Journal of the Institute of Petroleum, Vol. 25, Annual Reviews of Petroleum Technology, Vol. 4 (Covering 1938), Contents

Published in August, 1939

AN N U A L REVIEWS OF

PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

VOL. 4

(Covering 1938)

A collection of authoritative review s of recent developments in every aspect of the technology

of petroleum

Pp. viii + 480 20 Illustrations and Diagram s Cloth Bound

l l s . 0 d .

(U.S.A. S2.70]

Members of the Institute and Annual Subscribers to the Journal may purchase one copy at 5s. 6d. (SI.35)

Prices include postage

T H E IN S T IT U T E OF PE T R O L E U M

The Adelphi, London, W .C.2

T E L .: T E M PL E B A R 1842

PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY IN 1938

T h i s

book is a com plete s u rv e y of p rog ress in th e

science an d technology of p e tro le u m d u rin g 1938, so far as it has been record ed in p u b lish e d a rtic le s a n d p aten ts.

I t is presented in a form ea sy for referen ce a n d study.

E v ery aspect of p etro leu m is d e a lt w ith in tu r n from geological th e o ry to finished p ro d u c ts. R e la te d in­

dustries, such as th e a u to m o b ile a n d coal industries, are also review ed in th e ir re la tio n to th e petroleum in d u stry itself.

The au th o rs of th e tw e n ty -e ig h t c h a p te rs are special­

ists in th e ir own su b jects. T h e y a re c o n s ta n tly in touch w ith th e lite ra tu re a n d qu alified to appreciate th e significance of d ev elo p m en ts in all p a r ts of the world. E ac h c h a p te r is in tro d u c e d b y a general review.

The book is of v alu e to tw o classes of re a d e rs—those who require a d etaile d co m p ila tio n of references in a specialist field, an d th o se w ho w a n t a ra p id survey of progress over th e e n tire in d u s try . B o th classes will find th a t th e book a d e q u a te ly m eets th e ir require­

m ents. The general a rra n g e m e n t a n d m ethod of tre a tm e n t are in d icate d b y th e ta b le of co n ten ts and specimen pages w hich follow.

O verlapping betw een in d iv id u a l c h a p te rs has been reduced as far as possible, a lth o u g h th e re m a y be a few cases in w hich th is occurs, ow ing to th e necessity of rounding off a sub ject.

The technologist w orking in th e field finds it difficult to o b tain access to th e w ide field of lite ra tu re con­

cerned w ith p etro leu m , ev en if he h a d th e tim e for its

exam ination a n d indexing. “ P e tro le u m Technology

in 1938 has p erfo rm ed th is serv ice fo r him within

th e covers of a single book.

CONTENTS

PETRO LEUM GEOLOGY. By A. I. Levorsen

G eneral F eatu res— Origin of Oil—Tim es of Oil A ccum ulation— S edim entation—

S hoestring Sands— Ground-G as Surveys— Aerial M apping . . . .

R EG IO N A L GEOLOGY A ND D EV ELO PM EN T IN TH E U N IT E D STATES. By W. A. Ver Wiebe, Ph.D., F.G.S.A., M.A.A.P.G.

General Review of E xploration an d E x p lo ita tio n in

— Prospective A reas .

REG IO N A L GEOLOGY—ALL C O U N T R IE S O T H E R TH A N TH E U.S.A . By G. D. Hobson, A.R.S.M ., Ph.D., D.I.C.

G eneral Review of E x p lo ratio n an d D evelopm ent in

— N orth A m erica (excluding U.S.A.) an d South Am erica— E urope, Asia, A frica, A u stralia .

GEOPHYSICS. By H. Shaw, D.Sc., A.R.C.S., D .I.C ., F.Inst.P.

G eneral Review of D evelopm ents in G eophysical M ethods— G rav itatio n al—

M agnetic— Seismic— E lectrical— O th er M ethods . . . . . .

D R ILLIN G . By H. W. Hole.

D rilling E q u ip m en t— Casing— D irectional D rilling In stru m e n ts— H eaving

Shale— C em entation— Mud Flushes . . . . . . . .

P R O D U C T IO N ENGINEERING. By G. H. Scott, B.Sc., M.A.A.P.G.

P hysical C haracteristics of Reservoirs an d th e ir C ontained Fluids— Flow of F luids thro u g h Porous Media— R eservoir Perform ance an d Control— W ell Spacing— P ressure M aintenance— W ell Perform ance an d C ontrol .

P R O D U C T IO N . By L. W. Storms, J r., and T. A. Huber.

In cre asin g D ep th of P roduction— Flow ing P ro d u ctio n — A rtificial L ift— R e­

conditioning Wells— Oil T reatin g — S alt-w ater D isposal— M ethods of Increasing

R ecovery . . . . . . . . . . . .

T R A N SP O R T A T IO N AND STORAGE. By A. C. Hartley, O.B.E., F.C.G.I., M.Inst.C.E., M.l.Mech.E.

Pipe-lines— Corrosion— P ro tectio n — P u m p in g -statio n s— S torage— O cean T ra n s­

p o rt . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R E FIN E R Y PLANT A ND E N G IN EER IN G . By. W. J . Sweeney, D.Sc., and E. D. Reeves, B.A.

Cracking— Polym erization— D istillation— Coking— N a p h th a T re a tin g and C rude D esalting—S olvent E x tra c tio n a n d D ew axing— D easphalting— D e­

colorizing. . . . . . . . . . . . .

CRA C K IN G . By P. C. Keith, J r., C. W. Nofsinger, and J . V. High­

tower.

P rin cip al D evelopm ents— Cracking P rogress in V arious C ountries— Some Com ­ m ercial Cracking U nits— Cracking R e s e a r c h ...

v

PA G E

3

13

25

43

53

65

81

95

113

131

P A C E

173

185

195

2 1 7

225

241

251

259

275

301

325 CO N TEN TS

PYROLYSIS A N D PO LY M ER IZA TIO N . By D. A. Howes, D.Sc.

P olym erization of C

Olefines b y S ulphuric Acid— A lkylation Processes—

Isom erization of H y d rocarbons— N o n -cataly tic P yrolysis an d P olym erization

— C a ta ly tic P olym erization— H y d ro g en atio n of Olefine P olym ers to iso-

Paraffins— D ehydrogenation . . . . . . . . .

N ATURAL GAS, N A T U R A L G ASO LINE, A N D L IQ U E FIE D PETROLEUM GASES. By Thelma Hoffman.

C onstitution, T ra n s p o rt an d Uses of N a tu ra l Gas— Uses a n d P olym erization of Liquefied P etroleum G ases— N a tu ra l G asoline P la n ts a n d R ecovery Processes .

GASOLINE, W HITE SP IR IT A N D K E R O SIN E (LIG H T D IS ­ TILLATES). By G. R. Nixon, A.R.C.S., B.Sc.

Com position of Gasoline— O xidation, C om bustion a n d D e to n atio n — Engine T esting— A n ti-d eto n an ts— .Anti-knock G asoline— V o latility of M otor Fuels—

G um Inh ib ito rs— A lcohol Blends— K erosine as a T ra c to r F uel

DIESEL A N D GAS OILS. By. R. Stansfield, A.M.lnst.C.E.

S tan d ard izatio n of Ig n itio n Q u ality D e term in atio n s— G eneral T ests of D iesel

Fuels— Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . .

FUEL OILS. By I. Lubbock and. P. H. Herring.

Specifications an d T esting— M arine B oiler Fuels— M arine Oil-firing In sta lla ­ tions— O il-burner A ppliances— M etallurgical In d u stries— Clays, Ceram ics, Cem ent, Lim e— C entral H e a tin g — A griculture . . . . . .

AUTOM OBILE ENGINES. By M. Platt, M.Eng., M .I.A.E., M.S.A.E.

Cylinders a n d S tro k e /B o re R a tio s— N ew E ngines of Special In te re st— Cooling System s— C a rb u ratio n a n d M anifolding— M iscellaneous Com ponents

AERO ENG INES. By H. S. Glyde, B.Sc., A.C.G.I., Assoc.M.Inst.C.E.

T ren d s of P re se n t-d a y A ero-E ngine D esign including N o tes on M aterials—

Perform ance of R e cen t T ypes w ith T able giving E n g in e D a ta a n d M axim um O u tp u t— N otes on E ngines of O u tsta n d in g In te re s t, B i-F uel O p eratio n .

OIL ENG INES. By L. J . Le Mesurier.

M arine Engines— R ail T ra n s p o rt Engines— R oad T ra n sp o rt E ngines— In d u stria l

Engines— Aero E ngines . . . . . . . . . .

LU BRICANTS A N D L U B R IC A T IO N . By J . L. Taylor, B.Sc., A.I.C.

Refining— P ro p e rties— A nalysis a n d T estin g — E n g in e a n d B earing Im b rica­

tion— Corrosion— G reases— A d d itio n A gents . . . . . .

SPECIAL PR O D U C T S. By W. E. J . Broom, B.Sc., Ph.D., and T. C. G. Thorpe.

H ydrocarbons a n d th e ir D eriv ativ es— W ax — S olvents— N ap h th en ic Acids an d N a p h th e n a te s— S u lp h u r an d Sulphonic Acids— In su la tin g Oils— Insecticides

— Carbon B lack a n d P etro le u m Coke— C u ttin g Oils— M iscellaneous.

ASPHALTIC B IT U M E N A N D R O A D M ATERIALS. By W. W.

Goulston, B .A ., B.Sc., A.I.C.

M anufacture of A sphaltic B itu m en an d E m ulsions— P h y sica l an d Chemical

P ro p e rties— A pplications of A sp h altic B itu m en . . . . . .

CO N TENTS

A NALYSIS A N D T ESTIN G . By A. R. Stark, B.Sc., A.I.C.

C rude Oil— Gas— M otor S p irit— K erosine— Gas, Diesel a n d F u rn a ce Oil—

L u b ric a tin g Oil an d Grease— A sphaltic B itu m en . . . . . .

C H E M IST R Y A N D PHYSICS OF PETR O LEU M H Y D R O ­ CARBONS. By F. B. Thole, D.Sc., F.I.C.

P hysical C o n stan ts— A nalysis an d Id entifications— S ynthesis an d Chemical R eactions— M olecular Fission— P olym erization— D eh y d ro g en atio n an d Iso ­ m erization— O x i d a t i o n ...

M O T O R BENZOLE. By G. Claxton, M.Sc.

P ro d u c tio n of Benzole from Coal Gas an d T a r— O th e r Sources of A rom atic H y d ro carb o n s— H y d ro g en atio n — A lkylation Processes— A rom atic H y d ro ­ carbons in P etroleum — Benzole Recovery— Refining— P ro p e rties of A rom atic H y d ro carb o n s an d use as M otor Fuel— T ests an d M ethods of A nalysis . .

FUELS PR O D U C E D BY H Y D R O G E N A T IO N A ND SY N TH ETIC PROCESSES. By C. M. Cawley, Ph.D., M.Sc., A.R.C.S., D.I.C., and L. A. Woodward, Ph.D., B.A.

Hydrogenation— Com m ercial D evelopm ent— P la n t D esign— C a ta ly sts— H y d ro ­ g en atio n of Coal, T ars, Oils an d S pirits— H y d ro g en atio n of P u re Com pounds.

Synthetic Fuels— Fischer-Tropsch Process— Commercial D evelopm ent— P ro d u c­

tio n an d Purification of S ynthesis Gas— P la n t D esign a n d Control— C atalysts—

R eaction M echanism — P ro p erties an d T re a tm e n t of P rim a ry P ro d u c ts— P ro d u c­

tio n of L u b ricatin g Oil an d Soap . . . . . . .

A L T E R N A T IV E FUELS. LOW- A N D M ED IU M -TEM PER A - T U R E C A R BO N IZA TIO N . By D . MacDougall, A .R .T .C ., F.I.C., and H. Bardgett, B.Sc., M.Sc.

L a b o u r P a r ty ’s P la n for P ro d u c tio n of Oil from Coal— P ro d u c tio n of Oil P ro d u c ts from Coal an d o th e r Indigenous M aterials— Low- a n d M edium -T em perature C arbonization Processes— O th er M ethods of Producing Solid Sm okeless Fuel—

A tm ospheric P o llu tio n — Producer-G as Vehicles— Brow n Coal— Oil Shale and

Cannel . . . . . . . . . . . .

P E T R O L E U M L IT E R A T U R E . By Winifred S. E. Clarke, B.Sc.

G eneral Review of P etroleum L ite ra tu re d u rin g

. . . . .

PE T R O L E U M ST A TISTIC S. By S. J . Astbury, M .A ., F.S.S.

W orld P ro d u c tio n of Crude P etroleum , N a tu ra l Gas, Oil Shale, A sp h alt and B itu m e n — Petroleum In d u stry of U.S.A ., G reat B ritain , F ra n ce, G erm any, Ita ly , R oum ania, P oland— Prices— A rticles on S ta tistic s— Miscellaneous

S ta tistic s . . . . . . . . . . . .

NAM E I N D E X ... ...

SUBJECT IN D E X ₄₇₁

Extracts from Press R eview s of P revious Volumes

Bulletin of the A merican Association of P etroleum Geologists

A co m p ila tio n o f e x c e lle n t r e v ie w s , s u m m a r iz in g th e p ro g ress o f v a r io u s p h a ses o f p e tr o le u m res earch an d tech n o lo g y . E a c h o f th e tw e n ty - s e v e n c h a p te r s is th e w o r k o f a n o u t s t a n d in g in d iv id u a l in so m e s p e c ia l field so th a t th e au th o rsh ip s alo n e p res en t a n im p o s in g g r o u p o f n am es.

A co m p reh en sive b ib lio g r a p h y fo llo w s e a ch c h a p te r , s o t h a t th e b o o k b e c o m e s a v a lu a b le a d d itio n to e v e r y p u b lic lib r a r y as w e ll as to a ll w h o a r e in te r e s te d in th e p e tr o le u m in d u s tr y , a n d is e n t it le d to r a n k a s a n essen tial a d d itio n to p etro leu m lite r a tu r e .

Journal of the Chemical, M etallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa

T h e p etro le u m tech n o lo g ist fin ds in th is b o o k a v e r y v a lu a b le , co n cise r e v ie w o f th e y e a r ’s p ro g ress in ev e ry p h ase o f th e s u b je c t. H e, as w e ll as o th e r r ea d ers , w il l fin d it a v e r y v a lu a b le re fe re n ce b o o k . T h e n am e anil s u b jec t in d ex a t th e en d o f th e v o lu m e g r e a t l y a s sist in lo c a t in g th e s u b je c ts o f es p e cia l in te r e s t, a n d th e com ­ p reh en sive lite r a tu r e referen ce w ill r a p id ly e n a b le th e r e a d e r to o b ta in m o re d e ta ile d in fo rm a tio n .

T h e b o o k co n tain s so m e v e r y in te r e s tin g s t a t is t ic a l in fo r m a tio n a n d s h o u ld p r o v e o f g r e a t in te r e s t e v en to th ose n o t d ir e c t ly co n cern e d w ith fu e l te c h n o lo g y .

Naft Magazine

T h o u g h p rim a rily d esig n ed a s a re fe re n ce b o o k fo r t e c h n o lo g is ts in th e p e tr o le u m a n d a llie d in d ustries, the G en era l E d ito r an d th e co m p ile rs a r e to b e c o n g r a tu la te d on p r e s e n tin g t h e ir s u b je c ts in a v e r y rea d a b le fashion, an d the p rin ters on th e g o o d q u a lity o f th e t y p e a n d o f fin ish o f th e v o lu m e .

T h e m a n y a s p ects o f p e tr o le u m t e c h n o lo g y to u c h e d u p o n r a n g e f ro m th e p ro g re ss m a d e in g eo p h y sical m ethods o f finding o il to th e w o r k o f d r illin g a n d p r o d u ctio n o f c r u d e o il, th e c o n s tr u c tio n a n d o p e ra tio n o f pipe-lines, as w e ll as o th e r d e v e lo p m e n ts in tra n s p o r ta tio n b y la n d a n d se a, a ls o im p ro v e m e n ts in c r a c k in g processes, the p ro d u ctio n of n a tu ra l g as, liq u e fied p e tr o le u m g as es a n d v a r io u s o th e r p r o d u c ts , g e n e r a l de ve lo p m e n ts in regard to in tern al-co m b u stio n en g in es, a n d th e lo w -te m p e r a tu r e ca r b o n is a tio n o f c o a l.

Shell Magazine

T ec h n ic a l e x p e r ts in th e p e tr o le u m in d u s tr y , b e t h e y g e o lo g is ts , e n g in e e r s o r ch e m is ts , are now accustom ed to lo o k fo rw a rd to th e p u b lic a tio n o f th e I n s t it u t e o f P e t r o le u m ’s a n n u a l r e v ie w .

T h e re is no d o u b t as to th e g r e a t v a lu e o f th is p u b lic a t io n , w h ic h c o v e r s th e t e c h n ic a l developm ents in a ll b ran ch es o f th e p etro le u m a n d a llie d in d u s trie s . I ts w id e sc o p e is s p e c ia lly w o r t h y o f com m endation , as fu ll tre atm en t is g iv en to th e v a rio u s t e c h n ic a l a d v a n c e s a l l o v e r th e w o r ld w h e r e v e r a n y d evelop m en ts of note h a ve tak e n p lace.

Road9 and Road C onstruction

T h e rap id a d va n ce s in res earch a n d te c h n o lo g y in a l l b r a n c h e s o f th e p e tr o le u m in d u s tr y c a ll for a book w h ich w ill p resen t in su m m arised fo r m th e s a lie n t fe a tu r e s o f p ro g re s s y e a r b y y e a r . T h is need is a b ly m et b y th e A n n u a l R e v ie w s o f P e tr o le u m T e c h n o lo g y p u b lis h e d b y th e I n s t it u t e o f P e tr o le u m .

Chemical T rad e Jo u rn al

A n n u al a b s tr a c ts design ed to k e e p th e s c ie n tis t a n d te c h n o lo g is t t h o r o u g h ly a b r e a s t o f de ve lo p m e n ts in their resp ective fields fin d o n e o f th e ir b e s t e x e m p lific a tio n s in th e v o lu m e u n d e r n o te .

In a ll th e ch a p te rs w e h a v e e x a m in e d , co m p re ssio n o f s u b je c t- m a t te r h a s b ee n a tta in e d w ith o u t sacrifice of rea d a b ility .

Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (News Edition)

T h ese in v a lu a b le y e a r ly r e v ie w s o f p e tr o le u m te c h n o lo g y h a v e b e e n c a r r ie d o u t fo r th e p a st 14 years.

A n y o n e w ith e v e n th e s lig h te s t in te r e s t in h y d r o c a rb o n s o r th e o il in d u s tr y sh o u ld n o t fail to h a ve copies of these y e a r ly rev ie w s .

Shipbuilding and Shipping Record

T h e o u tsta n d in g featu re s o f r a p id p ro g ress m a d e in r e s e a r c h a n d te c h n o lo g y in th e p etro le u m in d u s try are a b ly su m m arized y e a r b y y e a r b y th ese a u th o r ita tiv e a n n u a l r e v ie w s .

Gas Journal

O ne o f th e m ost r e m a rk a b le fe a tu re s o f th e w o r k is it s in te r n a tio n a l c h a r a c te r . R e v ie w s o f p rogress are not lim ite d to d e ve lo p m e n ts in E n g lis h -s p e a k in g c o u n tr ie s , b u t c o v e r th e w o r ld . T h e r e a re , fo r e x a m p le , fu llr e p o r ts on the o p era tio n s o f s y n th e tic p rocesses in G e r m a n y , d e v e lo p m e n ts in c r a c k in g in U .S .S .R ., an d a concise record of geo lo g ica l an d ex p lo r a tio n w o r k in a l l c o u n tr ie s w h e r e s u c h w o r k h a s b ee n c a r r ie d o u t .

T h e b o o k is w ell-a rra n g e d a n d h a n d y fo r referen ce.

Engineering

A ll in terested in th e p etro le u m in d u s tr y lo o k fo r w a rd w it h in te r e s t t o t h is r e v ie w , in w h ich th e w h o le field is su rv e y ed 1 n a co m p ete n t m an n er, th e s u b je c t- m a t te r b e in g a lw a y s c o n t r ib u te d b y a u th o r itie s in th e p a rticular

P r i n t e d i n G r e a t B r i t a i n b y R i r h a r i J C l a y a n d C o m p a n y , L t d , R u n g a v . S u f / n l t -