On the other hand, the low percentage of limiting-assay crudes may merely strengthen the arguments of those who, in scouting the predicted exhaustion of petroleum, contend that the production of crude oil is by no means a finished process, and that new crudes are always being formed within the earth. AcknowledgmentThe author is indebted to his associates, particularly to D. W. Gould and S. J. Macuga, for supplying much of the original data, and to the former for locating several of the references cited. Both contributed helpful criticism and discussion of the theories advanced.

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