Practicability of Fabricating Wood Oil Derricks in Retail Lurnber Yard Demonstrated

and Engineering Exposition, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, March 17 to 23. The 28,000 feet of lumber used to ,constru,ct the derrick was cut to detail in several Los Angeles yards and cost figures derived to enable quoting on the completely cut derrick hereafter.

The L26-foot derrick was designed by engineers of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association and conforms to the A. P. L specifications for wood oil derri,cks. The design was developed to meet the needs for heavy duty deep drilling requirements and allows for a safe load of 7_56,A010 pounds using a Common Stru,ctural grade of Douglas fir. It is constructed to withstand a 7o-mile wind and is in every respect a stronger type of derrick than steel or wood derricks now generally used in the field.

In discussing fabricated wood oil derricks, J. C. McCune, Southern California trade extension representative of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association, states:

"Grade marked Douglas fir was also featured in the derrick displayed at the oil exposition as a means of assuring oil engineers that safe loads calculated on the basis of a certain grade may be safely applied when lumber grade marked to the grade specified is purchased.

"\Mith the combined efiorts of the lumber dealers interested in the oil business and the West Coast Lumbermen's Association and the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, the merits of all wood oil derricks will be fullv presented to the oil industry. Accurate figures indicate that the fabricated wood-type can be erected for 50 per cent of the cost of steel stru,ctures. It has a far lower maintenance cost and with additional strength feature, it is both an economic and practical superior to the steel derrick. Fire hazard is minimized by the introduction of an all con'crete sub-floor and a sprinkler system. fn case of a well fire, the wood derri,ck affords fire fighters greater accessibility, as steel towers buckle and warp over the hole, becoming dangerous to approach because of the heated steel members."

L. P. Keith, field engineer; Jason C. McCune, on California trade extension, and A. A. Kayser, California grades supervisor of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association were in charge of the derrick exhibit.