Report issued by the Bureau of Mines covering petroleum laws of the U.S. and surrounding oil producing countries. As stated in the preface, "this bulletin includes the petroleum laws of (1) United States; (2) the several oil-producing States; (3) Canada; (4) Mexico; (5) the Republics of Central and South America" (p. iv).

From Introduction: "The report discusses some of the fundamental factors governing oil production, taking up first the conditions affecting the amount of oil in the oil sand, then those factors that control the rate of production of oil wells, and then discusses several related problems, most of which deal particularly with the effect of the production of one well on that of another."

From Introduction: "This paper aims to show the general method of procedure in studying underground conditions in producing oil fields and how such study may not only correct but even prevent great unnecessary losses. Throughout the paper reference is made to oil wells and oil fields, but to a certain degree many of the suggestions relating to oil wells are applicable in the care and protection of gas wells and in solving gas problems."

From introduction: "As it necessary to begin with a historical review of the literature, such a review is given as Part I of this report, and a bibliography is included as Part IV. References to the numbered items in this bibliography are made throughout the text, the usual footnote reference being omitted. Analyses of the products and conclusions as their purity are given under the descriptions of methods of preparation. A table showing the properties amorphous metal, and another showing the properties of the coherent metal, will be found under appropriate headings in Part II."

From Introduction: "This bulletin is the fourth in the series of petroleum bibliographies being published by the Bureau of Mines, the preceding, Bulletins 149, 165, and 180, being complications for the years 1915, 1916, and 1917, respectively. In this bulletin the same general plan has been followed in arranging the references, but a few changes and additions have been made in classification, the more important changes being in the classes "Geology and Origin" and "Refining and Refineries." During the year German periodicals were not available, and as in the bibliography for 1917, references to articles in foreign journals that were not available have been taken from other sources and credit given to those sources."