Photographs of refineries, flow charts, lab notebooks, and other materials relating to the Burton-Humphreys oil cracking process.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical/Historical note:
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.
Provenance:
Donated by Amoco Oil Company to the National Museum of American History's (then called the National Museum of History and Technology) Department of Arts and Manufactures, Division of Manufactures and Heavy Industries in 1963.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
