Description
1918 second edition. Linen hardcover has some wear. Pages are clean.
This 1918 second edition of Henry P. Westcott’s “Hand Book of Casinghead Gas” is a fascinating artifact from the early days of the American oil industry. Published just a few years after the start of World War I, this technical manual provided crucial guidance on the safe and efficient extraction of natural gas from oil wells. At the time, this “casinghead gas” was often vented or flared off as an unwanted byproduct. Westcott’s work helped establish best practices for capturing and utilizing this valuable resource. The linen hardcover binding, though worn, is a humble reminder of the book’s utilitarian origins as a field guide for roughneck engineers and drillers. Yet the book’s clean interior pages reveal an unexpected dignity, hinting at the industry’s growing professionalism and commitment to science-based methods. For collectors, this edition offers a window into the pioneering days of America’s pivotal oil and gas sector. Readers will appreciate Westcott’s no-nonsense prose as an early example of technical writing from this era.
