UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. C. Mendenhall, Director

Bulletin 899-B

GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE AND OCCURRENCE OF

GAS IN PART OF SOUTHWESTERN

NEW YORK

PART 2. SUBSURFACE STRUCTURE

IN PART OF SOUTHWESTERN NEW YORK

AND MODE OF OCCURRENCE OF GAS

IN THE MEDINA GROUP

BY

G. B. RICHARDSON

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1941

For sale by ibe Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. ....... Price 30 cents
NOTE

The Geological Survey in 1934, 1935, and 1936 studied the geologic structure 

and the occurrence of natural gas in the Oriskany and Medina sandstones in a large 

part of southwestern New York. The geologists have prepared separate reports 

on the areas for which they were responsible. However, as these areas are 

adjacent and form a real unit both geographically and geologically, the two reports 

are issued as parts of a single bulletin. No edition of the consolidated volume 

will be published, but the two parts may be bound together if desired.
Page

Abstract _________________________________________________________ 69

Introduction______________________________________________________ 69

Stratigraphy._______--________-_____.._-_-__-_-__-_______-_________ 70

Key beds._-__-_-_______-____-___--------__-__-__-____________ 72

Convergence of strata--____-_____..-------------_---_---__-.----- 73

Thickness of stratified rocks in the vicinity of Olean. ______________ 73

Structure. -_---__-_---___-____- __-.-_--_----_------____-_-_--__-_. 74

Gas in the Medina group._.____._________-_--_-_____-_-____._______ 75

Relation of gas to structure.____________________________________ 75

Relation of gas to lithology___-_---.-_------------__-_-_-_-.-_-__ 75

Well records.__.__________-________J_--___-________________-__.____ 79

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

PLATE 5. Map of southwestern New York showing location of wells___._.. 72

6. Map showing isopach lines that represent intervals between the 

top of the Medina group and the top of the Onondaga limestone 

and between the top of the Onondaga limestone and the top of 

the Tully limestone-____________________________________ 72

7. Map showing by contour lines drawn on the top of the Onondaga 

limestone the subsurface structure in part of southwestern 

New York, approximate outlines of principal gas-producing 

areas, and location of selected wells.___-__-_---___-_-__-__ 76

8. Map showing structure contour lines drawn on the top of the 

Medina group and location of selected gas wells and. dry holes 

in part of Erie County._________--_--___---_----__.______ 7&

in

GEOLOGIC STRUCTUBE AND OCCUEBENCE OF GAS IN 

PART OF SOUTHWE8TEBN NEW YOBK

PART 2. SUBSURFACE STRUCTURE IN PART OF SOUTHWESTERN NEW YORK AND MODE OF OCCURRENCE OF 

GAS IN THE MEDINA GROUP

By G. B. RICHARDSON

ABSTRACT

Based on the records of several hundred deep wells, contour maps have been 

prepared showing the monoclinal structure of part of western New York, and 

isopach lines have been drawn showing the westward convergence of the rocks. 

The mode of occurrence of natural gas in the Medina group is briefly discussed. 

The location of the gas fields has not been determined by structural traps, but 

rather stratigraphy and lithology are the controlling factors in trapping the gas, 

which occurs in porous lenses and streaks of sandstone sealed within impermeable 

beds. This mode of occurrences of the Medina gas makes the search for new 

fields in western New York more hazardous than in most natural gas regions. 

As structure has not formed traps for the gas there is no surface guide to favorable 

sites for testing, and new fields are found by haphazard drilling. It would be 

helpful, however, when wells are sunk, to study the lithology of the gas-bearing 

zone by an examination of the drill cuttings and core samples of the sand and to 

have electrical logs made of the wells to obtain measurements of permeability 

and porosity. Such tests may indicate the direction of greatest porosity in which 

the sand is more likely to contain gas.

INTRODUCTION

The records of several hundred deep wells were obtained in 1934 in 

connection with an investigation by the Geological Survey to determine the geologic structure in the general region of the Oriskany gas 

fields of south-central New York. 1 This investigation was financed 

with funds, provided by the Federal Emergency Administration of 

Public Works. The well records were supplemented in 1935 by logs 

of selected wells that had been sunk in search of gas in the Medina 

fields in the western part of the State. With this information as a 

basis the accompanying maps (pis. 5-8) have been prepared showing 

the subsurface structure in part of western New York, the convergence

' Bradley, W. H., and Pepper, J. F., Structure and gas possibilities of the Oriskany sandstone in Steuben, 

Yates, and parts of the adjacent counties, New York: U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 899-A, pp. 1-68,1938.

69
70 OCCURRENCE OF GAS IJST THE MEDINA GROUP

of the strata, and the relation of the occurrence of natural gas to 

geologic structure in part of Erie County.

The logs of the wells were obtained from many sources. For 

courteously supplying records and other information the writer is 

under obligation to the following organizations and individuals:

Belmont Quadrangle Drilling Corporation, F. M. Brewster and J. 

A. Thompson; Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc., C. D. Whorton; Empire Gas 

& Fuel Co., G. Holbrook and C. T. Major; Finance Oil & Gas Co., 

Thomas Mills; Iroquois Gas Co., L. A. Brown and A. M. Nicholson; 

Keystone Gas Co., H. A. Wallace; Lycoming Producing Corporation, 

J. F. Robinson, U. F. Boyer, and F. H. Finn; New York State Museum 

and State Geological Survey, C. C. Adams, R. Ruedemann, D. H. 

Newland, and C. A. Hartnagel; New York State Oil Producers Association, N. Sullivan; North Penn Gas Co., J. Gaddess; Pavilion Natural 

Gas Co.; Penn-York Natural Gas Co., J. Reeves, H. E. Boyd, and N. 

C. Davies; Republic Light, Heat & Power Co., S. B. Severson and 

G. M. Merrill; Rochester Gas & Electric Co., A. M. Beebe and L. H. 

East; Solvay Process Co., R. H. Perkins and W. C. Phalen; Torrey, 

Fralich & Simmons, C. E. Fralich, A. C. Simmons, and W. H. Young; 

University of Rochester, H. L. Ailing; and G. H. Chadwick, of Catskill, F. L. Dougherty, of Dunkirk, H. H. Cranston, of Fredonia, and 

S. T. Lockwood, of Buffalo.

STRATIGRAPHY

The generalized stratigraphic sequence in central and western 

New York is shown in the accompanying section, after Newland 

and Hartnagel and Goldring, of the State Museum. 2 The section 

shows the stratigraphic position of the principal gas-producing zones

and of the key beds reported in the driller's logs of wells. The stratigraphic nomenclature used in the present report follows that given in

the section and also follows current usage in the gas fields of western

New York. The Medina group as thus used is assigned entirely to 

the Silurian. The strata here designated Oswego and Queenston in 

the lower part of the group have been correlated with formations elsewhere that are assigned an Ordovician age in other reports of the 

Federal Geological Survey.

2 Newland, D. H., and Hartnagel, C. A., Review of the natural gas and petroleum developments in New 

York State: New York State Mus. Bull. 295, pp. 106-107,1932. Goldring, Winifred, Handbook of paleontology for beginners and amateurs; Part 2, The formations: New York State Museum Handbook 10, pp. 

190-191,1931.
STRATIGRAPHY 71

Generalized geologic section in central and western New York 

[Chiefly after D. H. Newland, C. A. Hartnagel, and Winifred Goldring]

System or series

Pennsylvanian.

per Devonian.

Silurian.

Ordovician.

Cambrian.

Pre-Cambrinn.

Group or formation

Olean.

Unconformity.

Knapp.

Oswayo.

Cattaraugus.

Chemung,

Portage.

Oeneseo.

Tully.

Hamilton.

Onondaga.

Oriskany.

Unconformity.

Salina.

Niagara.

Clinton.

Medina.

Lorraine, or "Hudson 

River," and Utica.

Trenton.

Tribes Hill and Little 

Falls.

Potsdam.

Description

Coarse conglomerate with well-rounded pebbles mostly of vein quartz. Texture changes 

rapidly both horizontally and vertically into 

coarse white sandstone.

Absence of Mauch Chunk and associated 

formations.

Conglomerate and interbedded shale.

Fossiliferous olive-green and rust-colored 

limonitic shales. Two-foot bed of very 

fossiliferous limestone near base. Probably 

small unconformity between Oswayo and 

Cattaraugus. A few thin beds of sandstone.

Bright-red shales with interbedded green or 

bluish shales and fine-grained micaceous 

sandstones. Local beds of conglomerate 

characterize the formation. At base is Wolf 

Creek conglomerate. Conglomerates of 

Cattaraugus beds have flat or discoidal 

pebbles, some of jasper, distinguishing them 

from Olean.

Gray, olive, and bluish shales, some dark 

purple or chocolate color. Many thin beds 

of argillaceous sandstone. Lower half of 

Chemung contains the oil-producing sands 

of the State.

Sandstone, flags, and black carbonaceous 

shales. Has gas-bearing strata.

Black shale.

Gray limestone.

Blue, gray, and olive shales. Basal portion, 

Marcellus black shale, which is gas-bearing.

A heavy bedded limestone, the "flint" of the 

drillers. Gas-bearing.

Sandstone. Gas-bearing in Schuyler, Yates, 

Steuben, and Allegany Counties.

Absence of Helderbergian formations.

A series of water limes, gypseous shales, beds 

of anhydrite and gypsum, rock salt. Red 

shales at base. Upper portion of series gas 

bearing.

Heavy bedded dolomites, Lockport and 

Guelph. Rochester shale at base is of 

Clinton age but usually logged with Niagara. 

Gas in Seneca and Ontario Counties.

Limestones, shales, with thin bed of hematite.

Upper 150 feet white and red sandstones 

(Albion) . Most prolific gas horizon in State. 

Main mass red shale (Queenston); white 

Oswego sandstone at base.

A series of alternating beds of sandstones and 

shales. At base is Utica black shale.

Alternating dark limestones and shales. Productive in Onondaga, Oswego, Oneida, and 

Lewis Counties. Many large gas pockets.

Heavy bedded limestones. Also known as the 

"Calciferous" formation. Basal beds in part 

belong to the Cambrian, the boundary being 

indefinite.

A sandstone where present directly overlying the pre-Cambrian. Reported in a few 

deep wells in western New York. Gas in 

one or two wells in central New York.

Reported in several wells in western and 

central New York.

Thickness 

(feet)

' 60-70

60-105

160-250

300-350

1,200-1,500

1, 200-1, 400

25-50

0-30

600-700

60-130

0-20

700-800

200

30-150

1 , 100-1, 200

500-600

700-900

100-140

10-50
72 OCCURRENCE OF GAS IN THE MEDINA GROUP

KEY BEDS

The logs of wells as reported by the drillers in general show only a 

few readily recognizable or key beds. (See list of wells, pp. 79-91.) 

One of the most useful of these beds for determining the stratigraphy 

and structure is the Onondaga limestone, of Middle Devonian age, 

which is widely distributed and readily recognized by well drillers. It 

immediately underlies the black Marcellus shale and overlies the 

Oriskany sandstone where that is present. The Onondaga is a massive 

gray cherty linestone ranging from less than 50 to more than 150 feet 

in thickness and is reported as ''flint'' by the drillers. It crops out, 

commonly forming an escarpment, from Lake Erie in the vicinity of 

Buffalo to the Hudson Valley hi the vicinity of Albany and extends 

southward into Pennsylvania. In New York the Onondaga is a 

persistent limestone, though locally it is somewhat shaly in its upper 

part.

The Oriskany sandstone lying at the base of the Devonian system 

in western New York was deposited in irregular thickness in a sea 

transgressing the eroded surface of an old land mass. It locally disappears, yet it is apparently more continuous as a sheet deposit than 

the lenticular beds of sandstone that constitute some of the oil and gas 

reservoirs of Upper Devonian age. The type locality of the Oriskany 

is at Oriskany Falls, Oneida County, N. Y., where it is a light-gray 

fossiliferous coarse-grained quartz sandstone about 20 feet thick. 

The Oriskany sandstone is of economic importance because of the 

occurrence in it of large quantities of natural gas. The structure and 

gas possibilities of the Oriskany in a part of the State are discussed by 

Bradley and Pepper in part 1 of this bulletin. 3 Numerous well records 

show the occurrence of the Oriskany sandstone in central New York. 

The approximate northwestern limit of its occurrence underground, 

as indicated by the records of wells drilled before 1936, is shown on 

plate 5.

Another important key bed is the Tully limestone, lying at the base 

of the Upper Devonian series, between the overlying Genesee black 

shale and dark shale in the uppermost part of the Hamilton group. 

It apparently does not underlie so large an area as the Onondaga 

limestone, but recent drilling shows that it has a greater extent than 

was formerly realized. The Tully limestone crops out in the Finger 

Lake region of central New York and extends into Pennsylvania, 

where its outcrop has recently been observed in the central part of 

the State.4 In New York the Tully is a massive gray limestone as 

much as 30 feet thick.

The key horizon that serves as a marker for the gas-bearing beds 

of Medina age (see p. 71) is designated by drillers as the "top of the

3 Bradley, W. H., and Pepper, J. F., op. cit.

* Willard, Bradford, A Tully limestone outcrop in Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Acad. Sci. Proc., vol. 

8, pp. 57-62, 1934.
GEOLOGICAL STTRVEY

BULLETIN 899 PLATE 5

77'

76'

ORLEANS

C A - T T -A R

MAP OF SOLTTHWESTERN JNTEW YORK SHOWING LOCATION OF WELLS.

218427 40 (Face p. 72)
79° 78°

MAP SHOWING ISOPACH LINES THAT REPRESENT INTERVALS BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE MEDINA GROUP AND THE 

TOP OF THE ONONDAGA LIMESTONE (SHOWN BY SOLID LINES) AND BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE ONONDAGA LIMESTONE AND THE TOP OF THE TULLY LIMESTONE (SHOWN BY BROKEN LINES).

Location of outcrop of top of Medina group and outcrop of Onondaga and Tully limestones from Geologic map of New York by New York State Museum.
CONVERGENCE OF STRATA 73

Red Medina," This marks the change from gray shale in the lower 

part of beds of Clinton age to an underlying bed of sandstone that 

despite the drillers' term "Red Medina," is not everywhere red. In 

places this sandstone beneath the Clinton is the so-called Gray band 

or Thorold sandstone, which averages only about 5 feet in thickness. 

The age of the Gray band, whether Clinton or Medina, is doubtful, 

though the New York State Museum 5 now includes it in the Clinton. 

The Gray band seems to be locally absent where shale in the Clinton 

is reported to lie directly on red sandstone at the top of the Albion 

sandstone of the Medina group.

CONVERGENCE OP STRATA

Measurement of the stratigraphic intervals between the key beds 

reported in the records of the wells shows clearly the convergence of 

the strata. The rocks constitute a great wedge of sediments that 

decrease in thickness from east to west. The intervals between the 

top of .the Medina group and the top of the Onondaga limestone and 

s between the tops of the Onondaga and Tully limestones are shown by 

inopach lines on plate 6.

The Onondaga-Tully interval decreases from 1,700 feet in the vicin- 

'. y of Owego, Tioga County, to 500 feet in the vicinity of Portville, 

Cattaraugus County, at the rate of about 13 feet per mile. The 

Onondaga-Medina interval decreases from 2,500 feet in the vicinity 

of Ludlowville, Tompkins County, to 1,400 feet in the vicinity of 

Livonia, Livingston County, at the rate of about 22 feet per mile, 

and from more than 1,500 feet in eastern AUegany County to less 

than 1,000 feet in western Erie County, at the rate of about 11 feet 

per mile. These isopach lines are based on scattered measurements 

and are necessarily generalized.

Relatively few measurements have been published showing the 

.convergence in the beds above the Tully limestone, but an indication 

of conditions is afforded by rough measurements at two places of the 

interval between the Onondaga limestone and the Dunkirk shale, a 

formation in the Upper Devonian series. Near Dunkirk, Chautauqua 

County, that interval as shown by well records is about 800 feet, and 

in the vicinity of Woodhull, Steuben County, where the Dunkirk 

shale has become the Dunkirk sandstone, the interval between the 

base of the Dunkirk and the Onondaga limestone in a deep well, 

Steuben County No. 22, is about 4,000 feet, indicating a convergence 

of about 3,200 feet in a distance of a little more than 100 miles.

THICKNESS OF STRATIFIED ROCKS IN THE VICINITY OF CLEAN

One of the results of the recent deep drilling has been to permit a 

closer estimate than heretofore has been possible of the thickness of 

the rocks between the Olean conglomerate member of the Pottsville

5 Goldring, Winifred, op. cit., p. 321. 

218427 40 2
74 . OCCURRENCE OF GAS IN THE MEDINA GROUP

formation, of Pennsylvania!! age, and rocks of pre-Cambrian age. 

The well on the Quinlan farm located 5 miles south of Olean (Cattaraugus County well No. 2, p. 80), drilled in 1933, was started about 

600 feet below the Olean conglomerate and reached the top of the 

Onondaga limestone at a depth of 4,188 feet. At this location the 

isopach lines show an interval of about 1,450 feet between the top 

of the Onondaga limestone and the top of the Medina group (pi. 6) 

and, assuming that the Medina-pre-Cambrian interval is at least as 

much as that at Rochester 2,847 feet (Monroe County well No. 

2), a thickness of about 9,085 feet between the Olean conglomerate 

and the pre-Cambrian rocks in the vicinity of Olean is indicated.

STRUCTURE

That part of New York State lying south of Lake Ontario and west 

of the escarpment of the Catskill Mountains is in the northern part 

of the Appalachian synclinorium. This trough lies between the 

Allegheny Front and the Cincinnati arch and at the northeast rises 

On the flank of the Adirondack dome. Northwestward from the 

Allegheny Front, which marks the western border of the zone of 

closely folded rocks of the Appalachian province, the folds decrease 

in steepness and gradually fade away in irregular wrinkles. Locally 

the rocks are faulted. Farther northwestward the beds form a monoclinal slope on the flank of the Cincinnati arch, and north of Lake 

Ontario the strata rise to the Laurentian Shield.

In western New York on the northwestern flank of the Appalachian synclinorium, where the structure is monoclinal, the well records 

(pp. 79-91) are sufficiently numerous for structure contours to be 

drawn on the top of the Onondaga limestone at intervals of 100 feet, 

as shown on plate 7. These show that the strata dip east of south 

at an average rate of 40 to 50 feet to the mile. The Onondaga limestone along its outcrop in the western part of the State ranges in 

altitude from 600 to 800 feet above sea level, and the contours show 

the area in which the dip carries the limestone down to a depth of 

700 feet below sea level. Records of a few wells show that farther 

south the Onondaga limestone lies as much as 1,700 feet beloAV sea 

level in Chatauqua County and 3,400 feet below sea level in Broome 

County. These depths are due in part to folding and in part to the

eastward thickening of the strata.

Structure contours drawn at intervals of 500 feet on the top of the 

Medina, gi-oup ana on tiie top of tiie Trenton limestone in central

and western New York toye recently been published by Hartnagel.6

In part of Erie County these Medina contours have been supplemented 

by the structure contours drawn at intervals of 50 feet on the top of 

the Medina group, as shown on plate 8. This map, which also shows

« Hartnagel, C. A., The Medina and the Trenton of western New York: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull. 22, pp. 79-99, ]938.
RELATION OF GAS TO STRUCTURE 75

the location of selected gas wells and dry holes, is based on data 

courteously supplied by L. A. Brown and A. M. Nicholson, of the 

Iroquois Gas Co., and by other companies. In the area where 

these contours have been drawn the structure is distinctly mono- 

'clinal. In places there is some irregularity in the trend and spacing 

of the contours, but there is no suggestion of closure.

GAS IN THE MEDINA GROUP

Natural gas occurs in New York in rocks of the Devonian, Silurian, 

and Ordovician systems, but the principal source for many years 

has been the Albion sandstone of lower Silurian age, the uppermost 

formation of the Medina group. The Medina gas occurs in several 

fields, chiefly in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, and Wyoming Counties, in wells of small capacity but long life. The gas 

fields have been discussed in publications by Bishop, Newland, and 

Hartnagel.7

The present writer in 1935 obtained a few facts concerning the 

mode of occurrence of the Medina gas that are here summarized. -

RELATION OF GAS TO STRUCTURE

The Medina gas fields of western New York are localized on a 

monocline (see plate 7). The structure of a relatively small area of 

the gas-bearing rocks in part of Erie County is shown in more detail 

on plate 8, on which structure contours are drawn on the top of the 

Medina group at intervals of 50 feet. Selected gas wells and dry holes 

are also shown. It is evident from the maps, which do not indicate 

any closure, that structure has not determined the localization of the 

natural gas, although presumably the monocline was effective in 

facilitating the migration of gas up the rise of the strata until it 

became trapped.

The monoclinal structure of the rocks in the Medina gas fields is in 

marked contrast to the structure in the Oriskany gas fields in southcentral New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. In those fields 

the gas occurs on structural highs along the axes of anticlines, the 

structure serving as a trap for the gas.8 In the Medina gas fields, 

on the contrary, the gas traps are porous lenses or streaks sealed by 

nonpermeable parts of the reservoir rock (pp. 77-78).

The Medina group crops out in a belt about 10 miles wide south ol 

Lake Ontario, and the Albion sandstone, at the top of the group, is well

7 Bishop, I. P., Report on petroleum and natural gas in western New York: New York State Geologist 

Ann. Kept. 17, pp. 9-63, 1899. Newland, D. H., The mineral resources of the State of New York: New 

York State Mus. Bulls. 223-224, pp. 165-197, 1921. Newland, D. H., and Hartnagel, C. A., Review of the 

natural gas and petroleum developments in New York State: New York State Mus. Bull. 295, pp. 101,182, 

1932: Recent natural gas developments in New York State: New York State Mus. Bull. 305, pp. 97-161, 

1936. Harrnagel, C. A., The Medina and the .Trenton of western New York: Am. Assoc. Petroleum 

Geologists Bull. 22, pp. 79-99, 1938.

 Bradley, W. H., and Pepper, J. F., op. cit.
76 OCCURRENCE OF GAS IN THE MEDINA GROUP

exposed in the gorge of the Niagara River. Dipping southward, in 

conformity with the regional structure, the Medina group extends 

underground far beyond the state boundary, and in southern Allegany 

County the gas sand lies more than 4,000 feet below sea level.

The Albion sandstone forms a sandy zone lying in the midst of a 

mass of shale. It is overlain by the Clinton formation and is underlain by the Queenston shale (see p. 71). The Albion sandstone consists of lenticular beds of red, gray, and white sandstone and niterbedded red and gray shale somewhat more than 100 feet in 

thickness. The Whirlpool sandstone member, at the base of the 

formation, is the principal reservoir of natural gas. Although the 

Albion sandstone has been penetrated by many hundred drill holes 

put down in search of gas, very few detailed sections have been 

recorded. The' following measurements are the most complete.

Section of Albion sandstone, Niagara Gorge 9

Clinton formation:

Shale, gray.

Albion sandstone: Feet 

Sandstone, gray (Thorold sandstone member)_______________________ 5

Sandstone, red and gray, cross-bedded_____________________________ 6

Sandstone, red, thin-bedded, and shale____.________________________ 20

Sandstone, gray, thick-bedded.__________________________________ 4

Shale, reddish, and thin-bedded sandstone __________________________ 18

Sandstone, gray, thin-bedded___________-____________-____________ 5

Shale, blue-gray argillaceous or sandy-_________-______--______-____ 19

Sandstone, white, cross-bedded (Whirlpool sandstone member)-------- 22

99

Queenston shale: 

Shale, red.

Section of Albion sandstone in a core drill hole at the Sterling salt mine, Cuylerville,

Livingston County 10

Clinton formation: 

Shale, gray.

Albion sandstone: Feet 

Sandstone, gray-___-------------------------------_----------- 6. 8

Sandstone and shale, gray, green, and red________________________ 4. 8

Shale, red and green______.____-_-___----____ ____----_------- 19. 7

Sandstone, shaly, red, brown, and gray-green _____________________ 32. 0

Shale, sandy, red, brown, and gray-green_...._.- _..........,. i $

Sandstone, white to brown_______-___-__________-__--.______-_ 5. 9

Shale, red, brown, and green____________________________________ 3. 5

Sandstone, white to brownish___--------_-___-_------_--___----- 2. 8

Not recorded_______________________________________________ 1. 0

Sandstone, brown, red, green, and white. _______.-______--_____--_ 8. 7

Sandstone, coarse, brown_______________________________________ 10. 3

100. 3

Queenston shale: 

Shale, red.

«Kindle. E. M., and Taylor, F. B., U. S. Geol. Survey, Geol. Atlas, Niagara folio (No. 190), p. 6,1913. 

1° Courtesy of International Salt Co.
GEOLOGICAL StTRV:

BULLETIN 899 PLATE 7

j .^WYOMING CO.

East Aurora

________ WYOMING CO.

CATTARAUGUS~ CO. ALLEGANYl

CO.

EXPLANATION

Structure contou

on top of Onpnciaga limestone

Contour interval IOO feet 

Datum is mean sea /eve/

Approximate outline of 

gas-producing area

Location of well 

Number refers 

to list in text

MAP SHOWING BY CONTOUR LINES DRAWN ON THE TOP OF THE ONONDAGA LIMESTONE THE SUBSURFACE STRUCTURE IN PART OF SOUTHWESTERN NEW YORE, APPROXIMATE OUTLINE OF PRINCIPAL GAS-PRODUCING AREAS, 

AND LOCATION OF SELECTED WELLS.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

79°

BULLETIN 899 PLATE 8

7845 78°30

GENESEE CO.

WYOMING CO.

EXPLANATION 

-9

Structure contours drawn

on top of Me'dina'group

Contour interval 50 feet

Datum is mean sea /eve/

78 3O

1 O

i l i i l i

5 Miles

MAP SHOWING STRUCTURE CONTOUR LINES DRAWN ON THE TOP OF THE MEDINA GROUP AND LOCATION OE SELECTED

GAS WELLS AND DRY HOLES IN PART OE ERIE COUNTY.

Based on data from the Iroquois Gas Co. and other gas companies.

218-127 (Face p. 76) No.2
77

In the logs of wells as reported by drillers the Albion sandstone is 

subdivided into the White Medina sandstone (the Whirlpool sandstone member) at the base, the Red Medina sandstone and shale at 

the top, and an intervening shale "break." The following measurements selected at random from well drillers' records indicate the 

lenticularity and varying thicknesses of the subdivisions of the Albion 

sandstone in Erie County. The shale "break" and the White Medina 

locally disappear.

Measurements showing lenticidarity of Albion sandstone in Erie County 

[Thickness, in feet, as reported by well drillers]

 Albion sandstone: 

Red Medina sandstone 

and shale, at top..... 

Shale "break"... ......

White Medina sandA

80 

18

an

B

84 

15

1?

C

98

n

n

D

80in

an

E

120

n

n

F

81 

14

aa

G

83 

9

18

H

90 

3

13

I

84ia

an

j

85afi

ai

K

82 

7

afi

L

65 

7

aa

M

100

n

n

N

85 

1ft

8

0

97

n

n

p

85 

11

an

Q

81 

14

an

R

81in

an

s

72 

10

10

T

98

a

14

U

80

n

n

The White Medina, or Whirlpool, sandstone member of the Albion 

sandstone is indurated and fine-grained and is composed almost 

entirely of semirounded and subangular quartz grains of variable 

size, the maximum measured being less than 0.5 millimeter in diameter and the smallest less than 0.05 millimeter. A very subordinate amount of mica is present. The cement is chiefly secondary 

quartz, but locally it contains some calcite. The porosity and permeability of the sandstone are characteristically variable. The 

Albion sandstone as a whole, is generally reported to yield little or no 

water, but in places salt water is present in small quantity.

Natural gas occurs at various horizons in the Albion sandstone, 

chiefly in the White Medina but also in places in the overlying Red 

Medina. There is locally a tendency toward a linear distribution of 

the gas reservoirs somewhat north of east, possibly parallel to the old 

shore line of the sea in which the sand grains were distributed and 

sorted.

Gas occurs irregularly in parts of the sandstone that are sufficiently 

porous to serve as a reservoir and is absent where the sandstone is 

practically impermeable or "tight" as described by well drillers. 

The presence of gas is characteristically erratic, dry holes being surrounded by gas wells and vice versa. The irregular distribution of 

the gas is shown also by new wells in which the gas is under relatively 

high pressure, adjacent to old wells in which the pressure has been 

much reduced. The gas-bearing rocks are not continuously permeable 

beds; if they were the gas would migrate up the slope of the monocline 

and escape along the outcrop. The reservoirs are in effect lenses and 

irregular streaks of porous sandstone enclosed by impermeable rock. 

Lenses of sandstone are traps for gas in places where the sandstone
78 OCCURRENCE OF GAS I2ST THE MEDINA GROUP

merges into shale. Traps for gas in beds of the Albion sandstone 

are caused also by the deposition of secondary quartz upon the original 

quartz grains so as to enclose porous lenses within the cemented, 

impermeable rock. Moreover, the distribution and relative abundance of the coarser and finer grains of which the sandstone is composed have locally formed traps. This is shown by the physical tests 

of samples of the White Medina sandstone tabulated below.

Two samples of the White Medina sandstone, shot from wells in 

Erie County, were tested by P. G. Nutting, of the United States 

Geological Survey with the results here shown. Sample A 

represents an unproductive sand in a dry hole and Sample B represents the pay streak in a commercial gas well. The differences in 

porosity and sand-grain distribution are striking. Fine grains, less 

than 0.052 millimeter in diameter, constitute more than 15 percent 

of the barren sand whose low porosity, less than 2 percent, is due to 

the abundance of the finest material, which is enough to prevent the 

occurrence of considerable voids in the rock; on the other hand the 

fines in the sample that represents a reservoir of natural gas are so 

few that voids remain unfilled and the porosity is more than 10 percent.

Physical tests of two samples of the Whirlpool sandstone member, (White Medina) 

of the Albion sandstone shot from wells in Erie County

Grain-size distribution

Mesh

270-200...... .-..-.-..- ------------

200-150...... ...... __._ _ 

150-100.. -...-..-----_.-----....-.--.. .

65-48. :.. .------- -------......----

48-35 _.-- - -IOn 35.. .--_... ------.--.--------.,---_

Size 

(millimeters)

Less than 0.052..................................

0.052-0.074.......... ............................

0.074-0. 104...... .. .......... .-......-.. ..

0.104-0. 147...... ................................

0.147-0.208.. --_.._...________._...____. ._.__.]

0. 208-0. 295..... ..... .............. .,... ..

0. 295-0. 417_. ........ ......... .... . .. .

More than 0. 417.... ........ ... __ . ....

Percent

0*'.' 

A

15.59 

3.38 

7.18 

12.05 

*r37. 35 

20.15 

4.30

6-3 S !/-'« /)

B

7.98 

4.73 

MJ22.95 

22.82 

19. 19 

9.43 

8.62 

4.26

A. Unproductive sand, porosity 1.909 percent. B. Reservoir sand, porosity 10.45 percent.

This mode of occurrence of the Medina gas makes the search for 

new fields in western New York more hazardous than in most naturalgas regions. As structure has not formed traps for the gas there is

no surface guide to favorable sites for testing, and new fields are

found by Haphazard drilling. It -would be helpful, however, wheil

wells are sunk, to study the lithology of the gas-bearing zone by an

examination of the drill cuttings and core samples of the sand, and to

.have electrical logs 11 made of the wells to obtain measurements of

permeability and porosity. Such tests may indicate the directions of 

greatest porosity, in which the sand is more likely to contain gas.

11 Gillingham, W. J., Electrical logging in the Appalachian fields: Pennsylvania State College Bull . Mineral Industries Experiment Station No. 21, pp. 30-52, 1937.
WELL RECORDS

Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or 

[Locations shown on plate 5] 

Allegany County

No. on 

pi. 5

1 

1A 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

- 25 

26 

27 

28 

. 29 

30 

31 

 32 

. 33

Town

.....do..... . .

Belfast.... __ .. _ .- _ -_

..... do.... ....... . .-...-.-.

.....do... .......................

do

.....do..........................

..... do..- ..................... -_

.....do.. ........................

Wirt._... ...................

.....do.........................

.... .do.... ......................

.....do.....,..... ............

.....do.. .. ......................

-__._do-. ----__-. -;.__.__

Alfred.........;.................

Willing-.........-.----.........

..--.do..........................

Alien. .................. ......_-

Willing..-..-...-..-...-..-.-..

-....do.... .. ....-..--........---

-....do---.....-.-----.-....-.-..

Willing........................

Farm

Buell. ......... .................

Clark.---...---.-- ............

Gilbert...........................

Clark..... ........

Black-.-......- ............

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(feet)

l, 525 

1,447 

1,200 

1,725 

1,350 

1,630 

1,654 

1,627 

1,644 

1,595 

1,638 

],655 

1,860 

2,140 

2,071 

2,130 

1,917 

2,101 

1,260 

2,250 

. 2. 074 

2,288 

1,778 

1,634 

1,556 

1,685 

1.915 

2,006 

2,091 

1,954 

1,970 

1,706 

1,855

Depth (fee

Tully limestone

2,808 

2,740 

2,340

2,316 

2,358 

2,279 

2, 325 

2, 349 

3,852 

4,114 

3,990 

4,063 

3, 791 (?) 

4,005

3,707 

4, 211 (?) 

4,302 

3,470 

2,641 

2,592 

2, 325

4,114 

4,150 

3,S91 

4,000 

3,842 

4,041

Onondaga 

limestone

2, 456 . 

2,380 

2,245 

3,287 

3,250 

2, 856 

2,905 

2,830 

2,864 

2,780 

2,859 

2, 855 

4,347 

4,620 

4,538 

4.650 

4,300 

4,514 

2,650(?

4,320 

4,803 

4,991 

4,025 

3,119 

3,070 

2,814 

3,006

4,704 

4,720 

4.582 

4,580

4,627

For records of wells in Wayne-Dundee, State-Line, and Greenwood gas fields see U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 899
Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or deepe

Broome County

No. on 

pi. 5

1

Town

Vestal __ . _. . - 

Farm

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(feet)

844

Depth (fee

Tully limestone

Onondaga 

limestone

4,260

Cattaraugus County

2

5

6

7

g

10

12

10

14

15

17

1ft

10

23

94.

25

26

2S

29

30

31

32

33

34

.....do ..

_._..do__ ----

.....do. __ . -..

....-do. ....------ .---

..---do - --------- ..._-

Perrvst)tt3"£

Otto _ __ . 

-....do . - --

.--.-do.- . - . --

----do_. .......................

-..--do.. __._ .__._......-__.

Hale.-, . .... . ..

Grfielev

Weils... ....... . .... ... ..

Scott..-.. . ..

KB^IV

Fog .__ 

Riche.- .,._._ 

Retzel. ___ ..-. . .. 

Jolls..-- _ .. 

1,625

1,686

1,942

960

1,202

977

1,560

1,227

1,407

1 764

864

1,355

1,100

1,340

1,877

1,150

1,382

1, 805

1,135

1,641

1,361

1,240

1, 998

1,520

1,199

1,389

1,399

1, 126

1,372

1,324

3,743

3,830(?)

2,912

4,188

3,790

1,535

1,774

1,505

2,158

1,842

2,119

3,390

1,209

2, 330

1,645

1,920

4,260

1,820

2,123

2,710

1,710

2,584

1,958

1,760

3,120

2,397

1,930

2,135

2,150

1,982

2,116

2,126
Caynga County

1 824 17 1,01

Chautauqua County

1

la

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

. 37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

. .do - .. ............ -

.....do ...................... ..

.....do..........................

-...-do ........................

---.do.... .......................

... ..do. ......................

..... do.... .......................

.....do... ...... ..................

.. do.......... .................

-.--.do................. ..........

...... do .... ... .. ..............

.....do .......................

.....do...........................

-. do... ............ ............

.. do .......................

.. do. . .. .. .. ...... .

. .do.... .................... ...

.....do. ............. .........

- do... .... ................... .

.....do ................ ......

..... do .. ........ ......... ....

..... do..... . ................... ..

.....do ........................

... ..do.... .- ...__...___.....-

Stockton _ __ __ ___

Sheridan ___________ ...

Weiss.. ----... __ ................

Phillips. ....... .................. .

Wood-. .................... ....

Parsel!-- . ......................

Thiess... ---..... .............

BaUy... ..........................

St. Columbans. _ ................

Bently...... ......................

Smith... ..........................

Ubel---- -..-.--..... ...........

Taylor.......... ______.____.._..-

Smith... ..........................

Mirth....... ................. .....

Merritt-... ...... .- ........_.-.

1,325

1,244

1,310

1,665

1,720

1,420

880

1,120

1,080

880

850

1,080

1,620

1,130

720

780

1,922

1,925

780

1,925

640

1,530

580

600

590

650

760

828

737

800

625

590

600

770

740

805

695

677

706

1,232

1,320

610

785

2,77

2,99

1,98

2,24

2,3

1,97

1,17

1,50

1,40

1,16

1,12

1.40

2,08

1,65

9

1,09

1,06

1,2

1.15

1,50

1.0

2,6

7

7

6

8

1,00

1, 1

9

1,07

8

7

7

1,0

9

1,0

8

8

8

1,7

1,9

8

1,0
Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or deep

Chautauqua County Continued

No. on 

pi. 5

45 

46 

47 

48 

49 

50 

51 

53 

55 

56 

57 

59 

60 

61

Town

... .do - -- -- .

 __do 

____do... --- - -------

.. _do -- -----

--_ -do.. ----------- -- 

Westfleld

Farm

Ball...--..-.---- --. --------

Heath... ..........................

Ball ------- - -----

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(feet)

660 

778 

1,240 

1,075 

1,240 

1,726 

1,550 

1,413 

1,312 

1,327 

1,120 

1,220 

1,682 

660

Depth (

Tully limestone

Ononda

limesto

8

1,0

1,5

1,5

1,6

2,2

2,0

1,8

1,5

1,7

2,8

1,1

Chemung County

1 

2 

3

4 

5

Catlin - ----------- -- "Willis ..........................

1,336 

911 

1,071 

1,230

778

1,890 

2, 150 

1,560 

1,990 

2,220

3,1

3,2

2,8

3,0

3,7

Cortland County

1

0

1,174 1,044 2,4

Erie County

2 

3 

4 

5

do - .

- .do. - 

720 

730 

780 

780

3

3

5

4
6

 789

10

11

12

13

14

16

Ifi

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

.52

53

54

55

56

57

- do-. . .

Hamburg. _____________

East Hamburg ________ ..

Aurora... _ __- __ _ . _ ...

-....do...........................

-...do.. - 

 ..do..........................

 .do .

Golden........ ...............

.....do ......................

---..do...... .....................

Wales.............. -. .. ....

- do...... .....................

 .. do - _ 

.....do-.. ..................

-...do... ... ...............

Holland 

 do... .............

 ..do ...... ...............

 ..do . ..... ........

 do .... . .........

 .do... .............

 do . .

... ..do ...

- do...... _ ._ _ Concord... .....................

Golden _____ _ _ .........

 do-.... .....................

Concord. ___ _________

. .do ...... ...............

.....do. ...... .... ... .......

.....do... . .... ...... ... .

.. do .

Eden. ______________

 do .

 do .

 do ......

 do... .... .... ...

 do .

Collins _ . ____________ .

North Collins 

 do... .......

-...do -- - ...... ....

 -do... ... 

... ..do .... ......

 do... .... .... . .... ... ...

.....do-. ... ...... .. -

825

660

940

880

970

1,310

1,195

1,240

1,382

1,543

1,440

935

1,425

1,131

1,405

1,133

1,261

1,486

982

1,103

1,252

1,112

1,651

1,726

1,330

1,607

1,244

1,141

1,610

1,020

1,071

1,199

1,340

1,459

1,407

820

977

836

974

1,065

1,418

1,267

1,431

1,440

1,542

1,213

1,178

1,313

1,262

822

866

911

578

325

772

801

810

1,272

1,148

1,196

1,432

1,530

1,456

885

1,010

1 9Q9

1,061

1,257

1,497

975

1,169

1,284

1,820

1,453

1,638

1,275

1,663

1,180

1,267

1,460

1,748

1,850

1,866

650

1,050

940

1,174

1,314

1,679

1,595

1,757

1,925

1,935

1,512

1,364

1,520

1,509

1,071

1,051

1.215
Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or deep

Erie County Continued

pi. 5

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

Town

North Collins _ ..__ . _ ._

--_..do. -.- --------------

--.--do------. -------

-_-__do. --- -----

tion. 

Collins.-. - ...... ___ - _ -.

-____do... -'- -.

.....do . - -

._ ..do... _ _ - __..

._. -do _ _ -__-

----.do.----. ----------

Elma.-. .. _ ..... _ ......

-__- -do... ......... ...-.....

- .-do..-- _ -_- ....

-_--.do. --_._. - ---..

__...do.... _ ...... . ... .

...do...... .--_.

.do.... _ --__.

Collins _ ...... ___ ...

--..do.-----. ............

..do.---.. --.

_-do.-. ----.. ...........

._-do-..-.... .... ... .-.-_

.-..do........ ---__

Wales.... .__ -.-.-

.-do--... .---.

..-do---.. . ...-....

. do--.-... -.-..

Marilla..-..- .. _

Farm

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(fee.)

819

1,115

1,147

935

1,307

650

827

893

1,107

920

860

790

823

875

772

750

740

692

590

658

706

607

666

766

740

1,300

816

1,040

1,295

1,054

1,330

1,045

991

1,082

1,447

1,361

1,082

1,450

1,082

Tally limestone

Depth (f

Onondag

limeston

1,18

1,42

1,28

1,77

<M

1,22

1,30

57

47

33

49

60

2

1

5

5

5

5

76

94

8

1,80

1,32

1,58

1,91

1, 57

1 R

1,60

89

1 04

1,38

1,5

1,67

1,99

8
97

98

99

inn

im

in?

ins

KM

ins

infi

107

ins

in9

iin

111

11?

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

i?n

121

1??

ra

124

1?,5

1?,R

.....do..........- ......

 do.. 

.....do.. . .- . 

.....do.- .

 do.. 

 do.. ...

 do. 

 do-. 

.... .do. 

 do--- 

..... do.- 

 do.- 

 ..do-. ... .

_ do.. 

 do.. 

 do- 

 do.. 

 .do-- 

 do. . 

 -do.- 

.... .do.. .... .... . .. ..

White ... ___ -.-.- __ -.---...

1,108

1,076

750

715

820

785

760

1,420

1,240

789

815

838

855

655

620

585

765

620

620

590

590

590

585

580

575

575

580

1,410

790

835

802

777

575

585

720

821

795

1,516

1,363

1,172

1,215

1,160

1,190

740

790

700

962

890

762

2,04

1,337

1,34

Genesee County

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

 do 

 do . 

 .do 

 -do... 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

 do 

. do ... 

Darien. -.--.. _ ....-.-..-. .....

Cook 

Elliott--.. ... . . ____ .. 

Mffligan... . 

Tillotson.. ___ . ____ ... __ ...

Hunt.. .... ____ . _ .

Edzold __ . 

1,090

940

1,065

1,105

1,050

1,130

1,030

953

970

960

Qtn

875

918

1,110

910

920

889

870

. 594

425

520

457

555

410

238

240

242

33

150

560

232

236

100

106
Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or deeper 

Genesee County Continued

No. on 

pi. 5

19 

20 

22 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28

Town

..do... .......... . ......._...

. ..do..-..........-- ... , 

"..do..... --.....-_ -......- ..

..do.... ._--. _- -.. --_-

-.do..... ........ ........ ..

Farm

Edzold.. _ .._._ _-_. -....--...

.....do. _... 

Chick.. . ..... .. ..... . .....

Hunt. -_-_ .._ -_. 

Christner. .--.-....... . . .....

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(feet)

860 

860 

1,100 

960 

1, 110 

1,110 

1,080

1,060

Depth (feet

Tully limestone

Onondaga 

limestone

106 

80 

546 

253 

.545 

570 

530 

448

Lmngston County

3

4

5

8

9

10

 12

13

14

16

.. ..do...... - .----- -

York-..,....---...- - ........ .

.....do............. - ..... .

_ ..do.. ...._. ........ .

....-do...... ---..... ........ .

_ ..do.... ._ .._ ... .... . .

York................ . . ___

-.-..do.....------ . - .... i

610

568

732

714

568

618

824

1,008

1,082

945

574

735

1,140

564

614

900

960

600

470

443

403

180

26

508

705

866

1,608

670

1,720

265

460

Monroe County

1

3

4

Riga........ --...-.. ..........

.....do ....-------.-.- ---.--..-.

Reber __ ...

 -do...-.... ....... 

685'

506

542

560
5 

6 

7 

8 

... .9

 -do _. 

 do... 

 -do...... 

. do.... 

.-..do..... ............ .......

-.-.do ----------------------

Giglio---- ---------------

Keck., .,, --- .-

540 

545 

555 

565 

555

Onondaga County

1

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8

Tully.. ................ ....... ..

 do 

... ..do.... :.. .. . ..........

----do...........................

.....do _. . . 

901 

814 

854 

774 

739 

620 

1,013 

920

718 

607 

695 

528 

445 

244 

335

Ontario County

2

3

4

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

' 19-

20

- 21

22

23

24

25

26

Bristol- --.. --... ......

Kichmohd _ 

WestBloomfield _ . _ ._ __ ..

 do.. 

Bristol . .. . . .

 .do ... 

 do.. 

Victor 

West Bloomfleld-..-. .-.-.- ....

Richmond - 

West Blooiufield - .---... ..

 do----.--..--------.-..

 -do-. .. -

.- do--..--. ... .... ... ...-.-

Phelps . . .. . .

 do- 

.---do.-..-.--. ...... 

West Bloomfield ________

East Bloomfleld.--. _____ ...

 doBristol... _ - . _.

Paul __- - - -_-_.

MitchelL. ---.-.... ------------

 do-_ . - 

Paul. 

1,297

920

890

895

902

910

959

703

663

880

880

820

780

865

800

800

520

995

1,104

900

890

ooc

900

820

18

450

1,077

610

575

525

582

640

41

500

530

A A K

400

AKf)

504

1,180

505

470
Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or dee

Schuyler County

No. on 

pi. 5

1 

2 

3 

3a 

3b 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20

Town

.. ..do. .. ........._

____.do -.- ...... 

- ..do -..... _

Dix.~ - - 

- ..do. ........... ..........

. ..do ..... 

. . _.do .... .... 

. ..do. ........... ...... _

. ..do .- . 

Farm

EngleNo. l. r . ....................

"Webb . ~

Phelps.-.- _________ --.

Bill. 

Best No. 2._._ 

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(feet)

1,849 

1,666 

763 

1,565 

841 

1,230 

1,170 

1,679 

1,596 

685 

1,868 

1,734 

987 

1,381 

874 

1, 221 

1,248 

1,277 

1,506 

1,238 

1,472

Depth (fe

Tully limestone

1,969 

1,890(7) 

524 

1,177 

594 

959 

958 

1,647 

1,385

1,852 

1,320(?) 

950 

1,208 

740 

840 

862 

863 

1,051 

900 

1, 215

Onondag

limestone

3,008 

2,820 

1,486 

2,337 

1, 516 (

1,959 

2,030 

2,820 

2,342 

1,468 

2,945 

2,516 

2,380 

2,248 

1.70K

1,698 

1,732 

1,725 

1,963 

],880 

2,385

Seneca County

6

7

--_..do - ........ -.. .-._

Tyre

..__..do .- 

Ovid--. - - ....- ._

489

444

402

407

436

898 251 1,13
Stenben County

1

2 

3 

4 

4a 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

12a 

13 

13a 

14 

14a 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19

20

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29

Urbana... ........ ..............

Wheeler __ ___ ... _ __ ..

. _ .do,... ____ ...... ___ .

Bath.......... ..... ... .....

Campbell ____________

Erwin.. . .

Caton ___ ....

Jasper ...........................

Greenwood

- do...... .......... ......

.....do................. ..........

.....do......

. .do...... .... .... . ....

 ..do........................... 

.....do...........................

...-do.... . .....

Bradford .

Thurston. .. .. ....

..... do.................... ......

Howard

Woodhull... ....................

Rathbone .

.. do..................... .....

Rathbone

Thurston.... __________

Abbot.... . .... 

Wood............ ___ .. _ ... ...

Clark.............................

White........ ...... ...............

Lilly..............................

Webber...........................

Coston No. 2 __ .. ___ __ __ ..

Wood..... . .. ...

White. ................. . ..-

Talbot-... __ ........... ___ .

Fenner-Taft. _____ '.. _____

982 

1,394 

1,345 

1,837 

1,082 

1,046 

1,624 

1,552 

1,889 

1,545 

1,619 

2,222 

1,791 

2,016 

2,079 

2,299 

2,234 

2,284 

738 

1,680 

1,195 

2,006 

2,071

1, 872

1,210 

1,500 

1,664 

1,267 

1,360 

1,537 

1, 052 

895 

1,331

1,473 

1,740 

1,364 

2,155 

1,910 

2,020 

2,865 

3,692 

3,415 

3,270(?) 

3,453 

4,021 

3,554 

3,816 

3,880 

4,057 

4,243 

4,043 

1,131 

2, 395 

1,944 

2,664 

2,713

2,965(?)

1,047 

3, 198 (?) 

3,3JK) 

2,448 

2,490 

2,600 

1,941 

547 

2,525

2,257 

2,470 

2,100 

2,874 

2,679 

2,910 

3,790 

4,706 

4,098 

3,938 

4,083 

4,676 

4,203 

4,496 

4,514 

4,715 

4,911 

4,698 

1,937 

3,336 

2,862 

3,278 

3,317

3,475

1,824 

4,046(

4,200 

3,245 

3,304 

3,687 

2,968 

1,473 

3,363

Tioga County

1 Owego _______ .- ........... 925 2,260(?) 3,976(
Records of selected wells drilled to the Onondaga limestone or deepe

Tompkins County

No. on 

pi. 5

1 

2 

3 

4

Town

-...-do--------..--...- -- .

Farm

Approximate altitude above 

sea level 

(feet)

410 

850 

400 

396

Depth (fe

Tully limestone

195 

365 

440

Onondaga 

limestone

936 

1,425 

1,555 

1,694

Wyoming County

1

2

3

4

5

G

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

. 14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

. -do---. -. ---------- -.

 ..do--- . ------

-..-do- - .-_- ---------

 do--- --- - ----

 ..do-- ------------ .-

 ..do- . .- - ------.

.....do- .-_- .-_ _ -.

- ..do -_ .

do.

..... do- -- _---_

--...do--........--.-....-....

do _...

Pike..--. - .-. ..

.....do -.. - __.._ _.

1,740

1,665

1, 500

1,860

1,500

946

992

983

1,099

1,098

1,600

1 390

1,580

1,148

979

1,315

1,483

1,248

1 049

1,490

1 600

1,820

1,125

1,324

1,990

2,144

2, 130

2,500

1,828

630

 555

555

673

770

935

956

2, 152

2,250

1,733

1,339

1,253

1,355

989

1,275

1,404

1,150

968

2,061

1,952

1,821

1,551

2, 447(?

1,028

1, 230
31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

.....do--.-.--. ----------

Perry. ........... ......... ... ...

Oainesville __ _ - .- 

Castile.-. _____ _____ ....

Attica-- 

Bennington.. ...................

.....do. .........................

..... do--- 

 .do- 

... ..do-- -- - 

 .do. 

 do- 

 .do- 

 do--.. ....... 

Attica 

Oainesville _ . _ ...-.-- _ --...

Attica.. __ .. _ ....

 ..do 

Attica __ ----- _ _ ..

1,329

1,360

1.306

1,390

1,160

1,178

1,145

989

1,240

1,130

1,770

1,310

1,310

1,180

1,040

1,315

1,462

1,450

695

800

885

1,025

788

515

801

2,066

880

875

819

710

Yates County

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

lla

12

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Starkey _____ _ ......

.... .do... _ - . 

_ do... .......................

MUo. . . -- -

.----do--.....-..-.--..-.........

. .do...................... ...

.---do--.....-. .......... ....

.. do..........................

Barrington _ . 

..-.do-..... ....... ...... ....

 -do 

... -.do.. ..---. .......

. .do.-. .... .... . 

.... .do-. . .. ....... ....

 .do.-.. 

Jerusalem..-..-. ___ __..

Starkey ________ . _____ .

Jerusalem... __ .-.-----.. .....

 ..do 

Starkey..... ....... __ ..

Barrington.----.--.. __ . ..

- do . 

WarH

Bellis.. . . 

PPVPH

Millard- ,.1-

P.ussell- ...

Hall... .... .. .. ----

Kipp.. . ....... ----

Smith. 

Weldy.- 

1,125

1,260

819

838

1 333

1,244

1,081

1,381

1,478

1,338

1.676

983

888

1,366

1,477

776

808

887

303

O/lQ/'?^

702

736

632

496

880

852

1,212

930

1,012

1.375(?)

625

1,100

I, HO

1,102

900

1,187

1,637

1,664

1,738

1,093

1,005

1,512

1,545

1,433

1.298

1,646

1.701

2, 055

1,821

1.907

1,217

1,360

1,985

958

1,971

1,818

1.852

2,044
'«, ,*' 
INDEX

Page

Abstract 69

Acknowledgments for aid..... 70

Albion sandstone, character and distribution

of.. :. - 75-78

gas in.......-.-......--.._..-.--_.s--.-- 75,77-78

sections of..._... I'...... 76

Allegany County, records of wells in 79

Broome County, records of wells in.

Cattaraugus County, gas in... 75

records of wells in.. 80

Cayuga County, records of wells in. 81

Chautauqua County, gas in. ... 75

records of wells in...... . . 81-82

Chemung County, records of wells in. _ . 82 

Convergence of the strata_... ........ 73, pi. 6

Cortland County, records of wells in ... 82 

Cuylerville, section at.. 76

Devonian rocks, gas in... ---------- 75

Dunkirk shale, convergence of Onondaga limestone and.. . 73

Erie County, gas in_ 75 

gas wells and dry holes in, location of. pi. 8 

records of wells in.- -__ .. -- 82-85

Federal Emoreoncy Administration of Public

Works, allotment of funds by.... 69

Gas, occurrence of_____. ___ 71,72,75,76,77 

relation of occurrence of, to lithology.__ 75-78 

relation of occurrence of, to structure. 76, pis. 7-8

Gas-producing areas, outline of............... pi. 7

Qenesee County, gas in.________...... 75

records of wells in..... _____._.__ 85-86

Gray band, age and thickness of_______ 73

Key beds, convergence of__________ 73, pi. 6 

features of ____________. ____ 72-73

Lithology, relation of, to occurrence of gas.... 75-78

Livingston County, records of wells in___ 86

section'in_....__________... 76

Medina and Oriskany gas fields, structure of,

comparison of-. ________.. 75

Medina group, age of.........._....._... 70,71

convergence of Onondaga limestone and. 73, pi. 6 

depth to....______._________ 79-91

distribution of..__________.___ 75-76 

gas in...............................__. 75-78

key horizon for gas-bearing beds in__. 72-73

Monroe County, records of wells in_____ 86-87

Niagara gorge, section in.

Page

Olean, thickness of rocks in vicinity of..___ 73-74 

Onondaga County, records of wells in. 87 

Onondaga limestone, character and distribution of..'_________.___. 72 

convergence of Dunkirk shale and.. __ - 73 

convergence of Medina group and..._ 73, pi. 6 

convergence of Tully limestone and__ 73, pi. 6 

depth to. 74,79-91

range in altitude of...._...-..-...--..- 74

Ontario County, records of wells in.. 87 

Ordovician rocks, gasin...... ..--...... 75

Oriskany and Medina gas fields, structure of,

comparison of--___. 75 

Oriskany sandstone, character and distribution of-......-.....-......-.-- 72, pi. 5

depth to.. . 79-91

gasin......________.... .. 72

Oswego sandstone, age of...... 70,71

Pre-Cambrian rocks, depth to____.. __ 73-74 

Queenston shale, age of________ ___. 70,71 

Red Medina sandstone, gas in.________ 77-78

Schuyler County, records of wells in...._.. 88

Seneca County, records of wells in...... ___ 88

Silurian rocks, gas in..._.___............ 75

Sterling salt mine, section at..... _____.. 76

Steuben County, records of wells in...___ 89 

Stratigraphy of the area...__________ 70-74 

Structure, general features of..___ 74-75, pis. 7-8 

relation of, to occurrence of gas...-. 75, pis. 7-8 

Structure in Medina and Oriskany gas fields,

comparison of..__________ 75

Thorold sandstone, age and thickness of...... 73

Tioga County, records of wells in.______ 89

Tompkins County, records of wells in...__ 90

Tully limestone, character and distribution of. 72

convergence of Onondaga limestone and. 73, pi. 6

depth to.... .......................... 79-91

Wells, location of._____________ pis. 5, 7-8

records of..____________...__ 79-91 

Whirlpool sandstone member, character of_ 77

gas in.................................. 76,77-78

White Medina sandstone member, character

of. 77

gas In..................................... 77-78

Wyoming County, gas in......__.......... 76

records of wells in...._._._____ 90-91

76 Yates County, records of wells in..._._... 91

93

o
Orton Memorial Library of Geology 

180 Orton Hall, 155 S. Oval Mall 

The QJiio State Unh/ereity 

Columbus, OH 43210

y