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1940 - 1949
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| 1940s |
Natural gas takes the lead in gas-energy supplies in America Introduction of High-Btu oil gas process to equal 1020 Btu heating value of natural gas; some conversions of existing carburetted water gas plants City smoke abatement ordinances appear in U.S. Petroleum industry again raises the specific gravity of its gas oil, in order to meet its priority needs for more gasoline; leaving manufactured gas industry with new problems in tars of high free carbon and high water content both leading to dehydration-resistant tar-water emulsions of no value. Widespread use of producer-gas generators on European vehicles. |
| 1940 |
Phenol recovery units at some Ohio River industrial sites, as wastewater pre-treatment process. U.S. Presidential campaign pits utility leader Wendell Wilkie against F.D. Roosevelt 3rd term. |
| 1941 |
Institute of Gas Technology founded at Chicago, IL, as independent, not-for-profit center for practical research. |
| 1942 |
U.S. War Production Board institutes Voluntary Conservation Program for Manufactured Gas Utilities:. AGA issues War Protection of the Gas Industry: Irregular, loose-leaf anti-sabotage guidance. U.S. government finances "Big-Inch" & "Little-Inch" transcontinental natural gas pipelines. |
| 1943 |
Report on Voluntary Conservation Program for Manufactured Gas Utilities:; Task Committee of Manufactured Gas Industry, Office of War Utilities, War Production Board. American Gas Association launches ambitious research and promotional plan. 1943-1945: U.S. Army Air Forces issues Impact; Monthly series of Confidential classified slick-paper news magazines for combat units; Includes damage photos of manufactured gas and allied industries. |
| 1944 |
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues Survey of the Ohio River and its Tributaries for Pollution Control; Includes Industrial wastes guide - By-Product coke industry. California Railroad Commission issues Principal Gas Transmission, Production, and Distribution Trunk Lines, with Major Gas and Oil Fields and Manufactured Gas Plants. United Kingdom Foreign Office, London, issues The Gas Industry of Germany and German Controlled Europe; Enemy Branch, Foreign Office and Ministry of Economic Warfare. Heavy damage to German manufactured gas, coke and tar works by Allied bombers. |
| 1945 |
Heavy damage to Japanese manufactured gas, coke and tar works by American bombers. U.S. National Res. Council releases Chemistry of Coal Utilization: Committee on Utilization of Coal (Known as the "Coal Bible"). Journal Cancer Research reports on 9,10-Dimethyl-1-2-Benzanthracene as a highly potent carcinogen for the rabbit's skin. |
| 1946 |
Allies rapidly gather German coal combustion/conversion specialist in competition with Russia. Total of 78 underground natural gas storage fields in U.S. |
| 1947 |
Federal government breaks the utility holding companies into separate entities. "Therm" introduced in Britain to replace British Thermal Unit (Btu) as measure of heating units of manufactured gas. "Biggest Inch" natural gas pipeline completed (built 1946-1947) from west Texas to Los Angeles. |
| 1948 |
U.S. had 251,330 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines in place. |
| 1949 |
Britain's Labour Government nationalizes the gas industry; 12 Area Boards established under the Gas Council. |
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