The Humble Refinery Bee (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 09, No. 02, Ed. 1 Monday, February 1, 1943 Page: 19 of 33
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Humble Bee and Baytown Briefs and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Sterling Municipal Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
12,557 on the
Home Front
rece-
: the
pe-
any
y of
so,
ition
2,150 Employees in the
Armed Forces
5.
was taken to centralize the Government’s
war policies relating to petroleum and to
securing the conservation and most effec-
tive utilization of petroleum in the United
States. The Administrator’s Office has done
a fine job in assisting the industry to deal
with its difficult wartime problems. Rela-
tions between the Administrator and the
industry have continued on a highly co-
operative basis, and the Administrator has
expressed the intention and hope of relax-
ing emergency regulations on the industry
promptly after the war.
"SS.
78
),
cdhg
6
(
Conclusion
The principal task of the petroleum in-
dustry in 1943, as in 1942, will be to refine
and transport the critical war products, in-
cluding butadiene and butyl, required for
the military forces of the United Nations.
Humble’s primary objective again will be
to continue as a leader in making the maxi-
mum contribution to the war effort—par-
ticularly in the production of toluene,
aviation gasoline and lubricants, and syn-
thetic rubber. In the synthetic rubber
program, the task of industry in realiz-
ing large-scale production of butadiene
and butyl rubber within a short lime is an
enormous one. The program is encounter-
ing delays because of critical material
shortages, and after the plants are com-
ing our transportation difficulties, demand
in 1943 may well exceed that of 1942.
The Humble Company and the petro-
leum industry suffered a great loss in 1942
in the deaths of Mr. R. L. Blaffer and Mr. 9
W. S. Parish, two of the founders of this
Company. Mr. Blaffer served the Company
in various capacities as Vice President
and Treasurer, President, and finally, as
Chairman of the Board until his retire-
ment in 1941. Mr. Parish was President
of the Company at the time he left in
1933 to become associated with Standard
Oil Company (New Jersey), of which he
was President at the time of his death. The
influence of these men on the affairs of
our Company will live on far beyond their
time.
The Board of Directors and the officers
of the Humble Companies wish to express
their appreciation to the stockholders for
the confidence they have shown us and for
the support they have given and to thank 8
all employees for their splendid work and
fine spirit of loyalty. With the gratifying
support of employees and stockholders,
your Management will continue to direct
the course of the Humble Companies in
the service of the war effort and of the
public generally.
sary normal, and must be readjusted so that all pleted some additional time will be re-
iome crudes may once more be competitively quired to establish capacity production.
' the priced and contribute their share in meet- However, the problem is similar to that of
Is in ing war demand. Such adjustments will expanding aviation gasoline production.
942, serve to utilize the automatic economic and the industry’s success in that program
941. forces which will facilitate operations in supports the expectation that it will do
etro- the industry and promote its contribution equally well in synthetic rubber.
e in to the war effort. When prices are adjusted. The demand in 1943 will depend princi-
) in consideralion should be given also to in- pally upon military requirements and upon
et a creased production and finding costs and the availability of transportalion facilities,
pply the desirability of stimulating exploration Fortunately, the 24-inch pipe line, originat.
ini- for new oil reserves. ing in East Texas, should be completed to
eavy As the problems of the industry became the East Coast before the end of this year,
more difficult in 1942, the task of securing and approval has recently been granted
the proper adjustments by cooperative for a new 20-inch product line which will
effort between the Office of Petroleum Co- move 235,000 B/D from the Texas Gulf
ordinator for War and the industry as- Coast to Illinois and Indiana for trans-
sumed increasing importance. The Petro- shipment by tank car to the East Coast,
leum Coordinator’s authority was clarified These projects, and other efforts being
and strengthened in December, 1942, when made to improve overland deliveries to the
an Executive Order was issued creating East Coast, may make it possible to meet
the Office of Petroleum Administrator for a larger part of the demand in that area
War, with Secretary of the Interior Ickes next winter and lessen the restrictions im-
continuing as head of the organization, and posed on the use of gasoline and fuel oils,
the staff remaining the same. This action If progress continues to be made in meet-
times, crude oil in Texas moved primarily
to the Gulf Coast, and crudes were com-
petitively priced in that market. With the
reversal of many lines to carry oil north
and east, and the construction of large
new pipe lines from Texas to the East
Coast, price differentials for location on
some crudes are entirely changed from
by withdrawal from stocks of 125,000 B/D
hich of products and 35,000 B/D of crude oil.
war Changes in stocks, production, and re-
re- fining operations were not uniformly dis-
ther tributed between the major areas of the
>ply country. For example, although there was
ver- a heavy draft on stocks for the country as
for a whole, a large accumulation occurred in
and Texas and Louisiana. Stocks of crude oil
un- and refined products in these States in-
aso- creased about 19,000,000 barrels, or 52,000
trict B/D in 1942. Crude oil production in
euni Texas decreased from 1,390,000 barrels
idly, daily in 1941 to 1,320,000 barrels daily in
cili- 1942, or more than 5%, and there was an
and even larger decline in demand. Production
de- in the West Texas-New Mexico and South-
full west Texas areas was most seriously
forts affected by the transportation shortage,
ove- Crude oil prices, being subject to price
arge ceilings, remained stable in 1942. How-
East ever, it is evident that some adjustments
oads must be made this year in the light of the
han- great changes in transportation. In normal
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Mabry, G. A. The Humble Refinery Bee (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 09, No. 02, Ed. 1 Monday, February 1, 1943, periodical, February 1, 1943; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1482147/m1/19/?rotate=90: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.