Scientific American Supplement, No. 611, September 17, 1887Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 611, September 17, 1887
Various
Science -- Periodicals
The maximum yield per well is ten barrels per day, and the minimum
yield for which it is considered profitable to pump is a quarter of a
barrel per day. The yield being in some cases so small, it is usual to
pump a number of wells through the agency of one engine, the various
pumps being connected with the motor by means of wooden rods. In one
instance I saw as many as eighty wells being thus pumped from one
center. The motive power was a 70 h.p. engine, which communicated
motion, similar to that of the balance wheel of a watch, to a large
horizontal wheel. From this wheel six main rod lines radiated, the
length of stroke of the main lines being 16 in., and the rate of
movement 32 strokes per minute. Some of the wells being pumped from
this center were from one-half to three-quarters of a mile distant,
and altogether about eight miles of rods were employed in the pumping
of the eighty wells.
The pipe line system in Canada has not been fully developed, and
accordingly the well owner has to convey his oil by road to the
nearest receiving station. Thus from the Euphemia oil field the oil
has to be "teamed" 17 miles, to Bothwell. For the conveyance of the
oil by road a long and slightly conical wooden tank or barrel, resting
horizontally on a wagon, is employed. These vessels hold from eight to
ten barrels of oil. The Petrolia Crude Oil and Tanking Company is the
principal transporting and storing company. The storage charge is one
cent (1/2d.) per barrel per month, and the delivery charge two cents
per barrel. The petroleum produced in the Oil Springs field is stored
separately from that obtained in the Petrolia field.
The storage takes place for the most part in large underground tanks
excavated in the retentive clay. These remarkable tanks are often as
much as 30 ft. in diameter by 60 ft. in depth, and hold from 5,000 to
8,000 barrels. In the construction of the tanks the alluvial soil, of
which there is about 18 ft. or 20 ft. above the clay, is curbed with
wood and thoroughly puddled with clay. On the completion of the
excavation, the entire vertical surface is then lined with rings of
pine wood, so that the upper part down to the solid clay is doubly
lined. The bottom is not lined. The roof of the tank is of wood,
covered with clay. The cost of such a tank is about 22 cents (11d.)
per barrel, or 1,760 dols. (L363) for an 8,000 barrel tank, and the
time occupied in making such a tank is about six weeks.
The crude petroleum from the Petrolia field usually has a specific
gravity ranging from 0.859 to 0.877, while the specific gravity of the
petroleum from the Oil Springs field ranges from 0.844 to 0.854.
The oil occurs in the corniferous limestone, and buildings constructed
of this stone frequently exude petroleum in hot weather.
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