ASPHALT AND BITUMEN
Economic Features
Asphalt and bitumen are not used as energy resources, but they have so much in common with oil in occurrence and origin that they are included in this chapter.
Asphalt and bitumen find their main use in paving. Other important uses are in paints and varnishes, in the manufacture of prepared roofing, for various insulating purposes, and in substitutes for rubber.
Nearly the entire world's supply of natural asphalt comes from the British Island of Trinidad and from Venezuela. Both of these deposits are under United States commercial control probably affiliated with Dutch-English interests. Prior to the war about half the product went to Europe and half to the United States. Large amounts of asphaltic and bituminous rock, used mainly in paving, are normally produced in Alsace, France, and in Italy. Prior to the war both the Alsatian and Italian deposits were under German commercial control. Their output is practically all consumed in Europe.
The United States takes a large part in the world's trade in natural asphalt, by importation from Trinidad and Venezuela, and by some reëxportation chiefly to Canada and Mexico. The United States also produces some natural asphalt and bituminous rock for domestic consumption. Deposits of natural asphaltic material are widely distributed through the United States, but commercial production is limited to a few localities in Kentucky, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, and California.
The asphalt manufactured from petroleum constitutes a much larger tonnage than natural asphalt though it does not enter so largely into world trade. The manufactured product is largely but not exclusively in American control. Large amounts are made in this country and will no doubt be made for the next decade, from oil produced in the southwestern states and in Mexico. At the present time as much or more asphalt is made in the United States from Mexican as from domestic crude oil. The refineries are located near the Gulf coast so that exports can avoid overland shipments. The relative merits of natural asphalt and asphalt manufactured from oil may be subject to some discussion; but it is perfectly clear that the manufactured material is sufficient, both in quantity and variety, to make the United States entirely independent and have an exportable surplus.
Geologic Features
Natural asphalt and similar products are in the main merely the residuals of oil and gas distillation accumulated by nature under certain conditions already described in connection with oil (pp. 140-144). In some cases the asphaltic material is found as impregnations of sediments, and appears to have remained in place while the lighter organic materials were volatilized and migrated upward. In other cases it occurs in distinct fissure veins; the fissures and cavities apparently were once filled with liquid petroleum, which has subsequently undergone further distillation. The original liquid character of some of these bitumens is shown by occasional fragments of unworn "country rock" imbedded in the veins. The effect of surface waters, carrying oxidizing materials and sulphuric acid, is believed to have contributed to the drying out and hardening of these veins or dikes.
Asphalts and bitumens include a wide variety of hydrocarbon materials, such as gilsonite, grahamite, elaterite, ozokerite, etc., which are used for somewhat different purposes. The deposits of the United States show much variety in form, composition, age, and geologic associations. The important Kentucky deposits occur as impregnations of Carboniferous sandstones at the base of the Coal Measures of that state.