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Oil Coverage
If your bowling ball weighs 12 pounds, it is going to create a force of 1500 pounds per
square inch when it hits the floor. That is quite a hit! To protect the boards of the lane
and to reduce friction and provide better tracking for the ball, the boards are conditioned
with oil.
The American Bowling Congress (ABC) has ruled that no sanctioned event of bowling
can have less than 3 units of oil across the width of the lane. The FIQ rules that a
minimum of 5 units of oil must be applied across the boards.
The oil used:
During the very early years when bowling became a popular sport, Shellac was the oil
used, which was applied uniformly along the full length of the lane. Post World War II
saw the advent of lacquer oil; this too was applied full length of the lane.
By the 1960s, a urethane-based conditioner was used over the entire length of the lane.
However, the ball picked up the oil and took it right up to the automatic pinsetting
machine. The machine subsequently developed problems. The limited dressing tactic
was then resorted to, which allowed the final few feet of the lane (the back end) to be
free of oil
The back end - when free of oil - creates friction between the lane surface and the ball.
This allows for a bigger angle of entry of the ball into the pocket to carry a strike.
Oil, usually mineral oil, can be applied in different amounts and in different patterns.

Equal oil: This is the simplest pattern when oil is applied uniformly and in equal
measure across the boards. Oil is applied evenly across the entire lane, from the
foul line to the back end. This is a difficult playing condition as there is no margin
for the error of inaccurate shots.

Heavy Blend: Here too, oil is applied across the lane. But there is a heavier
concentration of oil in the middle. This is a difficult playing condition, but
favorable for well-executed shots.

Sport Bowling: The condition approved by the ABC is a 2:1 blend from gutter to
middle of the lane. When this standard is adhered to the oil pattern is called
suitable for sport bowling. This lane makes it difficult to attain high scores.
- 13 2004, HowToBowlStrikes.com