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  • Burton-Humphreys Oil Production Collection, ca. 1912-1920
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This is a Smithsonian collection. See contact information below.

Burton-Humphreys Oil Production Collection, ca. 1912-1920

July 23, 2014
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Inventor Name

Burton, William and Humphreys, Robert

Repository

Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History
Archives Center
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
202-633-3270
http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives

Physical Description

0.5 cu. ft. : 3 boxes

Summary

Photographs of refineries, flow charts, lab notebooks, and other materials relating to the Burton-Humphreys oil cracking process. Amoco Company scientists William Burton and Robert Humphreys patented the Burton-Humphreys process in 1912. This thermal cracking process doubled the yield of gasoline from crude oil while improving the octane rating. It proved to be of great advantage during World War I, and is credited with avoiding a gasoline shortage.

Finding aid

https://sova.si.edu/record/NMAH.AC.1102

Tags

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