reau's station at Minneapolis, the State mining experiment station had already given considerable study to the washing and concentration of the iron ores of the Mesabi Range. In many places on that range the commercial ores are intimately associated with ores too low in iron to permit their utilization, hence the problem becomes that of finding suitable ways of separating the two grades, and of bringing the iron content of the low-grade ore up to commercial grade.

Individuals and corporations have given attention to the beneficiation of iron ores high in phosphorus and sulphur, as well as low in iron, and at least one process has been devised that promises to be highly successful in raising the iron content and removing the phosphorus. Because of this fact, and because the work done by the Minnesota State mining experiment station promises to solve the problem of washing and concentrating low-grade minable ores, the Bureau of Mines has not attempted to begin any work on the beneficiation of low-grade ores, but is giving its attention rather to the devising of commercially feasible processes for reduction of those iron ores that are too low grade for blast-furnace smelting. Evidently, the development of successful processes for the beneficiation of lowgrade iron ores will assist in solving the second phase of the problem, for an ore might be too low grade for blast-furnace smelting but after beneficiation be high enough in iron for reduction by some other process. Hence, the bureau believes it is justified in studying ways and means of preventing metallic waste, in giving especial attention to new processes for the production of iron, and in investigating the merits of processes already suggested for that purpose.

TREATMENT OF LOW-GRADE AND COMPLEX ORES OF THE NONFERROUS METALS.

In 1913 the Utah Legislature created a department of metallurgical research in the school of mines of the University of Utah. The authorities of that institution arranged with the Federal Bureau of Mines a cooperative agreement whereby the bureau would have charge of whatever investigative work was carried on by the university for the purpose of devising processes for treating the lowgrade ores in which the State abounds. Work began in January, 1914, and has since been carried on continuously. The results are most encouraging, as many processes have been devised. Some of these have already been applied commercially, and plans for using others are being made. Moreover, the bureau proposes to make a careful study of the problems related to low-grade and complex ores throughout the country, in order to determine how processes worked out on a laboratory scale at the Salt Lake City station may be applied elsewhere.

PETROLEUM DIVISION.

GENERAL STATEMENT.

The staff of the petroleum division was engaged in work relating to war problems until November 11, 1918. In this work the bureau cooperated with the Navy and War Departments, United States Fuel Administration, United States Shipping Board, Treasury Department, and other Government agencies. The bureau continued its work of conservation and educational campaigns among operators, as far as funds were available, although war work was always considered first.

After the signing of the armistice, effort was made to turn rapidly from a war to a peace basis. Now the petroleum division is confronted with additional problems started during the war by the Fuel Administration. The industry expects these to be continued by the Government during peace.

Chester Naramore, as chief petroleum technologist, directed the petroleum division until February 1, 1919, when he was succeeded by J. O. Lewis. Mr. Naramore was in Europe during July, August, September, and October, 1918, as a representative of this Government in matters concerning the handling, disposition and quality of petroleum and its products for the allied countries. During his absence, both A. W. Ambrose and C. H. Beal acted in his place.

The work of the petroleum division is classified at present under four heads: Production technology, engineering technology, chemical technology, and oil shale technology.

Two or three men devoted their entire time to production technology in California, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, and effected considerable saving of petroleum by instituting better practice in drilling and production. Cooperative work was carried on with the Office of Indian Affairs, the General Land Office, and the States of Illinois and Colorado.

The petroleum division cooperated with the Internal Revenue Bureau of the Treasury Department and gave it a new method for estimating the future and ultimate production of oil properties throughout the United States. The Treasury Department used this in calculating depletion allowances in taxation.

The petroleum technologists assisted in the investigation of the more important gas fields in the United States in order to determine the possible supply of helium for balloons and airships. Plans and specifications for oil storage were supplied to the Army and Navy. Two petroleum engineers were sent to Europe to assist and act with the other American members on the Inter-Allied Petroleum Conference, a subsidiary body of the Allied Maritime Transport Council, dealing with the supplies, stocks, specifications, storage,

transportation, and allocations of petroleum products for the allied countries and the American Expeditionary Force. They represented the division of planning and statistics of the United States Shipping Board and the oil division of the United States Fuel Administration on the Inter-Allied Petroleum Conference, and acted as representatives of the Bureau of Mines in Europe. Considerable work was done on the standardization of petroleum products.

A careful study was made of the shale oil plants in Scotland, and the economic possibilities of the oil shale in this country have been studied.

Samples of crude oil from different fields in the United States were collected for analysis. Samples of gasoline from all of the larger marketing concerns were collected for analyses in order to determine the properties of commercially marketed gasoline and as a guide in future work on specifications.

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY.

MODES OF OCCURRENCE OF GAS, OIL, AND WATER.

R. V. Mills, petroleum technologist, has studied the occurrence and relations of gas, oil, and water in different fields and their movement and rearrangement in the pay sands consequent on oil and gas extraction. The modes and causes of injury to pay sands and the consequent losses of oil through infiltrating waters have been studied with a view to developing methods of preventing or remedying these. losses.

OIL-WELL DRILLING.

In some fields in California and elsewhere much trouble has been experienced in shutting off water from the wells because of the corrosion of well casings and the improper setting of cements. An investigation is being carried on by Mr. Mills with a view to enabling operators to cement off water and protect well casings against corrosion by using certain chemicals either with or without Portland

cement.

The circulator method of drilling oil wells has been investigated by F. B. Tough, petroleum technologist, who is preparing a bulletin on the subject. The bulletin will point out the advantages of this method of drilling.

Mr. Tough acted in a consulting capacity with the State officials of Wyoming regarding a proposed law governing the drilling of oil wells within that State. Particular attention was given to the protection of the oil fields against infiltrating waters. Subsequent to this work, Mr. Tough and B. H. Scott made a detailed study of the operating conditions in the Salt Creek Field, Wyoming. Later the

Midwest Refining Co. and Ohio Oil Co. set aside $30,000 to be spent under the direction of the Bureau of Mines for supervision of drilling and repair work on oil wells in the Wyoming fields.

A bulletin, Methods of Shutting Off Water in Oil and Gas Wells, by Mr. Tough, was published during the year.

E. W. Wagy, petroleum engineer, acted as consulting engineer for the United States Land Office in the matter of supervision of water control at oil wells being drilled on public lands.

A bulletin entitled Bibliography of Petroleum and Allied Substances, 1916, by Miss E. H. Burroughs, editorial assistant, was issued during the year. A bulletin covering the literature for 1917 is being printed and one for 1918 is now being prepared for early publication. It is the intention of the bureau to issue these bibliographies annually.

OIL-WELL PRODUCTION.

C. H. Beal, petroleum technologist, worked on the average-decline curve method of estimating future production, which formed the basis of a scientific method used by the Internal Revenue Bureau of the Treasury Department for equitably taxing oil properties. Mr. Lewis directed the work of several engineers in the Mid-Continent fields collecting data and preparing curves, while Mr. Beal directed similar work in California. Bulletin 177, The Decline and Ultimate Production of Oil Wells, with Notes on the Valuation of Oil Properties, by C. H. Beal, has been of great help in this work. Mr. Beal has recently been conducting an investigation of methods for the valuation of oil lands.

A. W. Ambrose, petroleum technologist, H. H. Hill, chemical engineer, and J. P. Smootz, assistant petroleum chemist, worked on a report for the Treasury Department which served as a basis for the depreciation of equipment in connection with the production, refining, and marketing of petroleum and natural gas. This report covered an estimate of the life of various equipment of drilling and producing wells, pipe lines, tank cars, refineries, marketing facilities, buildings, and marine transportation.

The operators in the El Dorado-Augusta fields, Kans., met at the suggestion of Mr. Lewis for the purpose of organizing to combat the serious water problem there. From these meetings the Kansas Oil and Gas Association was formed. Considerable work was done in the fields on the water problem and on cementing wells by M. A. La Velle and Thomas Curtin, expert drillers, and J. O. Lewis.

An investigation of oil-casing perforations and screen pipe has been conducted by Mr. Wagy.

Cooperative work with the State Geological Survey of Illinois was conducted in the Illinois field. The purpose of this work was to

correct water problems as well as to demonstrate to the operators the benefit of subsurface studies in detecting the source of the waters. Mr. Tough started the bureau's activities in this work, and was later succeeded by Mr. Wagy.

The petroleum technologists and expert drillers of the Bureau of Mines carried on cooperative work with the Office of Indian Affairs at Muskogee, Okla. The work in Oklahoma has been largely educational, showing operators the value of cement in excluding waters from the productive oil zones. This work was under the direction of V. L. Conoghan, chief oil and gas inspector, and A. A. Hammer, oil and gas inspector, assisted by B. H. Scott, F. B. Reusch, and M. A. La Velle, expert drillers. Many diagrams showing apparatus and methods pertaining to more efficient methods of drilling and operating oil wells were distributed among operators.

Mr. Curtin, who assisted operators in shutting off water from oil and gas sands in Oklahoma and southern Kansas, has completed the manuscript on a paper entitled "Casing Troubles and Fishing Methods" which will be issued by the Bureau of Mines.

In cooperation with the Colorado State inspector of oils, the Bureau of Mines investigated conditions in the Boulder oil fields of Colorado with regard to attempting to recover some of the production of this field. This investigation was made by Mr. Wagy.

The petroleum division aided in determining the helium content of gas from different fields in the United States. Mr. Lewis cooperated with G. S. Rogers, of the United States Geological Survey, in the Mid-Continent districts. Mr. Ambrose made a study of the gases in Montana, North Dakota, Washington, and in the Bow Island field, Canada, and Mr. Ambrose and Mr. Wagy studied the California fields.

Mr. Ambrose is preparing a paper entitled "A Study of Underground Oil Field Conditions and Their Application to Water Problems," which points out methods for detecting the source of infiltrating waters and means for avoiding water troubles.

T. E. Swigart, assistant technologist in oil and gas production, carried on a series of investigations of the various drilling and producing problems of some of the larger oil companies of California. He also began work in the Comanche field, Okla., with a view to helping to solve the drilling and producing problems there.

REFINERY STATISTICS.

The petroleum division has collected statistics during the past fiscal year showing the output of the refined products from the refineries, such as gasoline, kerosene, lubricants, fuel oil, and miscellaneous oils. These statistics also included the amount of crude oil