Video Parts (3)
This clip is Part 1 of a 3-part film.
MODERN OIL REFINING Part 1
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Crude oil or petroleum is a natural resource which, when refined, yields kerosene, gasoline, and many by-products.” Beaker of crude oil, three smaller beakers - hands pouring from crude oil beaker into smaller; gasoline 30%, kerosene 20%, lubricating oil and wax 42%, coke 5%. “Petroleum occurs deep in the earth in layers of porous rocks.” Diagram of cross section of earth showing oil pools, wells on surface. “The large oil pools are found by drilling.” Animated diagram of cross section of earth, derrick, engine, pump, oiler, mud pond, drill and casing descending, oil rising, pouring into storage tank. “Drilling for oil. The derricks contain the drilling machinery.” Views of derricks, machinery in operation, workers. “The tall derricks are built of heavy timbers or steel pipe.” “On the Pacific coast, oil drilling is sometimes done in the ocean water.” Derrick in water. “In California some of the oil wells are in the city of Los Angeles.” Derricks, residential area in background. “This field of crowded derricks is situated over a rich oil pool.” Panoramic view, stream and woods in foreground. “An important oil tool is the heavy steel drill or bit. It is being sharpened to cut through the rocks.” Workers, one holding hot bit with tongs, the other pounding it with sledge hammer. “Putting the fish-tail bit into the drill hole.” Worker guiding bit on long pole into hole - workers, drill rigging. “A heavy pipe is forced down into the drill hole.” Workers using huge wrench to turn pipe - pipe being lowered by block and tackle. “At 2,300 feet or more, oil is found in the muddy water coming from the well.” Workers examining water flowing from well. “Testing for oil.” Workers gathered around sluice - squatting and sitting on ground examining and sniffing hands covered with water. “Shooting a well by exploding nitroglycerine in the oil sand. Placing the charge.” Rigging - worker holding nitro container. “After the explosion the oil flows upward and causes a ‘gusher.’” Oil shooting into the air from well. “At the top of the well, many valves control the rushing oil.” Workers operating lever. “Building temporary tanks to store the oil.” Three tanks, workers on top. “Crude oil is pumped from the wells to the refinery through pipes thousands of miles in length.” Pipe line across canyon. “Laying the pipe.” “Digging trenches for a pipe line.” By hand. “Millions of feet of pipe are used in the oil field.” Horse-drawn wagon loaded with pipe - pipe stacked on ground, railroad cars, teams and wagon in background - oil camp, mules, wagons, workers, wooden bridge. “Tank cars carry some of the crude oil to the refinery.” Railroad yard, tank cars - refinery, tank cars in yard, pipe leading into building. “Crude oil is shipped from Mexico by ‘tankers’ or ships of 45,000 barrels capacity.” Deck of tanker, crew at work. “Steel storage tanks at the refinery hold 100,000 gallons.” Rows of tanks. “Crude oil, in the still, is divided by heat into gasoline, fuel oil, lubricating oil, and many by-products. The stills.” “The still at work.” Animated diagram showing tank of crude oil with fire under it, pipe leading to condenser at naphtha and gasoline distillate, 30% at 200° kerosene distillate, 20% at 300° lubricating oils and paraffin distillate, 42%; at 600° coke, 5% at 750° waste, 3%. “Each still holds 13,600 gallons or one day’s run.” Stills, smoke haze hanging over. “Cleaning out the coke or residue from the still.” Worker shoveling coke out door at base of still - workers loading coke into wheelbarrow. “The first vapor from the still is condensed into gasoline. It passes through these ‘look boxes’ where it is tested by hydrometers.” Worker checking hydrometers. “The impurities in gasoline are removed by use of sulphuric acid in the agitators.” Panoramic view of refinery. “Shipping 100,000 gallons of gasoline to Europe by ‘tank’ steamer. Loading from floating dock.” Freighter at dock. “Pipe lines to dock.” Automobile and pedestrians on road beside pipe lines. “In this country 200,000,000 gallons of gasoline are used annually for power.” Automobile, pedestrian traffic on city street. “Kerosene is the second important product from petroleum. It must not flash at a temperature below 110°F. The test.” Worker testing kerosene. “Wax or paraffin is a petroleum by-product.” Lighted candle in stuck block of paraffin. “Petroleum provides the chief motor fuel, a common light, a lubricant for machinery and many important by-products.” “‘It is a priceless resource that can never be replaced,’ Franklin K. Lane.” “The End!” “Ford Educational Library.” [1925]
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