FUTURE SUPPLY 611 



MEXICO 



The known oil fields of Mexico are located along the Gnlf Coastal Plain 

 and include about 20 fields, covering areas of over 20,000 square miles. 

 A very rough estimate of the proved area is 25 square miles, with a pro- 

 spective area of 500 to 1,000 square miles. The largest wells in the world 

 are found in these fields. They tap the porous and cavernous Cretaceous 

 limestones, and one at least has been known to yield over 250,000 barrels 

 per day. A total production of over 40,000,000 barrels has been yielded 

 by one well. The production of the country was 34,000,000 barrels in 

 1915, and bids fair to far surpass this point when political conditions in 

 Mexico shall liave become more stable and the war in Europe permits of 

 the utilization of more marine transportation facilities. We may safely 

 look on Mexico as one of the greatest sources of the oil supply of the 

 future. 



Central America 



Little is known of the oil possibilities of Central America. Surface 

 evidences of petroleum are found in nearly all of the countries, but from 

 the information available it does not seem probable that any very com- 

 mercially important fields will ever be developed in them. 



West India Islands 



With the exception of Trinidad, the islands of the West Indian group 

 offer little evidence of becoming important commercial producers of pe- 

 troleum. The production of Trinidad in 1915 was about 750,000 barrels. 

 The oil ranges from high to low grade, the low-grade oil predominating. 



South America 



PERU 



Although indications of oil are found in practically every country in 

 South America, the countries in which commercial quantities of oil are 

 now being produced, or which offer evidence of a commercial yield in the 

 future, are Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia. 



Little development has been done outside of Peru, which was the first 

 country in South America in which oil was produced on a commercial 

 scale. The petroliferous areas in this country are situated along the 

 northwestern coast and are known as the Zorritos, Lobitos, and N'egritos 

 fields. Of the total area of 5,000 square miles included in the oil belts, 

 about 200 square miles can be said to be either proven or highly probable, 



