior utility as an
economical source of light, heat, and power steadily increases; but,
notwithstanding its importance in industry, the increasing abundance
of the foreign supply, and the ever-widening area of production,
practical men in England continue to distrust its permanence, and
owing to the mystery surrounding its origin, and the paucity of
indications where and how to undertake the boring of wells, they
hesitate to seek for it in this country, or even to extend the use of
it whenever that would involve alterations of existing machinery. The
object of this paper is to suggest an explanation of the mystery which
seems calculated to dissipate that distrust, since it points to very
abundant stores, both native and foreign, yet undiscovered, and even
in some localities to daily renovated provisions of this remarkable
oil.
The theories of its origin suggested by Reichenbach, Berthelot,
Mendeleeff, Peckham, and others, made no attempt to account for the
exceeding variety in its chemical composition, in its specific
gravity, its boiling points, etc., and are all founded on some
hypothetical process which differs from any with which we are
acquainted; but modern geologists are agreed that, as a rule, the
records of the earth's history should be read in accordance with those
laws of nature which continue in force at the present day, e.g., the
decomposition of fish and cetaceous animals could not now produce oil
containing paraffin. Hence we can hardly believe it was possible
thousands or millions of years ago, if it can be proved that any of
the processes of nature with which we are familiar is calculated to
produce it.
The chief characteristics of petroleum strata are enumerated as: