--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
When tested.........|10-28-84|10-29-84|11-24-84|12-4-84 |10-18-84|10-25-84|
| per ct.| per ct.| per ct.| per ct.| per ct.| per ct.|
Carbonic acid ......| 0.8 | 0.6 | Nil. | 0.4 | Nil. | 0.30|
Carbonic oxide......| 1.0 | 0.8 | .58 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.30|
Oxygen... ... ......| 1.1 | 0.8 | .78 | 0.8 | 2.10| 1.20|
Olefiant gas .......| 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.98| 0.6 | 0.80| 0.6 |
Ethylic hydride ....| 3.6 | 5.5 | 7.92| 12.30 | 5.20| 4.8 |
Marsh gas ..........| 72.18| 65.25| 60.70| 49.58 | 57.85| 75.16|
Hydrogen ...........| 20.02| 26.16| 29.03| 35.92 | 9.64| 14.45|
Nitrogen ...........| Nil. | Nil. | Nil. | Nil. | 23.41| 2.89|
Heat units .........|728,746 |698,852 |627,170 |745,813 |592,380 |745,591 |
--------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
"We will now show how the natural gas compares with coal, weight for
weight, or, in other words, how many cubic feet of natural gas contain as
many heat units as a given weight of coal, say a ton. In order to
accomplish this end we will be obliged, as I have said before, to assume
as a basis for our calculations what I consider a gas of an average
chemical composition, viz.:
Per cent.
Carbonic acid............................ 0.60
Carbonic oxide........................... 0.60
Oxygen................................... 0.80
Olefiant gas............................. 1.00
Ethylic hydride.......................... 5.00
Marsh gas............................... 67.00
Hydrogen................................ 22.00
Nitrogen................................. 3.00
"Now, by the specific gravity of these gases we find that 100 liters of
this gas will weigh 64.8585 grammes, thus:
Weight,
Liters. grammes.
Marsh gas................. 67.0 48.0256
Olefiant gas.............. 1.0 1.2534
Ethylic hydride........... 5.0 6.7200
Hydrogen.................. 22.0 1.9712
Nitrogen.................. 3.0 3.7632
Carbonic acid............. 0.6 1.2257
Carbonic oxide............ 0.6 0.7526
Oxygen.................... 0.8 1.1468
-------
Total................................... 64.8585
"Then, if we take the heat units of these gases, we will find:
Heat units
Grammes. contained.
Marsh gas................ 48.0256 627,358
Olefiant gas............. 1.2534 14,910
Ethylic hydride.......... 6.7200 77,679
Hydrogen................. 1.9712 67,929
Carbonic oxide........... 0.7526 1,808
Nitrogen................. 3.7630 -----
Carbonic acid............ 1.2257 -----
Oxygen................... 1.1468 -----
------- -------
Totals 64.8585 789,694
"64.8585 grammes are almost exactly 1,000 grains, and 1 cubic foot of
this gas will weigh 267.9 grains; then the 100 liters, or 64.8585
grammes, or 1,000 grains, are 3,761 cubic feet; 3,761 cubic feet of this
gas contains 789,694 heat units, and 1,000 cubic feet will contain
210,069,604 heat units. Now, 1,000 cubic feet of this gas will weigh
265,887 grains, or in round numbers 38 lb. avoirdupois. We find that
64.8585 grammes, or 1,000 grains, of carbon contain 523,046 heat units,
and 265,887 grains, or 38 lb., of carbon contain 139,398,896 heat units.
Then 57.25 lb. of carbon contain the same number of heat units as 1,000
cubic feet of the natural gas, viz., 210,069,604. Now, if we say that
coke contains in round numbers 90 per cent. carbon, then we will have
62.97 lb. of coke, equal in heat units to 1,000 cubic feet of natural
gas. Then, if a ton of coke, or 2,000 lb., cost 10s., 62.97 lb. will cost
4d., or 1,000 cubic feet of gas is worth 4d. for its heating power. We
will now compare the heating power of this gas with bituminous coal,
taking as a basis a coal slightly above the general average of the
Pittsburg coal, viz.:
Per cent.
Carbon................................... 82.75
Hydrogen................................. 5.31
Nitrogen................................. 1.04
Oxygen................................... 4.64
Ash...................................... 5.31
Sulphur.................................. 0.95
"We find that 38 lb. of this coal contains 146,903,820 heat units. The
64.4 lb. of this coal contains 210,069,640 heat units, or 54.4 lb. of
coal is equal in its heating power to 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. If
our coal cost us 5s. per ton of 2,000 lb., then 54.4 lb. costs 1.632d.,
and 1,000 cubic feet of gas is worth for its heat units 1.632d. As the
price of coal increases or decreases, the value of the gas will naturally
vary in like proportions. Thus, with the price of coal at 10s. per ton
the gas will be worth 3.264d. per 1,000 cubic feet. If 54.4 lb. of coal
is equal to 1,000 cubic feet of gas, then one ton, or 2,000 lb., is equal
to 36,764 cubic feet, or 2,240 lb. of coal is equal to 40,768 cubic feet
of natural gas. If we compare this gas with anthracite coal, we find that
1,000 cubic feet of gas is equal to 58.4 lb. of this coal, and 2,000 lb.
of coal is equal to 34,246 cubic feet of natural gas. Then, if this coal
cost 26s. per ton, 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas is worth 9½d. for its
heating power. In collecting samples of this gas I have noticed some very
interesting deposits from the wells. Thus, in one well the pipe was
nearly filled up with a soft grayish-white material, which proved on
testing to be chloride of calcium. In another well, soon after the gas
vein had been struck, crystals of carbonate of ammonia were thrown out,
and upon testing the gas I found a considerable amount of that alkali,
and with this well no chloride of calcium was observed until about two
months after the gas had been struck. In these calculations of the
heating power of gas and coal no account is of course taken of the loss
of heat by radiation, etc. My object has been to compare these two fuels
merely as regards their actual value in heat units."
Bearing in mind that it is never wise to prophesy unless you know, I
hesitate to speak of the future; but considering the experience we have
had in regard to the productiveness of the oil territory, which is now
yielding 70,000 barrels of petroleum per day, and which has continued to
increase year after year for twenty years, I see no reason to doubt the
opinion of experts that the territory which has already been proved to
yield gas will suffice for at least the present generation in and about
Pittsburg.
* * * * *