Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1902 — DECREASE IN GAS PRESSURE. [ARTICLE]

DECREASE IN GAS PRESSURE.

State Gas inspector Compiles Statistics Showing Ultimate Exhaustion of Gas in Short Time.

State Gas Inspector Leach has recently given out some statistics in regard to rapid decrease of natural gas pressure that has caused consternation in the natural gas field. Prior to the general development of the field the pressure was 325 pounds. The pressure for the year 1897 was 1/3 pounds. For the two ensuing years the decrease was uniform, it being 11 per cent. The pressure for the year 1900 was 115 pounds, or a decrease of 26 per cent, while for the year 1901 it averaged but 70 pounds, decreasing over the pressure of the previous year 40 per cent. At this rate of decrease the question of how long gas will be available for genera] use is a serious one. A decrease in the same ratio in the future will bring th- end of natural gas in the next three or four years. With the diminution of the gas supply, however, has come an increase of oil, but its use as a substitute for gas in manufacturing has not been as satisfactory as was hoped.