Oil and Gas Wells Drilled 

In Southwestern Virginia 

Before 1950

By J. W. HUDDLE, ELOISE T. JACOBSEN, and A. D. WILLIAMSON

A CONTRIBUTION TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1027-L

Prepared cooperatively by the United 

States Geological Survey and the 

Division of Geology, Virginia Department of Conservation and Development

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1956
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fred A. Seaton, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office 

Washington 25, D. C. - Price 25 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

	Page 

Abstract.__ ____-_-___________-_-___--_-__----__-_--__--_------_- 501

Introduction. _____________________________________________________ 502

Purpose and location of investigation____________________________ 502

Acknowledgments. ____________________________________________ 503

Early history of exploratory drilling in southwestern Virginia.__________ 503

Early Grove gas field._________________________________________ 524

Rose Hill oil field.__-______--_____---__.__._____._______--_-_.- 525

Wise County wells___________________________________________ 526

Buchanan County wells.__________________-__L____--______-__-- 526

Dickenson County wells____________________________1__.____.- 529

Other counties tested-_____________________.___________________ 531

Method of sample examination______________________________________ 532

Definitions of lithologic terms used in this report__-_-____---__________ 533

Criteria for correlation_____________________________________________ 535

Review of stratigraphy_____________________________________________ 536

Pennsylvanian formations____________________________________ 538

Mississippian formations _______________________________________ 540

Mississippian and Upper Devonian formations____________________ 547

Devonian formations_________________________________________ 547

Silurian formations.___________________________________________ 549

Correlation of formations in the Rose Hill field, Early Grove field, and

outlying wells.._._-__-____-____-_______-__-__-___-_________. 550

Summary__ _____________________________________________________ 551

Welllogs_-___-__---_-__--_--_---__-____-__________--_-_-____.____ 552

Annotated bibliography.___________________________________________ 568

Index....._..-----..---._____________-_-_____-_--___-___.__ 573

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

FIGURE 70. Map showing locations of oil and gas fields and test wells in

southwestern Virginia and of two wells in West Virginia_ 505

71. Map of part of Buchanan County, Va., showing locations of

test wells_--.__-___________________________ 528

72. Map of part of Dickenson County, Va., showing locations of

test wells..._________.----...-.--_-.--..__. 530

TABLES

Page

TABLE 1. Data concerning wells drilled in Virginia prior to Jan. 1, 1950__ 506 

2. Stratigraphic names used in this report---_-___-_-.._-______ 537

in
-r.
A CONTRIBUTION TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

OIL AND GAS WELLS DRILLED IN SOUTHWESTERN 

VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950

By J. W. HUDDLE, ELOISE T. JACOBSEN, and A. D. WILLIAMSON

ABSTRACT

A total of about 140 oil and gas test wells have been drilled in southwestern 

Virginia. About half of these are in Lee County; the remainder are in Scott, 

Washington, Smyth, Wythe, Pulaski, Montgomery, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan, 

Tazewell, and Giles Counties.

The first exploratory well for oil or gas in southwestern Virginia was drilled in 

Wise County in the early 1890's, but commercial gas production was not established until the discovery well of the Early Grove gas field was drilled in 1931. 

In Lee County, about 11 wells were drilled between 1910 and 1942; a small amount 

of oil was produced from one of the wells in 1924. The first commercial oil in 

Virginia was discovered by the B. C. Fugate No. 1 well in Lee County, which 

opened the Rose Hill field in 1942. Production increased slowly until 1947 and 

then declined. Gas was discovered in central Buchanan County in 1948 by the 

United Producing Co., in the W. M. Ritter No. l-V-1461 well, and it was found in 

Dickenson County near Nora in the Clinchfield Coal Corp. No. 101 well. Gas is 

present in commercial quantities in sandstones and limestones of Mississippian 

age, and in black shales of Devonian age. Gas accumulation is controlled primarily by porosity and secondarily by structure. In January 1950, the 15 gas 

wells in Buchanan and Dickenson Counties were shut in, and 15 other wells were 

being drilled in the hope of proving enough reserves to justify a pipe line.

Nearly all the wells in southwestern Virginia are shallow cable-tool holes ranging 

in depth from 303 to 6,000 feet. The deepest well, the Kipps Anthracite Coal 

Co. No. 1, was drilled with rotary tools by the California Co. about 1 mile south of 

Blacksburg, Montgomery County. The well is located in the Price Mountain 

fenster near the crest of an anticline. It started in the Mississippian Price 

sandstone and was abandoned as a dry hole in the Ordovician Moccasin limestone 

at a depth of 9,340 feet.

Well samples studied for this report were examined dry under a low-power 

microscope as routine procedure, but occasionally samples were moistened so that 

such features as oolites and small fossils could be seen. Grain-size charts and 

color charts were used to standardize the descriptions of samples by different 

observers. Simple tests, such as hardness and reaction to hydrochloric acid, 

were used for determination of minerals.

The rocks encountered by the drill range in age from the Cambrian (Rome 

formation) to the Pennsylvanian (Pottsville group). Possible producing zones 

include the following formations, arranged in descending stratigraphic order:

501
502 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

the Lee formation, Princeton sandstone, Stony Gap and other sandstone members 

of the Hinton formation, Greenbrier limestone, Little Valley limestone, Price 

sandstone, Mississippian and Devonian black shales, Huntersville chert of Price 

(1929), sandstone of probable Oriskany age, Clinton formation, Clinch sandstone, 

Trenton limestone, Eggleston limestone, and Moccasin limestone.

The correlations given in the well summaries in this report and in the descriptions 

of samples that are open-filed are conjectural. The identification of a particular 

unit is probably consistent within a field, but the correlation with the outlying 

wells and the surface sections is less certain.

, Many stratigraphic and structural problems in the area remain unsolved. 

Additional subsurface studies will be helpful in providing control for stratigraphic 

and structural interpretation. Many of the sediments were deposited in or near 

deltas, and a more complete picture of the conditions of deposition is needed 

before the correlations in this area can be regarded as reasonably certain.

INTRODUCTION

Test wells for oil and gas were drilled in southwestern Virigina in 

increasing numbers during the period 1942 to 1950, following the 

discovery of the Rose Hill oil field. This increasing interest in the oil 

and gas possibilities of that area has made it desirable to gather together 

the available information on exploratory wells. About 70 wells have 

been drilled in Lee County, and about the same number have been 

drilled in Scott, Washington, Smyth, Wythe, Pulaski, Montgomery, 

Wise, Dickenson, Russell, Buchanan, and Giles Counties combined. 

The locations of fields and isolated wells are shown on figure 70 and are 

further identified in the table on page 504. More-detailed maps of 

parts of Buchanan and Dickenson Counties, figures 71 and 72, show 

the location of wells in these counties, including the location of individual wells within fields.

This report was prepared by the United States Geological Survey 

hi cooperation with the Division of Geology, Virginia Department of 

Conservation and Development. It is an outgrowth of the cooperative work on oil and gas possibilities of southwestern Virginia that 

resulted in reports by Butts (1927a), Averitt (1941), Miller and Fuller 

(1944, 1947, and 1954), Wilpolt and Marden (1949), and Miller and 

Brosg6 (1950 and 1954). This report is the direct continuation of the

work of Wilpolt and Marden on the upper Mississippian stratigraphy

of southwestern Virginia.

The report consists of the history and status of gas and oil fields,

method of sample examination, evaluation of sample correlations, a

section giving well summaries of 34 wells, and an annotated bibliography of oil and gas exploration and possibilities in southwestern

Virginia.
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 503

Wells known to have been drilled in southwestern Virginia before 

1950 are listed in table 1 of this report. The table gives some information about each well and gives a reference to additional information or 

source of information. Detailed descriptions of samples from 27 wells 

in southwestern Virginia have been open-filed in offices of the U. S. 

Geological Survey 'in Washington, D. C., the Kentucky Geological 

Survey at Lexington, Ky., and the Virginia Geological Survey at 

Charlottesville, Va., all of which are available for inspection by the 

public. These descriptions include most of the wells for which we 

have been able to obtain samples.

A few of the field wells have been omitted from the present report 

because the samples were incomplete or because they were not pertinent. Special effort was made to obtain samples from all the isolated 

exploratory wells, but the samples from some of these wells had been 

lost or were not available.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -

This report was made possible by the cooperation of the companies 

and indivuduals who permitted the authors to study the samples from 

their wells and to publish the results of the study. Samples were 

released for study by the following companies and individuals: The 

California Co., New Orleans, La.; Clinchfield Coal Co., Dante, Va.; 

Philip Jenkins, Paintsville, Ky.; Pipe Line Construction & Drilling 

Co., Pikeville, Ky.; Dr. Adam Stacy, Pineville, Ky.; United Fuel Gas 

Co., Charleston, W. Va.; United Producing Co., Charleston, W. Va.; 

and Virginia Coal & Iron Corp, Big Stone Gap, Va. We are indebted 

to the following individuals for help in locating samples and for 

providing us with stratigraphic data concerning the wells: Robert 

Effinger, E. D. Dobrick, Ralph Wilpolt, Byron Finch, Byron Maxwell, 

Robert Wolfe, Cramon Stanton, D. W. Marden, W. Rogers Moore, 

W. T. Harnsberger, and E. B. Wood. The Kentucky Geological 

Survey helped considerably by cutting many of the samples for us. 

B. N. Cooper, R. L. Miller, and R. H. Wilpolt served as guides on field 

conferences in southwestern Virginia. Helen Duncan and Jean 

Berdan determined fossils from several wells. Samples were examined 

by W. A. Heck, D. W. Marden, M. B. McFarlan, O. A. Sams, Jean 

Sherman, P. T. Stafford, R. H. Wilpolt, and the authors.

EARLY HISTORY OF EXPLORATORY DRILLING IN 

SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA

The history of exploration in southwest Virginia was summarized 

by Stanton (1949) and Cooper (1949). The present account draws 

heavily from their articles. The wells are listed in table 1 by county.
504 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Well 

no. on 

fig. 70

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

Name of well

Grant Smith No. 1_________________

O. Cavins No. l_____________l______.

Mill Davis No. 1____________.

Candy Cawood No. !_______________.

E. C. H. Rosenbaum No. !__________.

Anthony Ely No. !_._________.

C. Phipps No. 1_____________. 

D. C. McClure No. !.._______...

M. H. Snodgrass No. !___________.

Osborne No. 1_____________________

George Gish No. !_-________________.

Hagan No. 1________________________

Hagan No. 2__________________.

Hagan No. 3________________.

Isaac Kaufman No. !_______________.

Truman No. 1 (272)________________.

Arch Rose No. 105___._________.

Clinchfield Coal No. 102____.___. 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co. No. 2-1466 

Hugh McRae No. 6431_________. 

Ben Ratliff No. l.____________.

W. H. Matney No. 1. 

A. L. Powers No. 1__

F. H. Curtis No. 1-A...______._.__..

F. H. Curtis No. 2-A__..._.__..____.

R. A. Looney No. 1-1659____.__-. 

National Shawmut Bank of Boston No.

5810 

National Shawmut Bank of Boston No.

1-851

National Shawmut Bank of Boston No. 

1-6416

Mathieson Alkali.___________________

J. M. Hoge No. 1_____________.

Newberry No. l.-__________ .

Cloyd Mountain, Pulaski County well..

Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 -____.

F. B. Strader No. !_________________

A. W. Hicks No. 6478__________. 

New River Pocahontas Coal Co. No. 

6219

Operator

H. and R. Oil Co.

K. R. Wilson Co.

Oliver Jenkins and others.

Southwestern Oil & Gas Co.

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Do.

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Do.

United Producing Co. 

United Fuel Gas Co. 

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United Producing Co. 

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United Fuel Gas Co.

Thomas D. Cabot. 

United Fuel Gas Co.

Mathieson Alkali Corp. 

United Producing Co.

L Groskins and others.

California Co.

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United Fuel .Gas Co.

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OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 505

358667 56 2
506 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

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Dickenson County

Clintwood,

Nora field

Clintwood,

Nora field

Clintwood,

Nora field

Clintwood

Clintwood

Clintwood

Clinchfield Coal Corp. No.

101, Clinchfield Coal Corp.

J. C. Rasnick No. 103,

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

-

E. C. Smith No. 104,

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

Arch Rose No. 105,

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

G. W. C. Smith No. 106,

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

David Colley No. 107, ;

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

 : -. : I i "~

1,520.5

Ground

1,504.3

Ground

1,524.14

Ground

1,431.3

Ground

1,525.3

Ground .

1,517.4

Ground

4,551

3,910

4,033

5,364

5,754 .

5,804

464 mcf/d

(initial) ;

1,632

mcf/d %

(total,

after acid)

143 mcf/d

(initial) ;

666 mcf/d

(settled)

1,555

mcf/d

18.26

mcf/d

(initial) ;

442 mcf/d

(settled)

10.53 i

mcf/d

(initial) ;

539 mcf/d

(settled)

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358667 56-
TABLE 1. Data concerning wells drilled in Virginia prior to J

Quadrangle 

and field

Name of well and owner

Elevation 

(feet)

Total 

depth 

(feet)

Initial 

open 

flow

P

Lee County Continued

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

B. C. Fugate No. 2, 

R. Y. Walker

B. C. Fugate No. 2B, 

Rouge Oil Co.

B. C. Fugate No. 3, 

Virginia Lee Oils Co., Inc.

H. and R. Oil Co. No. 1 B. C. 

Fugate, H. and R. Oil Co.

Fugate Estate No. 1, 

Rouge Oil Co.

Fugate Estate No. 2, 

Rouge Oil Co.

Fugate Estate No. 3, 

Rouge Oil Co.

Fugate Estate No. 4, 

Rouge Oil Co.

1,512

1,468

1,451

1,420

1,534

1,469

1,494

1,499

2,003

1,908

1,773

1,494

1,610

1,235

1,320

1,957

3# bbls 

per day

Oil well

15 bbls 

per day

Oil well

Oil well

Oil well

Tre

l

Tr

l

To

M

l

Tre

l

Tre

l

Tr

l
Colman Gap, 

 -Rose-Hill -

Colman Gap, 

-Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

 Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Colman Gap, 

Rose Hill

Ewing, 

Rose Hill

Fugate Estate No. B2,

Rouge Oil-Co. --- --

Fugate Estate No. B3, 

Rouge Oil Co. -

W. T. Jenkins No. 1, 

Rouge Oil Co.

Bob Lemons No. 1

Bob Lemons No. 2

Bob Lemons No. 3

Stacey Nelson 

Rouge Oil Co.

Henly Button

C. Yeary-G. W. Fugate 

Estate No. 1, H. and R. 

Oil Co.

Myrtle Campbell No. 1, 

Rouge Oil Co. ~- - - -

1,529

1,555

1,725

1,438 

Ground

1,466

1,531

1,538

1,502

1,769

.2;037

210±

3,261

1^222

1,590

1,540

2,707

1,320?

Oil well

On well

3/4 bbls 

per day 

pumped

7 bbls 

per day

Oil well

5 bbls 

per day

Tren

Tren

- -lim

Moc

lim

Tren

lim

(lo

Tren

lim

'

.__

. . 
TABLE 1. Data concerning wells drilled in Virginia prior to Jan

Quadrangle 

and field

Name of well and owner

Elevation 

(feet)

Total 

depth 

(feet)

Initial 

open 

flow

Pr

h

Lee County Continued

Ewing, 

Rose Hill

Ewing, 

Rose Hill

Ewing, 

Rose Hill

Ewing, 

Rose Hill

Ewing, 

Rose Hill

Ewing 

Rose Hill

Hubbard 

Springs

J. W. Campbell, 

Rouge Oil Co.

J. N. Chadwell No. 1, 

Rouge Oil Co.

C. Marcum No. 1, 

A. & R. Oil Co.

Logan Snodgrass, 

Rouge Oil Co.

George S. Yeary

Glen Yeary No. 1, 

Dunnigan and Malloy

D. G. McClure No. 1

1,691

1,614

1,350

1,165?

2,015

1,838

1,832

3,034

2,023

3,300?

Oil well 

(no gas)

10 bbls 

per day

Oil well

Tren

lim

Tren

lim

(ba

Tren

and 

Eg

lim
Hubbard 

Springs

Hubbard 

Springs

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill 

quadrangle

Rose Hill 

quadrangleRose Hill 

quadrangle

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

C. Phipps No. 1

M. H. Snodgrass No. 1

Abney Heirs No. 1, Stacy 

and Cardwell

Sarah Abney

Jack Asher

R. L. Bales 

Rouge Oil Co.

Lucy Beatty

Candy Cawood No. 1

Mill Davis No. 1

Anthony Ely No. 1

C. H. Frye No. 1, 

Stacy and Cardwell

1,585

1,280

1,410

1,348

1,710±

1,620

1,330

1,520 

Ground

1,902}$

1,706

900

1,867

150 ±

4,406

2,532

1,694

Oil well

Oil well

60 bbls per 

day

-

Tre

li

Tre

li
518 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

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Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

 Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

- Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Rose Hill, 

Rose Hill

Gilbert Lee No. 3

Gilbert Lee No. 4, v 

American Trading & Producing Co.

Lee Marcum No. 1

M. E. McCurry No. 1, 

Rouge Oil Co.

Lon Montgomery

H. B. Nolan, 

Rouge Oil Co.

J. R. Osborn, 

Rouge Oil Co.

Owens No. 1, 

Fred Shaner, and others

Prichard, Mountain 

Empire Co.

Jim Ray No. 1, 

Rouge Oil Co.

1,420

2,318

1,455

1,370

1,460

1,869

2,108

2,400?

2,373

2,325

467?

Oil well

50 bbls 

per day

75 bbls 

per day 

after acid

35 bbls. 

per day

Trent

lim
520 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

3

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Scott and Washington Counties

Brumley, 

w Early Grove

01

05

2J Mendota, 

1, Early Grove

O5

| Mendota 

*" Early Grove

Mendota, 

Early Grove

Mendota, 

Early Grove

Mendota, 

Early Grove

Mendota, 

Early Grove

Mendota, 

Early Grove

Mendota, 

Early Grove

Wallace, 

Early Grove

John M. Arnold, Victor Behm

Bailey Barker, Holston Oil 

& Gas Co.

G. W. Fleenor, Bristol 

Natural Gas Co.

C. B. and J. H. Hunsucker, 

Bristol Natural Gas Co.

H. A. Miller No. 8, Bristol 

Natural Gas Co.

Earl S. Ridgeway No. 1, 

Bristol Natural Gas Co.

E. D. Smith, Bristol 

Natural Gas Co.

J. R. Smith Heirs No. 1, 

Bristol Natural Gas Co.

Margaret Sproles, Bristol 

Natural Gas Co.

W. E. Leonard, Holston Oil 

& Gas Co.

1,510.9

1,506.5

1,461.35

1,459.1

1,561.3

1,578.9

3,500- 

4,000

2,500±

3,854

3,721

5,862

3,613

3,435

5,650

4,103

2,600±

75 mcf/d

200 mcf/d

30 mcf/d

1,750 

mcf/d

1,500 

mcf/d

1,000 

mcf/d

Litt

li

Litt

li

Dev

s

Litt

li

Litt

li
5221 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

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Other coanties

Giles County, 

Pearisburg 

quad.

Montgomery 

County, 

Blacksburg

Pulaski 

County

Rockingham 

County, 

Woodstock 

quad.

Russell 

County, 

Bucu

Smyth 

County

Tazewell 

County, 

Burkes 

Garden

Wythe 

County, Max. 

Meadows

F. B. Strader No. 1, The 

California Co.

Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. 

No. 1, The California Co.

Well at foot of Cloyd 

Mountain

C. L. Souder No. 1, Eastern 

States Gas Co.

Truman No. 1 (272), PennOhio Gas Co.

Mathieson Alkali, 

Mathieson Alkali Corp.

J. M. Hoge No. 1, United 

Producing Co.

Newberry No. 1, I. Groskins 

and others

2,483.10 

Ground

1,460 

Ground 

(barometer)

2,050 

Ground

3,052.4 

Ground

2,000 ±

1,450

9,340

2,992

6,006

5,632

1,295 ±

100 mcf/d -
524 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

The earliest "wildcat" well in southwestern Virginia was drilled in 

the early 1890's on the G. W. Gish, Nettle Patch farm on Clear Creek, 

about 2 miles south of Ramsey in Wise County. The total depth was 

about 2,150 feet; a slight show of gas was obtained at 626 feet, probably 

in the Bluestone formation. Gas seeping from this well can be ignited, 

and the well is locally known as The Burning Well (Eby, 1923a, p. 

581-582; Stanton, 1949, p. 430). According to Cooper (1949, p. 29), 

a well was drilled in 1910 in Possum Hollow near the Rose Hill field; 

however, this well was not listed by Miller and Fuller (1947). About 

1910, a well was drilled near the base of Cloyd Mountain a few miles 

north of Pulaski, and an artesian flow of sulfur weter was obtained 

(Cooper, 1949, p. 29). A water well drilled about 1911 in Wassum 

Valley near Marion in Smyth County showed traces of oil and gas 

at a shallow depth (Cooper, 1949, p. 29). The earliest exploratory 

well in the Rose Hill and Jomesville areas, recorded by Miller and 

Brosge1 (1950) is the D. C. McClure well, located about 4 miles west 

of Jonesville, which was completed in 1915.

EARLY GROVE GAS FIELD

The Early Grove gas field in Washington and Scott Counties just 

north of the Tennessee line yielded the first commercial production 

of gas hi the Commonwealth of Virginia. This field was described by 

Averitt (1941). The discovery well was drilled in 1931 by Davis 

Elkins and Associates to a total depth of 3,613 feet. Initial production of 1,750,000 cu ft per day was obtained from a sand lens in the 

Mississippian Little Valley limestone. Eleven wells were drilled on, 

or near, the Early Grove anticline; seven wells produced-gas and four 

were dry. Three of the dry wells were drilled off structure, anct the 

fourth was on structure but encountered tightly cemented sandstone 

in the producing zones. Wells 1 to 4, drilled by Davis Elkins and 

Associates, were sold to the Bristol Natural Gas Co., Bristol, Va. 

(succeeded by Old Dominion Natural Gas Corp., Morgantown,

w. Va,.), and this corporation drilled the later wells. Initial production ranged from 30,000 to 1,750,000 cu ft per day. The H. A.

Miller No. 8 was drilled to a depth of 3,670 feet and was completed 

OD January 18, 1942 with an open flow of 127,000 cu ft per day. in

1947, this well was deepened to the black shale to the total depth of

5,862 feet, and initial flow of 30,000 cu ft was obtained (stanton, 1949,

p. 430). Gas was turned into the 4-inch pipe line from Earfj GrOVG

to Bristol in March 1938, and the field has continued to produce

through 1953. The producing sands in the Little Valley limestone

have low porosity and low permeability. Consequently, gas pressure

declines rapidly in producing wells, and the pressure recovers slowly 

after the well is shut in.
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 525

ROSE HILL OIL FIELD

The discovery of the Early Grove gas f eld led to the drilling of 

numerous other test wells in southwestern Virginia. The first significant discovery was the Rose Hill oil field in 1942. Nine, or more, 

wells were drilled in Lee County in the vicinity of the Rose Hill field 

before commercial production was obtained. Five of these wells 

were dry, three had shows of oil and gas, and one, the Gilbert Lee 

No. 2, produced a small amount of oil from the Trenton limestone.

The only oil produced in Virginia, and, indeed, the only oil produced 

in the whole Appalachian Yalley, comes from the Rose Hill field. 

The field is located in the Cumberland overthrust block near the crest 

of the Powell Valley anticline, where erosion has locally cut through 

the overthrust sheet and exposed the underlying block in windows or 

fensters. Production comes from the Trenton limestone in the 

stationary block beneath the overthrust. The oil is produced from 

fracture zones; the unfractured Trenton limestone is too impervious 

to give up the oil it contains at a commercial rate. Much of the 

production has come from the wells drilled inside the fensters, but 

some production has come from wells outside the fensters.

The first commercial well in the Rose Hill field was the B.C. Fugate 

No. 1, drilled in 1942. Initial production was about 60 bbls per day 

from the Ordovician Trenton limestone at 1,115 feet, and settled 

production was 8 bbls per day. As a result of this discovery, other 

wells were drilled in the period 1942-1945, but without much success. 

In 1946 and 1947 several productive wells were drilled, and in January 

1947 the field probably produced more than 400 bbls per day (Stanton, 

1949, p. 430). Actual production data are not available. Production 

increased during 1947 but has declined since then. Several dry wells 

drilled in 1948-1949 dampened interest in the field until the Stacy 

and Cardwell, C. H. Frye No. 1 was completed in October 1949 with 

initial production of about 60 bbls per day. This well renewed interest 

in the field, and several offset wells were being drilled as of January 

1, 1950.

One of the difficulties in the development of the Rose Hill field has 

been predicting the location of fracture zones at depth. Production 

from fracture zones is always difficult to predict. If regular fractures 

occur at intervals of 2 feet, it is possible to miss these fractures with 

a 4-inch hole. Perhaps the answer is directional drilling, which would 

make possible the testing of a large horizontal area from the same 

location. The increase in production after acidizing some wells can 

be explained as the result of acid opening channels from the well into 

the fracture system. Another problem in the Rose Hill field has been 

the rapid accumulation of paraffin in the producing string of tubing. 

The paraffin is probably in solution in the oil, and the reduction in
526 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY '

pressure accompanying production may cause it to be precipitated. 

Paraffin may accumulate in the rock fractures as well as in the tubing. 

.This is a problem for the petroleum engineers, but until it is solved 

the Rose Hill field will not be an attractive area for additional drilling. 

The type of structure present in the Rose Hill field continues northeastward into the adjacent Jonesville area. Miller and Brosg6,(1950) 

.suggest three locations worthy of test wells in the Jonesville area. 

Seven wells, all abandoned, have been drilled in the Jonesville area, 

but only one tested the Trenton Limestone in the stationary block; 

therefore, the area is essentially untested. Four of these wells reported shows of oil or gas. If commercial accumulation of oil is 

present in the Jonesville area, it should be similar to that in the Rose

-Hill field.

WISE COUNTY WELLS

Five of the six wells drilled in Wise County have had shows of gas. 

The Burning Well south of Ramsey has already been mentioned. The 

Isaac Kaufman No. 1 near Lipps, Va., drilled in 1933 by the BenedumTrees Oil Co., had two shows of gas, each reported to have an initial 

flow of 50,000 cu ft per day; the upper show was at 1,550 feet in the 

basal sandstone of Pennsylvanian age and the lower was at 3,600 feet 

in the Greenbrier limestone, The well was abandoned in the Greenbrier limestone at a total depth of 3,670 feet after a long fishing job 

failed to recover the tools. Three wells, Hagan Nos. 1, 2, and 3, were 

drilled by the Southwest Oil & Gas Co. in the southern part of Wise 

County near the Scott County line. The Hagan No. 1 encountered 

gas in the Princeton sandstone and at two horizons in the Greenbrier 

limestone. An initial open flow of 200,000 cu ft was measured at a 

depth of 1,363 feet in the top of the Princeton sandstone. In the 

Greenbrier limestone, gas was encountered, with 100,000 cu ft of initial 

flow at a depth of 2,575 and between 40,000 and 50,000 cu ft of initial 

open flow at 3,332 feet. The well was abandoned at a total depth of 

3,751 feet (Stanton, 1949, p. 430), probably in Devonian rocks.

Small shows of gas were encountered in the Hagan No. 2, which

reached a total depth of 1,407 feet, and in the Hagan No. 3, which 

was originally drilled to 1,583 feet into the top of the Greenbrier. 

The Hagan No. 3 was later deepened by the United Carbon Co. to a 

depth of 5,348 feet and probably stopped in Silurian rooks. Although 

several small shows of gas were found, the well was abandoned. 

Samples from the lower part of this well taken by the United Carbon 

Co. were not available for study,

BTTCHANAN COTJNTY WELLS

The discovery well in the Keen Mountain field, and the fifSt gas 

well in Buchanan County, was the United Producing Co., W. M. 

Hitter No. l-V-1461. It was completed in February 1948 in the top
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950

of the Princeton sandstone, which was reached at a depth of 2,295 

feet. The well had an initial production of 17,196,000 cu ft per day. 

Five wells in the Keen Mountain field can produce from the Princeton 

sandstone. Other wells drilled in the field and elsewhere in the 

county found gas in commercial quantities in the sandstones in the 

Pottsville group and in upper Mississippian rocks and in the porous 

zones in the Greenbrier limestone. Shows of gas have been reported 

from the Mississippian Price sandstone. The location of the field 

and of other exploratory wells drilled in Buchanan County are shown 

in figures 70 and 71. The following table serves to further identify 

wells in figure 71.

Well 

no. on 

fig. 71

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Name of well

F. H. Curtis No. 2-A.

F. H. Curtis No. 1-A_.._ 

R. A. Looney No. 1-1659. 

A. L. Powers No. !______

W. H. Matney No. 1__________

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co____

No. 1-1454

W. M. Hitter No. 2-V-1481... 

Slocum Land Corp. No. 1-1525. 

Slocum Land Corp. No. 2-1539. 

R. J. Carlson No. 1_______

W. M. Ritter No. l-V-1461. 

C. L. Ritter Jo. 1-1527.___ 

W. M. Ritter No. 3-V-1526. 

W. M. Ritter No. 4-V-1557. 

Yukon-Poc'f.hontas Coal Co.

No. 3-1563 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co.

No. 6-1671 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co_

No. 4-1646 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co.

No. 7-1672 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co.

No. 5-1647 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co.

No. 8-1673 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co.

No. 2-1466 

Hugh McRae No. 6431__.__

Operator

Pipe Line Construction & 

Drilling Co.

Do.

United Producing Co. 

Pipe Line Construction &

Drilling Co. 

United Producing Co. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Pipe Line Construction &

Drilling Co. 

United Producing Co. j

Do. i

Do. ' Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

United Fuel Gas Co.
528 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

82°05' 82°00'

Drainage pattern compiled from

FIGURE 71. Map Of part 01 BUCHanail Couilty, Va., Showing tfao locations of tost WU11S i« tho 3Ccon IVTc

tab field and adjacent area. The limits of the field have not yet been determined by drilling"
OIL AND GAS"-WELLS', SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 529

The wells were shut in on January 1, 1950 to await additional 

potential production and the building of a pipe line. Axtotal of 14 

wells hate been drilled in the Keen Mountain field, 9 of the 14 are 

potential producing wells, 4 were dry, and 1 was being drilled on 

January 1, 1950. Initial open flow ranges from 51,000 to 20,134,000 

cu ft per day. Most of the wells have been drilled by the United 

Producing Co. and the Pipe Line Construction & Drilling Co.

Outside of the Keen Mountain field, 13 other wells have been 

drilled for gas. On January 1, 1950, 3 of these were shut in, 3 were 

dry, and 7 were being drilled. The F. H. Curtis No. 1-A had an 

initial open flow of 7,234,000 cu ft per day in the Bluefield formation, 

and the A. L. Powers No. 1 well had an initial open flow of 3,452,000 

cu ft per day in the Greenbrier limestone. The Hugh McRae No. 

6431 well, drilled by the United Fuel Gas Co., had an initial open flow 

of 103,000 cu ft from the Lee formation.

DIC KENS ON COUNTY WELLS

In Dickenson County, the Nora field (see fig. 70) has been developed 

by the Clinchfield Coal Corp. Well Nos. 101, 103, and 104, drilled in 

the vicinity of Nora (see fig. 72), had initial open flows after acidization of 1,632,000, 666,000, and 1,555,000 cu. ft. per day respectively, 

from the Greenbrier limestone ("Big Lime" of drillers). The Clinchfield Co'al Corp. has also drilled wells elsewhere in Dickenson County 

and has obtained gas in the black shales from two wells. In January 

1950 the wells were shut in, but the drilling program has continued in 

the expectation of proving enough territory to justify a pipe line. The 

black shale can produce gas in many places where the shale has been 

shattered in the plane of the Pine Mountain overthrust. Shale will 

probably produce small amounts of gas over long periods of time. 

Shows of gas in the Princeton sandstone and in the Stony Gap sandstone member of the Hinton formation have been reported, but no 

commercial reserve of gas has been found in these units. These formations are productive in Buchanan County, and they might be productive in Dickenson County. .

In Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise Counties the structural control 

of gas accumulation is not obvious. Production appears to depend 

primarily on porosity. This is true for both the Mississippian sandstones and the Greenbrier limestone. Most of the sandstones in the 

section are quite silty. Silty sandstones tend to have high porosity and 

low permeability. If they are tightly cemented, the original or potential porosity is destroyed. The silty sandstones may produce small 

volumes of gas for long periods of time, and the principal hope of these 

fields lies in the longevity of the wells. Limestone production..comes 

mainly from zones of oolitic and dolomitic limestones.

358667 56 5
530 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

82°25'

Drainage pattern compiled from 

U.S.G.S. topographic map 4 Miles

72. Map of part of Dickenson County, Va., showing location? of test wells in the Nora field and

adjacent area. All wells were drilled by the Clinchfield Coal Corp. Names of wells are: No. 1, Arch Rose 

105; NO.2, C. C. 0.108; No. 3, Kasnick 103; No. 4, C. C. C. 101; No. 5, E. C. Smith 104; No. 6, David Colley 

107; No. 7, G. W. 0. Smith 106.
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 531

OTHER COUNTIES TESTED

Other counties in southwestern Virginia have been tested, but only 

by one or two wells. In Russell County, the only well is located near 

the common corner of Russell, Dickenson, and Buchanan Counties. 

This well, the Penn-Ohio Gas Co., Truman No. 1 or Clinchfield Coal 

Corp. No. 1 (272), was drilled in 1932 to a depth of 6,006 feet and was 

abandoned as a dry hole in Devonian black shales.

The only well in Tazewell County, the United Producing Co. Hoge 

No. 1 well located on top of the Burkes Garden anticline, was shut 

down on January 1, 1950. The well started in the Lower Ordovician. 

No cuttings were available from this well at the time that this report 

was being prepared. In Smyth County, near Chilhowie, the Mathieson 

Alkali Corp. drilled a well; but no information is available concerning 

their findings. In Wythe County, the I. Groskins and others, Newberry No. 1 well was drilled on a bluff north of the Norfolk & Western 

Railway and about % mile east of the U. S. Highway 11 railroad crossing to the east of Wytheville. It probably started in the Rome formation and may have drilled through the Pulaski fault. In Pulaski 

County, the only well was drilled near the base of Cloyd Mountain and 

encountered artesian sulfur water (Cooper, 1949, P. 29). No well is 

known to have been drilled in Bland County. The California Co. 

Strader No. 1 well was drilled near the crest of Bane dome, about 

4 miles south of Pearisburg in Giles County. The well started near 

the top of the Cambrian Rome formation and was abandoned at 

1,450 feet in the Rome formation. Nearly all of the rock penetrated 

was limestone or dolomite.

South of Blacksburg in Montgomery County, the California Co. 

drilled the Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 well with rotary tools to a 

depth of 9,340 feet. This well is located near the top of Price Mountain in a fenster exposure of lower Mississippian rocks in the stationary 

block beneath the Pulaski overthrust sheet. Mississippian rocks in 

the stationary block have been folded to form Price Mountain anticline, and the well was located near the crest of this anticline. Drilling 

started in the Price sandstone, which is equivalent to the Pocono 

formation. The drill encountered an abnormally thick section of 

Devonian rocks and was abandoned in the Ordovician Moccasin limestone. The thick section of Devonian rocks is probably due to folding, 

flowage, and structure rather than to stratigraphic thickening. 

. The only other test wells in the western part of Virginia are the four 

wells drilled near Bergton in Rockingham County by the Eastern 

States Gas Co. These wells are riot shown on the index map, because 

Rockingham County is considerably to the northeast of the area 

covered by this report.
532 ! CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Cable-tool cuttings are the most common samples in the Appalachian region, and all samples examined for this report are cable-tool 

samples, except those from the Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 well 

at Price Mountain, which are rotary samples. In the examination of 

cable-tool samples, the fine cuttings were assumed to represent the 

interval drilled, and the larger chunks were assumed to be cavings 

from the intervals above. During the early stage of sample examination, percentage logs were made. After the examiners became familiar 

with the geologic section, and after strip logs for adjacent wells were 

available, interpretive logs were made.

The samples were examined under low-power binocular microscopes, 

with magnification ranging from 6 to 30 power. Routine examination 

was made on dry samples, but supplementary examination was made 

on wet samples to recognize diagnostic features, such as oolites, grain 

shapes, and particular minerals, which are obscure in dry samples, 

but which can be seen clearly in wet samples. Only simple tests 

were made on the samples. Hardness was determined by the use of 

a needle, and only the simple chemical tests, such as solution in water 

and reaction in dilute or concentrated hydrochloric acid, were used. 

Grain size was determined by comparison with prepared charts or 

slides containing standard screened particles classified on the Wentworth grade scale. The use of these charts helped greatly in standardizing the observations of the various sample examiners.

The color chart distributed by the National Research Council was 

used to standardize colors and color names for the sample descriptions 

available as open-file reports * and on microfilm. The use of this 

color chart gave reasonable consistency for each individual observer 

and for the group. In the descriptions of the samplesj the color 

name (as identified on the chart) is given, followed by the color 

formula placed in parentheses. Using this formula, it is possible to

distinguish between colors with the same name, such as grayish reds 

(5R 4/2 and 10R 4/2). These fine distinctions are not always significant, but the information has been made available in the event that 

it may be required by future investigators.

Descriptions of samples from the open-file report 2 appear in the 

following order: (1) rock name (the principal type followed by lessabundant type in order of abundance when more than one type is 

present); (2) adjective describing the composition of the rock if it is

1 Huddle, J. W., Jacobsen, E. T.f Williainson, A. D., and others, 1955. Detailed logs of 28 wildcat wells

in Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Montgomery, and Dickenson Counties, Va. Open-file report. Original copy on

file in the Geological Survey library, Washington, B.C. Microfilm onflle and available for purchase through 

the Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, Ky., and the Virginia Division of Geology, University.Station, Charlottesville, Va.

2 Huddle, Jacobsen, Williamson, and others, op. cit.
outstanding (such adjectives as argillaceous, silty, micaceous, calcareous, sandy, and conglomeratic are commonly used); (3) color 

name (followed by the color formula in parentheses according to the 

rock color chart distributed by the National Research Council); 

(4) structure (using such descriptive words as fissile, massive, and 

crossbedded); (5) texture (described by an adjective or an adverb; 

if the rock is a sandstone, Wentworth's grade terms are used and the 

sorting, shape, and surface of the sand grains are described; if the 

rock is a limestone, it is described as fine, medium, or coarsely crystalline, dense, oolitic, or by similar words or phrases); (6) mineral composition; (7) cement; (8) apparent porosity or permeability; (9) any 

other. features observed (such as fossils or concretions). This arrangement of the descriptions facilitates plotting log strips, which is 

a very common and convenient way of using well records to study 

subsurface stratigraphy.

The samples used for this study were obtained primarily from the 

companies that drilled the wells; the Kentucky Geological Survey 

made the sample splits for most of the wells. The Kentucky Geological Survey sample library retained one of the cuts, and the remainder of the sample was sent to the Virginia Geological Survey 

sample library. Some of the samples are also available from the 

sample library of the West Virginia Geological Survey. If the samples 

are available for study, a reference to the sample library containing 

the well sample is given in the heading of each well description in this 

report.

DEFINITIONS OF LITHOLOGIC TERMS USED IN THIS

REPORT

. In the sample descriptions that were transmitted to the State Geologist and placed on open file,3 rocks are described under the commonly 

used rock names, such as "sandstone," "shale," and "limestone." 

Recent work on sedimentary rocks has resulted in some changes in 

nomenclature that have not clarified definitions; in fact, some of these 

changes have even added to the confusion by resurrecting and redefining obsolete terms. Because of this confusion, the rock names 

used in this text are defined below.

The term "sandstone," as used in this report, refers to a consolidated rock composed mainly of detrital grains of rock and minerals 

other than calcite or dolomite. At least 50 percent of a sandstone 

must consist of sand-size grains grains between Ke and 2 millimeters 

in diameter. Most sandstone contains many more quartz grains than 

grains of other minerals or rocks, and deviations from this normal 

composition are recorded in the sample descriptions. The recently

' Huddle, Jacobsen, Williamson, and others, op. cit.
534 CONTRIBUTIONS . TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

defined names of varieties of sandstone, such as "graywacke," "subgraywacke," and "orthoquartzite" are not used, but the sample descriptions provide the information that might be given by more precise 

terminology.

Rock composed mainly of particles Ke to %56 millimeters in diameter 

is called siltstone in this report. Siltstones are composed of rock and 

mineral fragments of quartz, chlorite, mica, and clay minerals with 

calcareous, carbonaceous, siliceous, or ferruginous impurities or 

cement. Quartz is generally the most abundant mineral in siltstone 

and may be present as sand grains or silt grains, or both. Many 

argillaceous and micaceous siltstones are laminated and break easily 

along the planes of lamination, whereas others are massive. Although the grains in a siltstone are so small that the shape and composition of the individual grains rarely can be determined by low-power 

microscopic examination, any sand grains present can be so 

determined. Siltstone is gradational between fine-grained sandstone 

and shale. The use of the term "siltstone" makes it possible to 

distinguish rocks with a gas-reservoir potentiality greater than that 

of shale but less than that of fine-grained sandstones.

"Shale" is used as a general term. It includes the very fine grained 

clastic rocks that are indurated, argillaceous, and consist mainly of 

particles smaller than silt. Shale generally contains one or more clay 

minerals, abundant quartz, and some mica and chlorite. Minerals 

other than clay may predominate, and calcium carbonate, silica, and 

detrital and colloidal organic material occur as cementing material or 

impurities. Under a low-power microscope, shale is seen to have a 

smooth appearance unless silt or sand grains are present in appreciable 

quantities. Fissility or lamination is not implied by the term "shale" 

in this report; such Structure, if present, is noted in the description.

Limestone is a rock composed mainly of dense (aphanitic) to 

coarsely crystalline calcite or dolomite that contains some clay, silt,, 

and sand impurities. Varieties of limestone are recognized on the 

basis of differences in mineral composition and texture. Dolomitic 

limestone, as used in the sample descriptions, is rock that COntaUlS

enough magnesium carbonate to slow the reaction of the limestone 

with dilute hydrochloric acid. Much of the limestone, here described,

is clastic, expecially the Coarsely Crystalline and oolitic limestone with 

fossil fragments.

Effective pOrOSity and permeability are indicated, in the sample 

descriptions by descriptive terms. Satisfactory methods Of estimating 

porosity or permeability by micrOSCOpic Observation have not yet 

been devised. If a geologist is able to compare his estimates with 

laboratory determinations of particular rocks, he is frequently able 

to make reasonably accurate estimates of porosity and permeability
for a field. This experience, however, cannot be directly transferred 

from one field to another field or from one part of the geologic column 

to another. Because of the fact that our estimates of porosity and 

permeability are completely unchecked by laboratory determinations, 

use of these estimates should rest upon the assumptions that they are 

based primarily on observable pore spaces and on previous experience 

on the part of the observers. A sandstone described as silty may also 

be described as a low-porosity sandstone. Actually, porosity may be 

high and the permeabilit}?- low; or, if the sand is tightly cemented, 

there may be truly no porosity and no permeability. The degree of 

cementation, and the amount of silt or clay indicated in the rock 

description, are probably the best indices to permeability given in the 

sample descriptions. Most of the sands examined appear to be tight 

(only slightly porous); this is one of the discouraging results of this 

study. Good reservoir rocks should have considerable porosity and 

permeability; and, if such rocks were present, they would indicate 

greater promise for gas and oil production in southwestern Virginia 

than the rocks actually found by sample examination. However, 

fine-grained sandstone and siltstone produce over long periods of time 

in some fields, and the ultimate recovery may equal or exceed that from 

the coarser-grained sandstone reservoirs, even though the annual 

yield is smaller. The only satisfactory check on the true porosity and 

permeability of possible producing formations in southwestern Virginia 

would be laboratory tests on large chips, such as those that were 

reported by Averitt (1941, p. 26-29).

CRITERIA FOR CORRELATION

The validity of correlation in any geologic report depends on the 

information available and the experience and opinions of the author. 

It is, therefore, desirable to state the criteria used for correlation and 

the amount and type of work on which the correlations are based. 

The following notes give this information.

Correlation and identification of formations indicated in the descriptions of well samples and in this report are suggested. Considerable 

dependence has been placed on previous work, especially the report of 

Wilpolt and Marden (1949) for the upper Mississippian rocks of 

Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise Counties; and the reports of Miller 

and Fuller (1944 and 1947) and Miller and Brosge (1950) for Lee 

County. This report is based on a laboratory examination of samples 

rather than on field work. Williamson and Huddle made four short 

field trips to southwestern Virginia in order to see a few of the surface 

sections. R. L. Miller, B. N. Cooper, and R. H. Wilpolt showed the 

authors some of the outcrops and assisted them greatly in a review of 

the stratigraphy of the area. Jacobsen and Williamson made notes of
536 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC, GEOLOGY ,

probable formation contacts when they were examining samples, but 

Huddle is responsible for the stratigraphic classification and for the 

correlations shown in the well summaries and in the sample descriptions hi the open files of the Virginia Geological Survey. The identifications within the individual fields are reasonably consistent, but the 

names applied by correlation may be wrong. Correlation of the outlying wells with the field wells and the. surface sections are more 

doubtful. The authors wish, to emphasize that interpretations other 

than those given are possible and, hi some cases, equally probable from 

present information.

REVIEW OF STRATIGRAPHY

The rocks tested for oil and gas hi southwestern Virginia range in age 

from the Cambrian Rome formation to the Pennsylvanian Wise 

formation. The formation names are given in table 2.
OIL AND GAS .WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 537

Table 2. Stratigraphic names used in this report 

."Pennsylvania:! system: 

Pottsville group: 

Wise formation 

Gladeville sandstone 

Norton formation 

Lee formation 

"Mississippian system: 

Bluestone formation 

Princeton sandstone

Hinton formation, equivalent to the Pennington shale several members 

including the Avis limestone of Reger (1926), and at the base the Stony 

Gap sandstone member 

Bluefield formation 

Greenbrier limestone 

Maccrady shale, equivalent to the Little Valley limestone (present in the

Early Grove Gas field) . Price sandstone, equivalent to the Pocono formation 

.Mississippian and Devonian systems:

Big Stone Gap shale 

^Devonian system:

Hampshire .format/ion'equivalents 

Chemung formation 

Brallier shale . Millboro shale of Butts (1940) 

Huntersville chert of Price (1929) 

Ridgeley sandstone

Rocky Gap sandstone of Swartz (1929)

New Scotland limestone, equivalent to the Helderberg limestone 

Silurian system:

Cayuga dolomite approximately equivalent in part to the Hancock limestone

and Tonoloway limestone 

Clinton formation:

Keefer sandstone member 

Cacapon sandstone member 

Clinch sandstone 

Ordo vician system:

Juniata formation (Sequatchie formation in Lee and Wise Counties)

Reedsville shale 1,, ,. , , , 

_, , ,. , f.Martmsburg shale Trenton limestone] °

Eggleston limestone

In Lee County

Hardy Creek limestone 

Ben Hur limestone 

Moccasin limestone Woodway limestone .

and s Hurricane Bridge limestone

Stones River group Martin Creek limestone

Rob Camp limestone 

Poteet limestone 

Dot limestone

Beekmantown dolomite

Chepultepec dolomite
538 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY .

Cambrian system:

Copper Ridge dolomite 

Maynardville limestone 

Nolichucky shale 

Honaker dolomite 

Rome formation 

Shady dolomite 

Erwin quartzite

The principal formations for actual or potential production of oil or 

gas, arranged in order of increasing age, include the Lee formation, 

Princeton sandstone, Stony Gap and other sandstone members of the 

Hinton formation, Greenbrier limestone, Little Valley limestone, Price 

sandstone or the equivalent Pocono formation, Mississippian and 

Devonian black shales, Huntersville chert of Price (1929), sandstones

of probable Oriskany age, Clinton formation, Clinch sandstone, 

Trenton limestone, Eggleston limestone, and Moccasin limestone. 

There is little chance for production from the older Cambrian and 

Ordovician dolomites, commonly known as the Knox dolomite, but 

production might come from a number of formations'riot mentioned 

in the list above.

Drillers' names used locally include the "Salt sand" for any of the 

Pennsylvanian sandstones, "Ravencliff sand" for the Princeton sandstone, and "Upper, Middle, and Lower, Maxton sands" for various 

sandstones in the Princeton sandstone and Bluefield formations. The 

"Little Lime" is the lowest well-developed limestone in the Bluefield 

formation overlying a caving shale, which the drillers have named 

"Pencil Cave." This shale overlies the "Big Lime" or Greenbrier 

limestone. The drillers recognize several units below the "Big Lime," 

including the "Big Injun," "Red Injun," which is equal to the

Maccrady shale; the "Squaw," the "Weir," and the Berea sand. Not 

all of these sands below the "Big Lime" are well developed in southwestern Virginia, but the Weir and the Berea sand may be represented

in the Price sandstone, or in its equivalent, the Pocono formation, 

(See C. W. Merrels, 2nd., 1946; and J. F. Pepper and others, 1946.)

PENNSYLVANIAN FORMATIONS

The youngest rocks encountered by drilling activities in southwestern Virginia are part of the Wise formation of the Pottsville group 

of the Pennsylvanian system. The subdivisions of the Pennsylvanian

system were recognized by a comparison of the sample logs with the 

diamond-drill logs published in the Virginia Geological Survey coal

reports, especially those by Hinds (1918), and by Harnsberger (1919). 

The Wise and Norton formations contain sandstone, siltstone, shale, 

and coal. According to the Virginia Geological Survey, these formations are distinguished by the recognition of the intervening Gladeville
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 539

sandstone. If the Gladeville sandstone cannot be identified, the 

underlying and overlying formations cannot be distinguished. The 

Lee formation at the base of the Pennsylvanian system is characterized 

by the presence of conglomerate and clean quartz sandstone.

The identification of individual coal seams was attempted, but only 

a few of the more probable correlations are included in the sample 

descriptions. Coal can be recognized by an experienced driller if he 

is watching for it, but it is easily missed. Drilling-time logs are very 

useful in recognizing coal, but it is not possible to get accurate coal 

thicknesses from time logs because the associated shales and underclays 

cut at about the same rate as the coals. Drillers experience the same 

difficulty in distinguishing coal from roof shales and underclays by rate 

of drilling or by feel of the drill. Coal caves easily, especially the 

thicker seams, and cavings from thick coal beds are found in many 

samples below the coal seam. Each appearance of coal fragments in 

a sample, therefore, requires the examiner to determine whether these 

pieces represent a thin coal bed or whether they represent a caving 

from a thick coal bed above. Often it is not possible to make this 

determination with assurance. Hence, correlation of coal beds in 

well samples is doubtful except for the thicker coal beds, where one or 

more samples consist entirely of coal or where supplementary information is available, such as time logs or electric logs. The authors did 

not have time logs or electric logs for any of the wells in southwestern 

Virginia.

The base of the Pennsylvanian system in this report has been drawn 

at the base of the first massive sandstone above the red shales. This 

may not be a consistent stratigraphic horizon. The Mississippian 

and Pennsylvanian contact is difficult to recognize in southwestern 

Virginia because of the lack of satisfactory criteria. No obvious 

unconformity is present, and the sandstone and conglomerate in the 

Pennsylvanian Lee formation are very similar to those in the older 

sandstones of the Bluestone formation and the Princeton sandstone. 

Lithologically, they cannot be distinguished from each other. Geologists mapping this contact in southern West Virginia and Virginia 

^haveHisually considered the base of the massive conglomeratic sandstone above the red shales to be the base of the Pennsylvanian. 

Conglomerate is not everywhere present at the base of the Lee" formation, however; and where present, it is not always recognizable in 

samples. Pebbles may be absent; and even if present, they may be 

pulverized by the drill and be unrecognizable in the samples. In some 

wells and sections, Wilpolt and Marden (1949) placed the contact 

between the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian systems within the 

massive sandstone series. This correlation was based partly on the 

absence of red beds near the base of the massive sandstones at several
540 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

outcrops and partly on the presence of thin beds of coal in the upper 

part of the Bluestone formation. They correlated the coal found in 

the upper part of the Bluestone at Pennington Gap and several 

localities to the northeast with thin coal beds in the subsurface. 

They presented no new evidence to justify changing the older,basis 

for recognizing the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian boundary in 

southwestern Virginia. In the present report, the older basis is used 

rather than that of Wilpolt and Marden, because it seems easier to 

follow in the subsurface and because there is no fossil evidence that 

would justify a change.

MISSISSIPPIAN FORMATIONS

The Mississippian rocks of southwestern Virginia are difficult to 

subdivide because they represent the deposits of several interfingering 

contemporaneous environments. In West Virginia, Reger (1926, 

p. 291-532) divided the Mississippian into a number of formations 

and groups belonging to his Poconb and Mauch Chunk series. Butts 

(1940, p. 336-407), Cooper (1944, p. 143-187), and1 Wilpolt and 

Marden (1949) regarded Reger's formations as members, and reduced 

the Bluestone, Princetoh, Hinton, and Bluefield groups of Reger to 

formational rank. This usage is followed here. The classification 

depends upon the recognition of two key sandstones the Princeton 

sandstone between the Hinton and Bluestone formations and the 

Stony Gap sandstone member at the base of the Hinton formation.

The Bluestone formation is characterized by variegated shales, siltstones, sandstones, and mudstones. The presence of red colors and 

limy beds distinguish the formation from the overlying Lee formation. 

Fossils found in the Bluestone formation were submitted to Helen 

Duncan and Jean Berdan, of the U. S. Geological Survey. The determination Of these fOSSils indicates that the Bluestone formation in 

parts of McDowell County, West Virginia, and Buchanan and Dickenson Counties, Virginia, contains fresh-water deposits. The fossils give 

no clear evidence as to the age of the beds, and Miss Berdan reports 

them to be either Mississippian or Pennsylvanian. Marine fOSSils

have been found in the Bluestone formation in Mercer county by

Reger (1926, p. 847), who reported pelecypods, and by ButtS (1940,

P. 405), who reported small pelecypods and ostracods. The Bluestone

formation probably represents the subaeiial position of the Mauch

Chunk delta in part of Virginia and West Virginia, interfingering with

marine beds in Mercer County, W. Va. The base of the Bluestone 

formation is determined by the recognition of the underlying Princeton 

sandstone.

In surface and subsurface studies, the Princeton sandstone is considered a key bed. At the surface it is typically a hard quartzitic
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 541

sandstone more or less conglomeratic and cross-bedded, But in places 

it is weak and shaly. In wells, the Princeton sandstone is identified 

on the basis of stratigraphic position and lithology. The first hard, 

clean, quartz sandstone that is found at about the proper .distance 

below the first red beds is considered to be Princeton naturally, this 

is not a wholly satisfactory basis for identification. In southwestern 

Virginia and southern West Virginia, the Princeton sandstone is 

absent in some wells. In other wells, the interval to recognizable 

horizons above and below the sandstone identified as Princeton is 

variable. These variations are so abrupt and so much at random that 

identification of the Princton sandstone in these wells is doubtful.

The Princeton sandstone generally has been regarded as a continuous sheet of sandstone, but some of the evidence given above suggests 

that it may be a series of sand lenses at different stratigraphic horizons. 

Geologic maps of Virginia and West Virginia show the Princeton sandstone as a continuous mappable unit. It is possible that the geologist, 

tracing what he considers to be a blanket sand in an area of poor 

outcrop, might jump from sand lens to sand lens and mistakenly map 

as a blanket sand what is really a zone of sand lenses in a shale 

and siltstone sequence. Evidence indicating that this may have happened is given in the discussion of the Stony Gap sandstone member 

of the Hinton formation.

The Princeton sandstone is reported to change rapidly in thickness. 

A part of the difference in thickness of the Princeton sandstone observed along the outcrop and in well logs is attributable to observational error. In surface work, the resistant massive beds are called 

Princeton sandstone, and the gradational nonresistant shaly beds 

above and below are excluded. In sample studies, these weak and 

more or less sandy beds are often included in the Princeton sandstone. 

This results in an apparent subsurface thickening, whereas actually 

the thickening is due to the inclusion of the other beds. In the F. H. 

Curtis No. 1-A well, drilled by the Pipe Line Construction & Drilling 

Co., the driller reported the hard sandstone from 2,590 to 2,650 feet 

as the Princeton sandstone. He also recorded sand (and sand is 

present in the samples) below this hard sandstone down to the limy 

beds, here called the Avis limestone of Reger. This indicates one type 

of thickness-determination and correlation problem present in the well 

studies. What should be included in the Princeton sandstone? 

Should it include only the hard sandstone, or should it include all the 

sandstone from the top of the hard sandstone to the top of Reger's 

Avis limestone? Above the hard sandstone are other sandstones that 

might also be included in the Princeton. Until we know how the 

Princeton sandstone was deposited in other words, whether it was 

laid down as a blanket sand bed, in lenses, or in a linear deposit such
542 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

as offshore bars or channels there is no satisfactory answer to this 

question.

The Hinton formation, like the Bluestone formation, includes 

variegated shale, siltstone, and sandstone. The limestone and calcareous shale contain marine fossils at many places. In Mercer 

County, W. Va., Reger recognized and named the individual sandstone, shale, and limestone members. Cooper (1944, p. 172-187), 

and Wilpolt and Marden (1949) recognized some of these named 

units of Reger as members of the Hinton formation, and this is the 

usage followed here. Two of the members, the Avis limestone of 

Reger, and the Stony Gap sandstone member, are recognized in subsurface studies. The name "Avis" is used to designate a sandstone 

of Pennsylvanian age in Texas and is, therefore, not available for the 

limestone member of Mississippian age in Virginia. Wilpolt and 

Marden (1949) used the term "limestone member" as a substitute. 

There are other limestone, limy shale, and fossiliferous zones present 

in the surface and subsurface that can easily be confused with the 

Avis limestone of Reger. Also, there are sandstones that can be 

confused with the Stony Gap sandstone member. Consequently, 

the subsurface identification of these members is uncertain.

The Avis limestone of Reger, as recognized in well samples, is a 

dark argillaceous limestone grading into calcareous shale and containing many fossils. Chips of the Avis limestone of Reger typically 

break up rapidly in dilute hydrochloric acid, but some pieces still 

retain their shape in the insoluble residues. In central Buchanan 

County, the Avis limestone of Reger is recognized in the subsurface 

by its stratigraphic position it is overlain by a sandstone and underlain by a prominent red shale. Well logs matched on this sequence 

correspond at other horizons about as exactly as can be expected. 

The sandstone at the top is called the Princeton sandstone, and the 

limestone is called Avis limestone of Reger. This may, or may not,

be a correct identification of the surface formations, but the identification within a field is quite satisfactory. The Avis limestone of 

Reger thins northwest of the Keen Mountain field and is thin or 

absent in the Pipe Line Construction & Drilling Co., F. H. Curtis 

No. l-A well; it is about 13 feet thick in the United Producing Co. 

Looney No. 1 well. Toward the southwest, the sequence of the

Princeton sandstone, Avis limestone of Reger, and red shale changes

by the introduction Of Sandstone in the red shale unit of the sequence. 

This sandstone is present within the red shale in the Clinchfield Coal

Co. No. 102 well and becomes more prominent in central Dickenson 

County, lying between the Avis limestone of Reger (above) and the 

red shale (below).
OIL AND GAS'.WSI&g, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 543

The Stony Gap sandstone member forms the base of the Hinton 

formation in surface sections. In most places it is a fine-grained 

quartz sandstone or siltstone. In subsurface studies, a thick sandstone that is approximately in the proper stratigraphic position is 

identified as the Stony Gap sandstone member. In some wells, this 

is the first sandstone above the Greenbrier limestone, and in other 

wells there are several sandstones between the one identified as the 

Stony Gap sandstone member and the Greenbrier limestone. In the 

United Fuel Gas Co., A. W. Hicks No. 6478 well, Wilpolt and Marden 

(1949) show three sandstones below the Stony Gap sandstone member. 

This identification of the Stony Gap is based on a comparison with the 

surface section at the type locality. In the United Fuel Gas Co., 

New Kiver Pocahontas Coal Co., No. 6219 well, Wilpolt and Marden 

called the lowest sand in the sequence the Stony Gap sandstone member. The sandstones in the Hinton formation and in the Bluefield 

formation are probably lenticular, and their correlation is uncertain.

Another uncertainty in identification results from the fact that it is 

possible to include one or more sandstones in the Stony Gap sandstone 

member of the Hinton formation. Thicknesses of the member, 

therefore, vary according to the interpretation of the geologist examining the sample log. There is no clear evidence that the Stony Gap 

member is continuous at the same stratigraphic horizon. In geologic 

mapping it is probable that the name, as used in reports, refers to a 

zone in which two or more sandstone tongues or lenses occur. This 

may be true of the surface sections measured by Wilpolt and Marden 

(1949) and by Cooper (1944, p. 172-187) in Mercer County, West 

Virginia, and in Tazewell County, Virginia. Comparison of plotted 

log strips of these surface sections with the Stony Gap section measured in Mercer County by Reger (1926, p. 195-200) suggests that the 

previous identifications of the. Princeton sandstone, Stony Gap sandstone member of the Hinton formation, Falls Mills sandstone of 

Reger (1926), and the marine fossiliferous limestone members (including the Avis limestone of Reger) have not been consistent. If the 

log strips of the above-mentioned sections are matched on the basis 

of named sandstones correlated by surface mapping, the sequence of 

beds does not match satisfactorily. A better match is obtained by 

placing the emphasis on the marine fossil zones. If this is done, the 

red units match very well, and sandstones are present at consistent 

horizons; however, the correlation of the main sandstones the Princeton, Stony Gap, the Fall Mills, Droop and Graham of Reger (1926), 

and others is at variance with the correlation by surface mapping. 

It is fully realized that matching log strips, particularly on the basis 

of interval, may lead to serious miscorrelations; nevertheless, the 

comparison of logs suggests strongly that additional surface and sub-
544 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY - ' A i

surface data are needed to resolve the problems of correlation of theMississippian formations in southwestern Virginia.

The Bluefield formation, as recognized in wells, consists of shale 

and limestone with minor amounts of sandstone. Although the beds 

are not distinctive in themselves, they are correlated on the basis of" 

position between the Stony Gap sandstone member of the Hinton: 

formation and the Greenbrier limestone. Marine fossils are fairly 

common. The formation appears to be gradational from the Green-v 

brier limestone (below) into the red beds of the Hinton (above), as issuggested by Cooper (1948).

The top of the Greenbrier limestone is placed at the top of the 

massive limestone. This is difficult to determine, even when a complete set of samples is available, because the contact between the 

Bluefield formation and the Greenbrier limestone has an interfingering facies relationship. Furthermore, recognition of the top of theGreenbrier depends in part on the quality of the samples, the sample1 

interval, and on the sample logging. If the examiner logs a rock as 

a limestone, it is likely to be included in the Greenbrier; but if he logs 

the same rock as argillaceous limestone, it is likely to be placed in the 

Bluefield formation. Variation in the distinction of argillaceous 

limestone and relatively pure calcareous limestone is inevitable with 

different observers, and it is probable that variations occur with the 

same observer. It follows that the top of the Greenbrier limestone 

has not been consistently drawn, and that it represents neither the 

same horizon nor lithologic change in the various wells. Thickness 

maps of the Greenbrier vary considerably because of difficulty in 

determining the top of the formation. Nevertheless, the Greenbrier 

definitely is thickest in the Greendale syncline in Virginia, and considerable variation in thickness exists, even though the exact amount

of change is difficult to determine.

About half of the oil and gas production from the Greenbrier limestone in West Virginia comes from the clastic oolitic limestone beds, 

and the other half comes from the dolomitic limestone in the basal 

30 feet, according to Rittenhouse (1949, p. 1728). Porous and permeable zones in the Greenbrier apparently are confined to these zones.

In southwestern Virginia, crossbedded oolitic limestone occurs at 

intervals throughout the Greenbrier limestone. The oolites range 

from Y\ mm to 2 mm in diameter, and some pisolites, larger than 2 mm 

in diameter, are present. The matrix encasing the oolites is dense

gray to brown argillaceous limestone, which is similar to the very

sparsely oolitic limestone that makes up most of the Greenbrier limestone. Rounded and frosted quartz grains are present in the oolitic 

limestone, but they seldom exceed 1 to 2 percent of the rock; fine 

angular quartz grains are also present,. It may be possible to corre-
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 545

late the oolitic limestone from well to well in a field. However, oolitic 

limestone may be present in one well and may be absent in another 

well a mile away. Rittenhouse (1949 p. 1711-1714) described 

similar clastic oolitic limestone in the Greenbrier limestone in West 

Virginia; however, in West Virginia the percentage of oolites is higher 

and the beds are thicker and more numerous than in Virginia. According to Rittenhouse, the clastic oolitic limestone beds are beach 

or near-shore deposits. If this is correct, when the oolitic beds are 

traced parallel-to the ancient shore lines they should be nearly continuous and should reoccur at the same horizon, but when they'are 

traced from the shore oceanward they may be discontinuous and 

may occur at different horizons. However, bars and organic reefs 

might occur in the off-shore direction at the same horizon as the 

beach or .near-shore deposits of oolitic limestone.

Cherty and, in places, dolomitic limestone occurs persistently near 

the base of the Greenbrier limestone. In surface sections the chert 

occurs as nodules within the limestone, and the nodules become more 

abundant as they are traced from Bluefield, W. Va., toward the southwest. In some well samples, chert comprised more than one-fourth 

of the sample. The dolomitic limestone may be secondary, or it 

may be primary and related to the evaporites of southwestern Virginia. If it is part of the evaporite series, perhaps it should be included with the Maccrady shale or Little Valley limestone rather than 

with the Greenbrier limestone. In the correlations given in the 

well-sample descriptions, only the dolomite clearly associated with 

red beds is correlated with the Maccrady shale. Additional study 

of the origin and distribution of dolomitic limestone in the basal 

Greenbrier limestone is needed to aid the exploration for oil and gas 

in Virginia and West Virginia.

Red limestone and shale occur in the lower part of the Greenbrier 

limestone. They have been called the Taggard limestone by Reger 

(1926, p. 476-480). Wilpolt and Harden (1949) recognized the 

Taggard limestone of Reger in their surface sections, but they were 

unable to trace it in the subsurface. In a few wells, red limestone 

and shale occur at about the horizon of Reger's Taggard limestone. 

At present, there is not enough evidence to determine whether the 

Taggard limestone of Reger is widespread at the surface and generally 

absent in the subsurface, or whether these thin red beds are not 

represented in samples. It is possible that several tongues of red 

shale and limestone extend into the Greenbrier limestone facies, as 

suggested by Cooper (1948, p. 260). The Taggard limestone of 

Reger probably represents a finger, or fingers, of the red shale facies 

of the Maccrady shale and may indicate the partial equivalence of 

the Greenbrier limestone and the Maccrady shale.
546 ' " ' CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY ' ' '

The Little Valley limestone is the producing formation in the Early

 Grove gas.field. According to Averitt {1941, p. 17-21), the formation consists mainly .of argillaceous limestone with one or more beds of 

fine-grained sandstone, and is equivalent to the Maccrady shale; 

Cooper (1944, p. 154-157) recognized the Little Valley limestone 

below the Greenbrief limestone in Tazewell County, Virginia. This 

limestone is thickest in the type region in the Greendale syncline. It

 was not Tecognized in the subsurface in Buchanan and Dickenson 

Counties, but it may be represented in the basal part of the Greenbrier 

limestone.

The contact between the Greenbrier limestone and Little Valley 

limestone or Maccrady shale is sharp and easily determined because

 of the change in color and lithology. According to present definition, 

the Maccrady shale is identified by the presence of red beds. Where 

the Maccrady shale is absent, the Maccrady time interval is probably 

represented by a facies of the underlying, or overlying, formation. 

Apparently, it is absent in the Pipe Line Construction & Drilling Co., 

A. L. Powers No. 1 well, although it may be present in the United 

Producing Co., Yukon-Pocahontas No. 2 well. It is thin, or absent, 

in most of the Keen Mountain field wells and in the wells near Grundy, 

but it is present in most of the other wells in southwestern Virginia. 

In the United Fuel Gas Co., A. W. Hicks No. 6478 well, dolomite and 

anhydrite are included in the Maccrady shale because the red shale 

appears to be intimately related to the evaporites.

The contact between the Maccrady shale and the Price sandstone of 

.southwestern Virginia or the equivalent Pocono formation in West 

Virginia is drawn at the base of the red beds.

The Price sandstone consists mainly of sandstone and siltstone, with 

thin beds of coal near the middle and with conglomerate in the lower

part of the formation. In the wells in Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise 

Counties, the Price sandstone grades into, or interfingers with, darkcolored shales and siltstones. In Tazewell County and in the counties

to the northeast, red and gray sands and shales of the Ohemung formation grade upward into the Price sandstone. The basal contact of the 

Price sandstone is inconspicuous everywhere, and fossils are used to

distinguish the formation from the underlying Devonian rocks. The

T^ase of the IVIississippian. is unrecognizable in many wells, because 

diagnostic fossils are not present in the sample. Consequently, the

base of the Price sandstone is not necessarily at the same stratigraphic position in the various well-sample descriptions in the openfile report.4 Conglomerate is present at the base of the Price sand-

"«Huddle, j.w.. Jaeobsen, E. T., Williamsou, A. D. ( and others, 1955. Detailed logs of 28 wildcat wells

in Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Montgomery, and Dickenson Counties, Va. Open-file report. Original copy

on file in the Geological Survey library, Washington, D. C. Microfilm on file and available for purchase 

through the Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, K.y., and the Virginia Division of Geology, University Station, Chadottesville, Va.
OIL AND GAS 'WELLS/ SOUTHWESTERN' VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 547

stone at some localities, but it is absent in many surface sections and 

wells. According to Cooper (1944, p. 149), the Price contains a 

conglomerate 200 to 300 feet above the base at Bluefield, Va. This is 

the reason that the conglomerate in the nearby United Fuel Gas Co., 

well Nos. 6478 and 6219 was not taken as the base of the Price sandstone. The United Producing Co., Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co. No.2 

well shows much siltstone in the Price sandstone, and the formation is 

a siltstone in most of the wells to the northeast in Buchanan County. 

In the California Co.j Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 well, the base 

of the Price'is drawn arbitrarily at a change from siltstone to shale. 

Coal is present in the sample at a depth of 1,090 feet, and the contact 

between the Price sandstone and the Upper Devonian was selected 

at tne first change in lithology below the coal. Coal is unusual in the 

lower part of the Price sandstone, which is normally marine in this 

area, but coal is even more unlikely in the Upper Devonian. Several 

samples in the lower part of the Price are calcareous. Calcareous beds 

are uncommon in the surface sections of Price sandstone, but fossiliferous beds are known, and such beds could be calcareous in the subsurface, where they have not been weathered.

!, MISSISSIPPIAN AND UPPER DEVONIAN FORMATIONS

The name "Big Stone Gap shale" is used in the original broad sense 

of .Stose (chapter in Eby, 1923a, p. 46-53). It consists of a thick 

series of dark-gray and black shale with smaller amounts of gray shale 

and siltstone. At Bluefield, Va., about 10 feet of black shale lies between the overlying Price sandstone and the underlying Chemung 

formation. Cooper (1944, p. 143-144) traced this black shale from 

Bluefield to Scott County, Va., and is confident that the 10 feet of 

black shale at Bluefield is the Big Stone Gap shale. In the wells in 

Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise Counties there are no satisfactory 

criteria to distinguish the Price sandstone, Big Stone Gap shale, 

Chemung formation, and the Brallier shale, but these wells show an 

increasing thickness of black shale toward the southwest. This 

agrees with surface evidence showing that the black shale increases in 

thickness toward Scott and Lee Counties. Martens (1945, p. 11), in 

a West Virginia deep-well report, does not divide this interval and 

calls it the "Devonian shales."

DEVONIAN FORMATIONS

The Chemung and Brallier formations consist of sandstone, siltstone, and shale with some calcareous beds. At the surface, the 

Chemung is distinguished from the Brallier on the basis of stratigraphic position, fossils, and lithology. The Chemung formation
548 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

contains thicker sandstones and more sandy beds than the underlying 

Brallier shale, and the Brallier becomes thinner-bedded and has fewer 

sandstones toward the base. Undoubtedly, the contact between the 

two formations is gradational, and, without fossil evidence, it is very 

difficult to distinguish these formations. The contact between the 

formations in the well records here reported is determined primarily 

by the amount of siltstone present.

Red sandstones of the Catskill type in northern Virginia have been 

called the Hampshire formation by Butts (1940, p. 333-335). Cooper 

(1944, p. 145-151) reported red-sandstone in* the lower part of, the 

Price sandstone near Bluefield, W. Va. Red sandstone also occurs in 

the samples between 1,490 and 1,830 feet in the California Co., Kipps 

Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 well. These may be equivalent of the 

Hampshire formation of West Virginia, or they may belong in the 

lower part of the Price sandstone. This type of red bed was not seen 

in the samples of any other well.

A black fissile shale above the Huntersville chert of Price (1929) is 

called Millboro shale (Butts, 1941, p. 308-312) in this report on the 

basis of lithology and stratigraphic position. The upper contact of 

the formation is gradational into the overlying formation, whether it 

is the Brallier, Chemung, or Big Stone Gap. The subdivision of the 

rocks between the Millboro of Butts (1940) and the Price sandstone is 

unsatisfactory, and additional surface and subsurface mapping and 

stratigraphic study are needed to determine the Devonian stratigraphy of this area. Only some of the more obvious phases of the 

facies problems are understood at present.

The Cumberland Mountain thrust block rides on the black shale 

series in Wise and Dickenson Counties. The Clinchfield Coal Corp.,. 

well Nos. 102, 105, and 106 show evidence of the Pine Mountain overthrust fault. In the wells that penetrated the fault zones the black 

shale has been altered to a coal-like graphitic shale in the gouge zones. 

Apparently, the stratigraphic displacement is not great, and the movement must have been mainly horizontal in the black shale, because all

the wells penetrate a normal succession of strata and penetrate the

Huntersville chert of Price (1929) immediately below the black shales.

Price's Huntersville chert includes gray, white, and black chert;

siliceous limestone; and siltstone. It is quite unlike any of the younger 

rocks and is easily recognized in the normal section; however, it could

be confused with some of the older rocks in the area. In Tazewell

County, there are two zones of glauconite in the Huntersville chert

(Cooper, 1944, p. 132-133). In the United Fuel Gas Co., New River 

PocahOIltaS Coal Co. NO. 0219 well in MoDoweii County, west Virginia, glauconite is present in the samples here correlated with the
549

Huntersville chert, but glauconite also occurs in the "Oriskany" sands 

of the West Virginia subsurface (Martens, 1945, p. 11,12). The following wells in southwest Virginia have penetrated the Huntersville chert 

 of Price (1929): the California Co., Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 

well, Montgomery County; the United Producing Co., C. L. Hitter 

No. 1-1527 well, Buchanan County; and the Clinchfield Coal Corp., 

Arch Rose No. 105 well, Dickenson County. The Clinchfield Coal 

'Corp., G. W. C. Smith No. 106 well probably reached Price's Huntersville, but the samples have not been studied for the deeper portion of 

this well. The Southwestern Oil & Gas Co., Hagan No. 3 well in 

Wise County also penetrated the Huntersville chert of Price (1929), 

but no samples are available. The Jenkins and others, Osborne No. 1 

well in Wise County started below Price's Huntersville chert, and the 

first cuttings preserved were between 225 and 230 feet in the Clinton 

forMatron.

Part of the Huntersville chert of Price (1929) may have been cut 

off by the Pine Mountain over thrust in the Clinchfield Coal Corp., 

Arch Rose No. 105 well. In the California Co., Kipps Anthracite 

No.. 1 well in Montgomery County, Price's Huntersville chert primarily is hard siliceous limestone and quartzitic sandstone with very 

low, porosity. Lithologically, it is quite different from Price's Huntersville chert as found in the wells in West Virginia and in Buchanan 

and Dickenson Counties.

It, is' not possible in any of the wells to distinguish between the 

Rocky Gap sandstone of Swartz (1929) and the Ridgeley sandstone, 

because fossils necessary to distinguish these sandstones are not avail- 

:ablerin the well samples". The formations are equivalent to the beds 

called the Oriskany sandstone in West Virginia wells (Martens, 1939, 

p. 30-36). The type Oriskany sandstone of New York is not directly 

traceable into the area under discussion, but the Rocky Gap sandstone of Swartz (1929) and Ridgeley sandstone are mapped in southwestern Virginia; these names are preferred because the correlation 

with the Oriskany sandstone of New York is doubtful. The underlying fossiliferous limy shales are called Helderberg limestone in West 

Virginia, but they have been identified as New Scotland limestone in 

the United Fuel Gas Co., New River Pocahontas Coal Co. No. 6219 

well and in the United Producing Co., C. L. Ritter No. 1-1527 well, 

in accordance with the terminology used by the Virginia Geological 

Survey. Some of the rocks included in this interval may be of 

Silurian age.

SILURIAN FORMATIONS

The Upper Silurian formations cropping out in southwestern 

Virginia are called Hancock limestone in Lee County and are called
550 CONTRIBUTIONS ; TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY . . ,

Tonoloway limestone in Tazewell County and other counties toward 

the northeast. The Hancock limestone is penetrated by a number of 

the wells in Lee County. Limestone of Late Silurian age is not reached 

by the wells in Dickenson and Buchanan Counties, except by the 

United Producing Co., C. L. Hitter No. 1-1527 well. The United 

Fuel Gas Co. No. 6219 well, McDowell County, W, Va., encountered 

336 feet of dolomite and anhydrite in the Upper Silurian rocks. The 

name "Cayuga dolomite" is used for Silurian rocks in these wells because this term indicates less-precise correlation than Hancock limestone or Tonoloway limestone, and the evidence does not justify an 

exact correlation. The beds called Cayuga dolomite in United Fuel 

Gas. Co. No. 6219 well are probably equivalent to those called the 

Salina formation in central and northern West Virginia by Martens 

(1945, p. 12-13).

The sandstones of the Clinton and Clinch formations are very hard 

and quartzitic in the northern counties of the area under consideration, but they become argillaceous and thin bedded toward the southwest in Lee County. Usually, the sandstones of the Clinton and. 

Clinch formations can be recognized in well samples by the presence, 

of hard quartzitic sandstone and by the red iron ores that occur in 

the sandstones of the Clinton formation. The iron ores are most 

abundant in the lower part of'the Clinton. The Silurian sandstone 

section was penetrated by the wells in the Rose Hill and Jonesville: 

areas, by the Jehkins and others Osborne No. 1 well in Wise County, 

and by the California Co., Kipps Anthracite Coal Co., No, 1 well in 

Montgomery County.

COREELATION OF FORMATIONS IN THE ROSE HILL FIELD,. EARLY 

GROVE FIELD, AND OUTLYING WELLS

Only two wells from the Rose Hill field were studied for this report. 

They were correlated with the aid of information supplied by R. L. 

Miller, who checked the correlations. Miller and Fuller (1904) in 

their Rose Hill report have a table giving the diagnostic characters 

of the older rocks as seen in samples (this material is not repeated 

here). Averitt (1941, p. 23-25) discussed the correlation of the Early 

Grove gas field wells (this discussion is not repeated here). The 

OUtlying wells, such as the California Co., Kipps Anthracite Coal Co.

No. 1 well, and the Jenkins and others, Osborne No. 1 Well, hftV6

been correlated by comparison with nearby surface sections. The

Jenkins and others, Osborne No. 1 -well, was compared with the

Hagan section measured by Miller and Brosge (1950), the Poweii

Valley sections measured by Bates (1939), the Wise County sections
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 551

measured-by Eby (1923a), and the Tazewell County section measured 

by Cooper (1944),

STJMMABY

In recent years, geologists have become increasingly aware of the 

complexity of Appalachian geosynclinal stratigraphy. The recognition of deltaic and related depositional environments has led to a 

better understanding of the relationships of many of the formations 

and to the elimination of some of the unconformities and formations, 

Special problems of the relationship of the Mississippian formations 

were suggested in a paper by Cooper (1948). The problems of the 

Devonian rocks of this character have not yet received study, and the 

problems of the Silurian and Ordovician rocks have not yet been completely solved. Much stratigraphic work remains to be done in the 

Valley of Virginia and adjacent areas before the complex picture is 

completed. In southwest Virginia, deposition appears to have been 

essentially continuous from the beginning of Millboro time of Butts 

(1940) until the end of Pottsville time. Sharp contacts and easily 

traced key beds are unusual. The rocks were deposited in the subaerial and seaward portions of deltas and in the adjacent bays, lagoons, 

and open sea. At times the climate was moist, and coal-forming 

swamps were present in the deltas. At other times the climate was 

dry, and evaporites were deposited in local areas. The complicated 

facies that resulted from these conditions will be better understood 

as additional wells are drilled and as better stratigraphic control is 

available. Additional drilling in the Cumberland overthrust block 

will provide more control on the nature and character of the Pine 

Mountain overthrust if the wells are drilled through the overthrust 

block. Many other stratigraphic and structural problems remain in 

southwestern Virginia. . Additional subsurface studies will be extremely 

helpful in solving some of these problems.
552 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

WELL, LOGS

[Complete sample descriptions are available in open-file reports of the U. S. Geological Survey]

VIRGINIA

BTJCHANAN COUNTY

Clinchfield Coal Corp. No. 102 well

Clinchfield Coal Corp., owner

Located 5,000 ft west of 82°10'; 4,500 ft south of 37°10'. 

Elevation, 1,373.2 ft. Total depth, 5,847 ft.

Drilling commenced Nov. 16, 1948; deepened, Feb. 1, 1950 to Apr. 7, 1950. 

Production: None.

Coal at 268-275, 350-354, 375-392, 553-555, 898-905, 1,052-1,060, 1,080-1,090,

1,103-1,114, 1,440-1,450, 1,470-1,500, 1,529-1,543, 1,592-1,610, 2,769-2,771 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation. 

Formations' (feet) (feet) '

Norton formation.....___-___________________..-__-_-.___ 512+ 535

Lee formation_________________________________________ 1, 103 1, 638

Bluestone formation. __________________________________ 580 2, 218

Princeton sandstone--------_-----_-_-_--_--------_-_-_-- 67 2,285

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger________________________________ 57 2,342

Hinton formation undivided. ___________________________ 243 2,585

Stony Gap sandstone member.. _ ________________________ 263 2, 848

Bluefield formation.._______________________ 502 3, 350

Greenbrier limestone._-_----_______-___-_-_--____________ 386 3, 736

Maccrady shale--_---_---_-_________-_______-___________ 57 3,793

Price sandstone--_---_-----.-_-_-_-_-_-_____________-_-_ 347 4, 140

Big Stone Gap shale..._____..........____....__._. 368+ 4, 508

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co. No. 2-1466 well

United Producing Co.

Located 200 ft south of 37°10'; 13,800 ft east of 82°05'.

Elevation, ground, 1,751 ft. Total depth, 5,100 ft; filled back to 4,216 ft.

Drilling commenced Nov. 13, 1947; completed July 7, 1948.

Production: 30 million cubic feet (initial).

Shows: gas at 1,585, 3,062-3,076, 4,058, 4,375 ft; oil at 1,086 ft.

Coal at 390-400, 424-435, 484-493, 581-592, 750-756, 769-775, 852-863, 957-

963, 971-978, 1,119-1,125, 1,147-1,155, 1,214-1,220, 1,258-1,269, 1,280-1,287, 

1,373-1,383, 1,475-1,484, 1,563-1,572, 1,647-1,652, 1,692-1,700, 1,700-1,706, 

1,883-1,887, 1,887-1893, 2,275-2,287 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia (Geological Survey. Depth to

Thickness formation

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation________________-_---_-_-------------- 502+ 581

Lee formation..---...----------.-.---------------------- 1, 369 1, 950

Bluestone formation. ..-___-._.__.__.__.___-_---------- 482 2, 432

Princeton sandstone ------------------------------------- 148 2, 580

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger.------------------------------- 65 2,645

Hinton formation undivided....._-.._-_....-...-...---- 385 3,030

Stony Gap sandstone member_______-_____-.____-_----_- 185 3,215
553

Depth to 

base of

Formations Thickness formation

(feet) (feet)

Bluefield formation_--_-______--_-_____.______--_______ -505 3;'720

Greenbrier limestone.------'-_------_--_-__--._ 1 __________ ' 603 4, 323-

Maccrady(?) shale.-------.--_-----__..-.__-------- 17 4, 340

Price sandstone.-------_---_---_-_----------_----------- 285 4, 625

Big Stone Gap shale--.---.-.---___..-___-----___._ 323 4,948

Chemung formation....--_._--_-________-_____-__-____-__ 152+ 5, 100

F. H. Curtis No. 1-A well

Pipe Line Construction & Drilling Co.

Located 9,800 ft west of 82°00'; 29,400 ft south of 37°25'.

Elevation, 1,987.44 ft. Total depth, 3,461 ft.

Drilling commenced Oct. 3, 1948; completed June 1, 1949.

Production: 6,005.3 million cubic feet (initial) at 3,397-3,431 ft.

Shows: gas at 1,485, 2,750, 2,760, 3,386 ft; oil at 1,022, 2,250 ft.

Coal at 456-460, 2,127-2,132, 2,132-2,137, 2,137-2,142, 2,146-2,450, 3,029-

3,033ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

Depth to' 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation.... _____________.___________________ __ 659+ 1, 010-

Lee formation____________-_________________._____ ______ 1, 219 2, 229'

Bluestone formation..___________________________________ 371 2,600'

Princeton sandstone.__-_--___--_____ -___-_____-______- 20U 2, 800*

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger.____.___---__.______-_.______-- 50 2,850

Hinton formation undivided--_-____----_--___--__-.---- 367 3,217

Stony Gap sandstone member...__.__._._._ __ _________._ 58 3,'275

Bluefield formation.___._.____._____.____.__------- 186+ 3,461

R. A. Looney No. 1-1659 well

United Producing Co.

Located 30,100 ft south of 37°25'; 11,600 ft west of 82°00'.

Elevation, ground, 2,076 ft. Total depth, 4,175 ft.

Drilling commenced Sept. 8, 1949; completed Jan. 19, 1950.

Production: None.

Shows: gas at 1,555 and 2,247 ft; oil at 1,205 ft.

Coal at 28-30, 57-60, 115-117 ft according to drillers' log; 362-367, 391-399, 

407-413, 413-419, 1,464-1,473, 1,552-1,559, 1,601-1,612, 1,976-1,980, 2,162- 

2,170, 2,178-2,183, 2,195-2,198, 2,198-2,206, 2,206-2,212, 2,215-2,218 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth tobase of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Nortomformation______________________________________ " 789+ 1, 125

Lee formation...._______________________________________ 1, 210 2, 335

Bluestone formation_____---_---_-__.-________----__-__-. 465 2, 800'

Princeton sandstone_-_-----_-----_____-_____---_____-_-_ 124 2, 924

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger. -__-----_.___-______--_______-- 54

Hinton formation undivided- _________- _______-_________ 252 +
554 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

<No sample)..___._________________________ 502 3,732

Bluefield formation._________________________ 36+ 3, 768(?)

Greenbrier limestone_______________________- 339(?>4,,107

Maccrady shale_____ _ __________________ 68+ 4, 175

W. H. Matney No. 1 well

United Producing Co.

Located 20,900 ft south of 37°20'; 14,900 ft west of 82°00'.

Elevation, ground, 1,769.86 ft. Total depth, 2,870 ft.

Drilling commenced June 10, 1949.

Coal at 202-205, 507-512, 600-604, 691-698, 895-902, 1,043-1,050, .1,167-1,175,

1,310-1,322, 1,603-1,605, 1,605-1,613, 1,659-1,667, 1,763-1,769 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth to 

base- of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation____:_______________________________ 694+ 718

Lee formation____________________________________ 1, 132 1, 850

Bluestone formation __________________________ _.___ 381+ 2, 231

A. L. Powers No. 1 well

Pipe Line Construction & Drilling Co.

Located 16,300 ft west of 82°00'; 20,400 ft south of 37°20'.

Elevation, 1,509.25 ft. Total depth, 3,725 ft.

Drilling commenced Sept. 5, 1948; completed Apr. 10, 1949.

Production: 3,452 million cubic feet at 3,332-3,334, 3.472-3,474, 3,500-3,508 ft.

Shows: gas at 315, 843, 2,609-2,619 ft.

Coal at 485-489, 1,375-1,380 ft. , '

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth to 

base-of

. . Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation._____________________________________ 407+ 528

Lee formation___________________________________ 1, 062 1, 590

Bluestone formation.____________________________________ 360 1, 950

Princeton sandstone. ------------------------------------ 168 2,118

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of E.eger________-________-_--_-------- 67 2, 185

Hinton formation undivided.________________ _______ 227 2,412

Stony Gap sandstone member..._______ __- .-^.-. 209 2, 621

Bluefield formation. ____________________________________ 519 . 3,140

Greenbrier limestone___._>_.________ _____________ 370 3, 510

Maccrady shale.._________________-__-_.---------------- 11S 3> 628

Price sandstone...._______________.____-..___ 07+ 3,725

R. J. Carl son No. 1 well ' 

Keen Mountain field

Pipe Line Construction & Drilling Co.

Located 3,500 ft west Of 81°55'j 29,400 ft south of 37°20'. 

Elevation, 2,122.62 ft. Total depth, 4,731 ft.
OIL AND GAS wilLLS, 'SOUTHWESTERN 1' VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 555

Formations 

bion _ ________________ _________

nation____________________ _____

istone _ _________________ _ _ _ _ _ ^ _ .

Thiekness 

(feet)

.--_-._-___- 170+

..--__-____ 1,364

._-.__.-____ 501

.-__-__-.--- 86

Depth to 

base of 

formation 

(feet)

808

2,172

2,673

2.759

Drilling commenced June 10, 1948; 'completed Feb. 23, 1949.

Production: 400 million cubic feet at 4,040-4,044 ft.

iShows: gas at 1,228-1,233, 1,900-1,905, 3,176, 3,833-3,835 ft.

Coal at 1,065-1,074, 1,176-1,196, 1,202-1,212, 1,735-1,750, 1,911-1,920, 2,323-

.2,33d ft. 

.'Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey. 

^Norton formation 

Lee formation 

Bluestone forr 

Princeton san< 

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger_________________J_i'__________ 81 2, 840

Hinton formation undivided._-____________^__________ 551 3,391

Stony Gap sandstone member__________-______________ 139 3, 530

Bluefield formation.._________________._ ____ ____ 385 3, 915

Greenbrier limestone_____________________________________ 569 4,484

Maccrady shale.__-_-._-----___---___-_-____-__-___---._ 101 4, 585

Price sandstone._--_________..._J______._-____ 127+ 4, 712

National Shawmut Bank of Boston No. 5810 well

United Fuel Gas Co.

Located 15,000 ft north of 37°20'; 9,800 ft West of 81°55'.

Elevation, ground, 1,263.12 ft. Total depth, 5,302 ft.

Drilling commenced Feb. 2, 1949; completed Aug. 12, 1949.

Production: None.

Shows: gas at 222, 494, 917, 1,209, 1,350, 2,274-2,279, 2,308-2,312, 2,805, 2,812,

3,151-3,200 ft. 

;Coal at, 285-291, 310,315, 335-345, 440-450, 828-836, 836-841, 915-926, 964-

973 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

 Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation_______________________________ 426+ 486

Lee formation.__________1_________________ 932 1,418

Bluestone formation._________.____________.___ 374 1, 792

Princeton sandstone.____________________________________ 108 1, 900

Hinton .formation:

Avis limestone of Reger._____________________________ 37 1,937

Hinton formation undivided__________________________ 249 2,186

Stony Gap sandstone member________._______.__.__.._ 88 2,274

TNuefield formation._______________________ 619 2,893

Greenbrier limestone______________.______________________ 338 3, 231

Maccrady shale.____________________________. 147 3, 378

Price sandstone.-...________________________ 231 3,609

Big Stone Gap shale..._______________________ 288 3,897

Chemung and Brallier formations_-______________.___-_-- 888 4,785

Millboro shale of Butts (1940)..__.._.._.___.-__._..-... 520+ 5,305
556 CONTRIBUTIONS TO 'ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 

Slocum Land Corp. No. 1-1525 well

Keen Mountain field

United Producing Co.

Located 29,950 ft south of 37°20'; 13,000 ft west of 81°55'.

Elevation, ground, 1621.2 ft. Total depth, 2,365 ft (filled back to 2,345 ft.)

Drilling commenced Mar. 29, 1947;' completed Aug. 28,-1948.

Production: 348 million cubic feet at 1,005, 2,306 ft.

Coal at 2,164-2,175, 2,193-2,202, 2,210-2,220, and 2,230-2,239 ft.

.Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations . (feet) (feet)

Bluestone formation.____________________.__________ ____ 421+ 2,286

Princeton sandstone. __ _________.__-___________-_-__----- 79+ 2, 365

Slocum Land Corp. No. 2-1539 well

Keen Mountain field

United Producing Co.

Located 11,200 ft west of 81°55'; on 37°15'.

Elevation, ground, 1933.7 ft. Total depth, 4,611 ft.

Drilling commenced Dec. 1, 1948; completed Sept. 22, 1949.

Shows: gas at 1,253, 4,119, 4,412 ft.

Coal at 421-433, 574-579, 623-645, 1,018-1,032, 1,245-1,256, 1,407-1,41.7, 1,437-

1,449, 1,505-1,521, 1,675-1,692, 1,698-1,702, 1,718-1,725, 1,725-1,728, 1,803-

1,827, 1,835-1,842 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey; Kentucky Geological

Survey, 1,865-2,713 ft.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) -,, (feet)

Norton formation______________________________________-_ 314+ 735

Lee formation...._.._..__.. ...._ ... _......._....._ 1,130+ 1,865

Hugh McRae No. 6431 well

United Fuel Gas Co.

Located 4,350 ft south of 37°10'; 9,800 ft east of 82°00'.

Elevation, -ground, 1709.14 ft. Total depth, 4,800 ft (plugged to 2,530 ft).

Drilling commenced Oct. 16, 1948; completed July 28, 1949.

Production: 133 million cubic feet at 935-938 ft.

Shows: gas at 810, 1,348-1,352 ft; oil at 2,678-3,036 ft.

Coal at 482-488, 500-508, 531-537, 609-618, 676-684, 775-780, 792-798, 868-878,

933-941, 956-962, 1,239-1,249, 1,340-1,354, 1,408-1,418 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey; Kentucky Geological

Survey, 275-998 ft.

Depth to -base of

Thickness formation

Formations (.feet) (feet)

Norton formation.......................... . . H5t *20

Lee formation___________________-____-_-_--_------------ 1, 332 I, 752

Bluestone formation.__......._............-.-.-----.---- 443 2» 195

Princeton sandstone.._..__....-._._--_------------------ !?! 2,366
'OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN' VIRGINIA' BEFORE 1950 557

Formations

HintOn formation:

Avis limestone of Reger______________________________

Hinton formation undivided._..._.___.________.____..

Stony Gap sandstone member...._____...________.___- 310

BluefieldJormation. _____________________________________ 534

dreenbrigr,flinie§ton.e- -_...--___-.-._________.___________. 524

Maccrady shale.________________________________________ 54

Price sandstone.________________________________________ 232

Big Stone Gap shale._-__________________________________ 299 +

C. L. Hitter No. 1-1527 well

Keen Mountain field

United Producing Co.

Located 3,000 ft south of 37°15'; 9,500 ft west of 81°55'.

Elevation, derrick, 2,252 ft. Total depth, 8,012 ft.

Drilling commenced'-M&y 11, 1948;

Coal at 2,189-2,197, 2,821-2,831, 3,190-3,200 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey; Kentucky Geological

Survey, 7,177-7,448 ft.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Lee formation..........._.____..._____.__..__._._.._.. 287+ 2, 400

Bluestone formation_..___________..__.______.______.__._ 461 2, 861

Princeton sandstone. _-_-_-___-_._____________________,._- 133 2, 994

HiritMi'forina'tipn:

Avis limestone of Reger.______________________________ 52 3,046

Hinton formation undivided.__._:___________._______. 502 3,548

Stony Gap sandstone member.________________________ 174 3,722

BKiefield formation..____.._________._._________.__._._._ 411 4, 133

Greenbrier limestone.-_--________-_--_.__________._______ 517 4, 650

Maccrady shale.-__----____-__-________-___-____________ 104 4, 754

Price sandstone..._._.._..______...__________________.__ 246 5, 000

Big Stone Gap shale.____________________________________ 274 5,274

Chemung and Brallier formations_--______-..___-_-^_._.___ 1, 215 6, 489

Mill'boro shale- of Butts (1940).__._..______________________ 646 7, 135

Huntersville-chert of Price (1929),..._.__.._....._..._.._.. 55 7, 190

(No sample).._-----------__...___________._ 48 7, 238

New Scotland limestone.._._____________.__..__._.... 120 7, 358

, Cay uga. dolomite. .....................................^. 228 7, 586

Clinton formation.. ...........................^......... 56+ 7, 6*2 \

W. M. Ritter No. l-V-1461 well

Keen* Mountain field 

United Producing Co.

Located 2,100 ft south of 37° 15'; 12,250 ft west of 81°55'. 

Elevation, ground, 1619.16 ft. Total depth, 2,301 ft. 

Drilling commenced Aug. 20, 1947; completed Feb. 1, 1948. 

Production: 17,196 million cubic feet at 2,295-2,301 ft. 

Shows: gas at 714-724, 1,086, 1,405, 1,550 ft.

Coal .at 264-283, 614-625, 696-698, 701-711, 726, 722-756, 1,409-1, 419, 1,437- 

1,447, 1,547-1,560 ft.
558 .-. ... ; C.ONTRIBUTIpNSTTp'ECOl^Olaiie .GEOLOGT

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey; Kentucky Geological

Survey, 650-2,300 ft.

 . i , Depth to 

base of\

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation. __ ________ _ _ __ ___________________ 404+ 426-

Lee formation;._____ _________________________ 1,329 1,755-

Bluestone formation. __ ________________________ 378 2,. 1.35

Princeton sandstone. _________ ____ _ ___ _ ___ ... _ __ 168db .2, 301

W. M. Hitter No. 2- V-1481 well

Keen Mountain field

United Producing Co.

Located 2,500 ft south of 37°15'; 15,500 ft west of 81°55'. ., :

Elevation, ground, 1726.3 ft. Total depth, 4,275 ft (filled back to 2,480 ft)./ ; 

Drilling commenced Apr. 9j< 1948; completed Feb. 16, 1949.

Production: 51 million cubic feet; T. P. at 458, 2,460 ft.

Shows: oil at 3,871, 3,880 ft. 

Coal at 2,336-2,343, 2,381-2,398 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth tobase of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Bluestone formation. ____ _ __ _________________________ 163+ 2, 401

Princeton sandstone. ---._--_- __ ___-___________-_.___-. 134 . 2,535-

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger__ _ _____ _ ___________________ 52 2, 587

Hinton formation undivided. ___ ___ ___ _ _____________ 513 3, 100

Stony Gap sandstone member _ ______ ___ __ _ _ ____ 162 3,262

Bluefield foimation__ __ ___ ____ ______________ _ _ ___ 411 3, 67$

Greenbrier limestone _ ___________________________________ 502 4, 175-

Maccrady(?) shale. _______________ 87± 4,262

W. M. Bitter No. --V-1557 well

Keen Mountain field

United Producing. Co.

Located 4,700 ft south of 37°15'; 15,600 ft west of 81°55'.

Elevation, derrick, 2258.64 £t. Total depth, 4,928 ft (hole plugged to 4,688. ft).

Drilling commenced Sept, 16, 1948; completed May 22, 1949. :;,;.

Production: None. ,(.;> 

Shows: gas at 1,988-1,991, 2,475-2,782 ft; oil at 2,475-2,482 ft. .. .; w. ' 

Coal at 808-811, 824-830, 908-917, 922-933, 933-942, 1,431-1,436, 1,588-4,594, 

2,171-2,181, 2,101-2,200, 2,914-2,918 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey, 3,464-4,675 ft.

. ,%Deptli to 

. base of.

Thickness 'formation

Formations . ^eef) . Veet)

Norton formation, _____________________ _ _ ____ __ _ 579+ 959

Lee formation. ____ ............ - . -.-- x » 51& 2» 474

Bluestone foimation_-_-_-_j_____________________. _______ 440 2,914

Princeton sandstone.-.--- - ------ --------- . 142 .3,056
OIL AND GAS .WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 559

Depth tO' 

bane of 

Formations Thickness' formation

Hinton formation: ^ I/**0

Avis limestone of Reger.---._. ___ ________________ 65 3,121

Hinton formation undivided._______________________ 515 . 3, 636

Stony Gap sandstone member.__ _____________ 143 3, 779

Buefield formation __________________________ 410. 4, 189

Greenbrier limestone______________ _________________ 486+ . 4; 67&

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Company No. 3-1563 well < Keen Mountain field

United Producing'Co. . 

Located 6,500 ft'south of 37°15'; 14,000 ft west of 81 P55'. 

Elevation, ground, 1,673.5 ft. Total depth, 4,399 ft (plugged to 4,140 ft). 

Drilling commenced Nov. 13, 1948; completed May 7, 1949. 

Production: 6,152 million cubic feet. 

Shows: gas at 1,577, 1,590, 3,885-3,905 ft.

Coal at 170-175, 298-305, 742-748, 778-784, 1,058-1,071,1,446-1,465,1,577-1,593 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey; Kentucky Geological 

Survey, 1,790-2,188, 2,215-4,283 ft.

Formations 

Norton formation __ ________________________

Lee formation _ _________ _________________

Bluestone formation. _________________________

Princeton sandstone.. -------------- __ ______

Depth tobase of 

Thickness formation 

(feet) (feet)

____________ 420+ 500

____________ 1,378 1, 87&

____________ 450 2,328

 ____.____ 124 2.452

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger__-_ _______________________ 78 2,530-

Hinton formation undivided._____ ___ _______ 562 3, 092

Stony Gap sandstone member.__________________ 110 3,202

Bluefield formation..__.. __________________ 476 3,678

Greenbrier limestone-____-----_-_-__--_--------__-_______ 460 4, 138

Maccrady shale...__________________________ 68 4, 206

Price sandstone....__________________________ 77+ 4, _?83

Yukon-Pocahontas .Coal Company No. 4-1G46 well

Keen Mountain,field

United -Producing Co.

Located 7,400 ft south of 37°15'; 12,000 ft west of 81°55'.

Elevation, ground, 1752.6 ft. Total depth, 2,404 ft.

Production: 20,134 million cubic feet (initial) at 2,391, 2,392, 2,400, 2,404. ft.

(main production).

Shows: gas at 1,030, 1,461-1,465, 1,595-1,601 ft.

Coal at 148-152, 182-186, 194-198, 285-288, 310-315, 350-355, 381-387, 675- 

682, 788-796, 1,026-1,036, 1,102-1,111, 1,246-1,256, 1,461-1,464, 1,592-1,559, 

1,599-1,608 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation__________.___..____...... .583+ 723

Lee formation_...__._..________________ 1, 175 1, 898

Bluestone formation_____-_____________________________ 485 2, 383

Princeton sandstone.-----------------------------_-_-_ 8+ 2, 391
560 ; . CONTRIBUTIONS. TA,ECONOMIC GEOLOGY . 

Yukon-Pocahontas Coal Co. No. 5-1647 well

Keen Mountain1 field

United Producing Co.

Located 10,600 ft south of 37°15'; 15,200 ft west of 81°55'.

Elevation, ground, 1826.4 ft. Total depth, 4,358 ft.

Drilling commenced Aug. 30,1949; completed Jan. 1, 1950..

Production: 926 ;n$liftnCcubie ..feiet '.(initial^'at 4,014> 4;<$9Jj^ 4,262-4;26

production,)" 4,358 ft. 

Shows: gas at 1,767, 3,940 ft. 

Coal at 82-90, 99-101, 184-190, 243-248, 507-510, 1,028-1,030, 1,202-1,208,

1,281-1,291, 1,609-1,611, 1,767-1,773, 1,864-1,873 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth- to 

base of

Thickness^ formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation. ___.--__..-___-__-_-_-__-______--.-_____ 669+ 669 .

Le&{$tmM<,iQ&-----.------------------------------------- 1,413 2, 082 

Bluestoneformation____________________________________ 410 2, 492

Princeton sandstone____________________________________ 157 2, 649

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger.__.._______.____^_____________ 64 2,713

Hinton formation undivided_________________-.___...__ 501 3,214

Stony Gap sandstone member _______________________ _.._._ 170 3, 384

Bluefieldformation___-..__________-_-_---____.___-__--__. 505 3,889

Greenbrierlimestone.-----------.------------------------ 459 4,348

Maccrady shale___-------_-_--__----.-------_---__---_ 6+~, 4, 354 ,

DICKENSON COUNTY

Clinchfield Coal Corp- No. 101 well

Nora field

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

Located 4,500 ft± west of 82°20'; 6,200 ftdb south of 37°05'.

Elevation, ground, 1,520.5 ft. Total depth, 4,551 ft.

Production: 1,632 million cubic feet (after acid).

Shows: gas at 1,028-1,032 ft.

Coal at 24-32, 145-152, 167-175, 208-213, 321-327, 511-518, 544-550, 663-671,

865-870, 1,097-1,102, 1,182-1,191, 1,261-1,270, 1,316-1,324, 1,470-1,475,

1,649-1,658 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (/6«i)

Norton formation____............---...------ T --------- 574+ 574

Leeformation..--,__-_-.---_-_--------------:------------ 1, 109 1, 683

Bluestone formation____________________________________ 591 2, 274

Princeton sandstone.... - ----------- .,..-- 72 2,346

Hinton formation:

Avislimestoneof Reger____-____-_----_____----------- 7i 2,417

Hinton formation undivided.-.------------------------ 267 2,684

Stony Gap sandstone member. ___._______-__---------- 238 2,922

Bluefield formation. ____ _______,.._..._...._-....-.------- 441 3, 363

Greenbrierlimestone-----__._.__________..______-___-.___ 534 3, 897
OIL AND GAS'WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 561

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations : (feet) (feet)

Maccrady shale_-_------_^_-_--__-----------------------. 55 3,952

Price'sandstone...__________________________ 248 4, 200

Big Stone Gap shale.____-_____________________ 291 4,491

Chemungformation____________________________________ 60+ 4, 551

J. C. Rasnick No. 103 well

Nora field

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

Located; 5;000 ft -westof 82°20.'; 2,900;fi>,south of* 37°05S'.

Elevation, ground, 1504.3 ft. Total depth, 3,'910 ft.

Drilling commenced May 1949; completed Oct. 18, 1949.

Production: 666 million cubic feet (settled) at 3,817 ft.

Shows: gas at 555, 1,054, 1,519-1,525 ft; oil at 669-670 ft.

Coal at 169-175, 203-206, 336-343, 594-597, 1,042-1,048, 1,177-1,182, 1,266-

1,277, 1,374-1,377, 1,405-1,408, 1,514-1,516, 1,525-1,529, 1,594-1,596, 1,629-

1,636ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation___.__________.______.... .603+ 603

Leeformation__________________________._'______.____ 1, 065 1, 668

Bluestoneformation______________________________________ 566 2,234

Princetonsandstone________-_.___-.___-.._.__-_-.___.__ 78 2, 312

HintQn, formation:

.Avis limestone of Reger_____________-_____-_______-_-_ 66 2,378

Hinton formation undivided_..____._.__.____.....__- 272 ,2,650

Stony Gapsandstonemember___--__-_-__--____--_-_-_ 253 2,903

Blufieldformation...________________________ 452 3,355

Greenbrier limestone_-_-_-___-______--___-----______--.-_ 497 3,852

Maccrady shale ._______________._________ 58+ 3, 910

B.C. Smith-No. 104 .well

Nora fields

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

Located 2,700 ft west of 82°20'; 8,000 ft south of 37°05'

Elevation, ground, 1,524.14ft. Total depth, 4,033 ft. '

Drilling commenced May 24, 1949; completed Oct. 20, 1949.

Production: 1,555 million cubic feet at 3,974-3,983 ft.

Shows: gas at 1,083-1,085, 1,700-1,706, 3,781-3,786, 3,940-3,945 ft.

Coal at 167-170, 333-338, 343-347, 1,213-1;222, -1,341-1,344, 1,592-1,596, 1,699- 

1,706, 1,716-1,721, 1,721-1,725, 1,725-1,730, 1,734-1,744 ft.

Sample-library reference:.Virginia Geological Survey; Kentucky Geological Survey, 103-1,711 ft.

Thickness 

Formations ' (feet)

Norton formation________________________________.____ 498+ . 601

Leeformation..__________________________-_._.____. .1, 133. . .1, 734

Bluestone formation.___._______________..______ 598' 2,332

Princeton sandstone___.-_-_-_______-.--____-___-_.__--. 70 2, 402
562 .: . CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Formations Thickness

Hinton formation: (feet)'

Avis limestone of Reger______________________^_^_____ 96 2,498

Hinton formation undivided______._ ________,._ 230 2, 728

Stony Gap sandstone member. _________________^______ 268 2,996

Bluefieldformation...--__________ ______,_ r ___ 470 3,466

 Greenbrierlimestone-__----____-_-_____-_-____,.-_-_____-- 516 3,982

Maccrady shale___________________-__.-_-_ 43+ 4, 025

Arch Rose No. 105 well . '

'Clinchfield Coal Corp. 

Located 11,900 ft west of 82°20'; 7,100 ft south of 37°10'.

Elevation, ground, 1431.3 ft. Total depth, 5,364 ft.

Drilling commenced June 9, 1949; completed Dec. 17, 1949.

Production: 442 million cubic feet (settled).

Shows: gas at 620, 872, 1,011, 4,150-4,157 (?) ft.

Coal at 35-44, 209-214, 227-232, 425-431, 443-447, 793-800, 1,086-1,091,

1,164-1,174, 1,479-1,484 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Norton formation________________________________ 679+ 679

Lee formation ..____________________________ 1, 027 1, 706

Bluestone formation. __________________________ 451 2, 157

Princeton sandstone _____'_'_'_ ___________._______"__"_______. 125 2, 282

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger"._____________________________ 51 ± . 2,333

Hinton formation undivided __________________________ 271 ± -2, 604

(No sample).__________________________ 30 2,634

Stony Gap sandstone member._"_______-__-__________ 94± 2,728

Bluefieldformation..______________________ 444 3, 172

Greenbrier limestone_________'__"_______ ____ _ 373 3, 545

Maccrady shale________________________________. 66 3, 611

Price sandstone...._________^______________ 286 3, 897

Big Stone Gap shale.________________________. 420; 4,317

Chemung and Brallier formations______________________^_ '"?. ' . ?

Fault gouge; Pine Mountain overthrust (?)________________- 5 5, 276

Millboro shale of Butts (1940)____---__---_-_---_------- ? 5,361

Huntersville (?) chert of Price (1929)_____..._.._.... . 3 + 5, 364

G. W. C. Smith No. 106 well

Clinchfield Coal Corp.

Located 5,500' west of 82°20'; 8,300 ft south of 37°05'. 

Elevation, ground, 1525.3 ft. Total depth, 5,754 ft. 

Drilling commenced June 21, 1949; completed Jan. 19, 1950. 

Production: 539 million cubic feet (settled).

Shows: gas at 684-753, 2,923 (?), 3,735-3,750, 4,459, 4,596-4,600, 4,635 (?) ft. 

Coal at 150-162, 323-329 (driller's log), 329-335, 684-687 (driller's log), 953-965, 

1,197-1,200 (driller's log), 1,206-1,215, 1,262-1,280, 1,310-1,321, 1,361-1,373 ft.
OIL AND GAS -WELLS/ S'OUtHWESTERN^' VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 563

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.' ........

. Depth to 

v . ......... .............. base of

 Thickness formation 

 Formations ' " "- (feet) (feet)

;Nortbn formation:. _ __ _ __._ _ __ ___.__ __.-_:.._.i _-__..... 609 + 609

Lee-formation__:___._______ __.i_i__'_-_i_i__i_i:-______ 1,105 1, 714

.Bluestone,formation______i_i________r___i_____':_::______ 546 2,260

 Princetori 1 sandstone. _________ ___ ____i_ ___.____ 117 2, 377

Hinton formation: . ; . ; . ; .

Avis limestone of Reger__________________________.___ 108 2,485

Hinton formation undivided...._'_____________________ 226 2,711

Stony Gap sandstone member._______.________'_________ 270 2,981

Bluefield formation..__'___:___._. ....'.'..j^..^____ 495 . 3,476

Greenbrier limestone_____________'_______'_________________ 474 3,950

Maccrady shale ____________________.____._____l 57 4, 007

'Price' sandstone........__1_:___:J___:____:____ 100+ '4, 107

C. H. Frye No. 1 well

Rose Hill field .-' '> -' ' 

Stacy'and Cardwell.

Located 150 ft east of 83°22'30"; 6,825 ft north of 30°37'30". 

Elevation, ground, 1,520± ft. Total depth, 1,694 ft.

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological Survey. ...

 - Depth to

; base of

Thickness. formation

Formations - - (feet) (feet)

Copper Ridge dolomite._________ _ _-____._____. 298+ 350

 (Pine Mountain Fault)..____________-____J^l; i;____._____

Hancock limestone______________________________ 29

Clinton formation._____ ______________________________.__ 348

 Clinch sandstone._________________ _____.______ __._____ 163

Sequatchie-formation. ___________________________________ 271

Reedsville shale.._____________-____^_______ 327

Trenton limestone____ __ _ _____________.-___ 206+

Alfred Shackleford No. 1 well

Rose Hill field

Stacy and Cardwell. : ;: .

Located 525 ft east of 83°22'30"; 8,400 ft north of 36°37'30",

Elevation, 1,550 ft.- Total-depth, 2,876 ft (?).

Drilling commenced in November 1949; completed Feb. 20, 1950.

Dry hole.

Sample-library reference: Virginia*-Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological

Survey.

Depth to

- '. . . ' . base of 

Thickness formation 

Formation (feet) (feet)'

Copper Ridge dolomite_______________________________ 157+ 582

(.Pine Mountain fault)

Hancock limestone__________________________________ 29 611

Clinton formation..._____________________ 332 < 943

Clinch sandstone.______________'__________ 152 1, 095

 Sequatchie formation._______-______________: _'__;_.:-_-__-_- 246 '1,341
564 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Depth to

base of

formation

(feet)

1,658

2,213

2,343

2,460

2,585

2, 698

Thickness 

Formations (feet)

Reedsville shale----.____________________________________ 317

Trenton limestone_______________________________________ 555

Eggleston limestone____________________________________ 130

Hardy Creek limestone___________________________________ 117

Ben Hur (?) limestone_________________ :_______ 125

Woodway (?) limestone_.______________________________ 113+

WISE COUNTY

HagaivNo. 1 well

Southwestern Oil & Gas Co.

Located 200 ft east of 82°30'; 9,500 ft south of 36°55'. 

Elevation, 2,500 ft±. Total depth, 3,751 ft. 

Production: None. 

Shows: gas 110-250 million cubic feet at 1,365, 1,420-1,422, 1,430-1,445, 2,575,

2,732, 3,550-3,570 ft. 

Coal at 70-72, 228-230, 304-308 ft.

Samples retained by Virginia Coal & Iron Co., Big Stone Gap, Va.

Depth to 

base of

Thickness formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Lee formation_______________________________________ 698+ 698

Bluestone formation_____________________________________ 537 1,235

Princeton sandstone.____________________________________ 220 1, 455

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger______________________---_--__ 32 1,487

Hinton formation undivided-;-_____--_______-_-----___ 382 1, 869

Stony Gap sandstone member:_______-_-_-_____-----_- 193 2,062

Bluefield formation._____________________________________ 582 2, 644

Greenbrier limestone_____________________________________ 491 3, 135

Maccrady shale..____ .__ _______ 33 3,168

Price sandstone____________________________________. 202 3,370

Big Stone Gap shale......_..__...________ .____------- 300 3,670

Chemung formation____________________________________ 81+ 3, 751

Hagan No. 2 well

Southwestern Oil & Gas Co.

Located 600 ft west of 8Q°20' ; 0,700 ft south of/36?55' '

Elevation, ground, 2,575 ft. Total depth, 1,407' ft,

Drilling commenced Dec. 12, 1940; abandoned as a dry hole.

Production: None.

Coal at 50, 192', 282, 474 ft.

Samples retained by Virginia Coal & Iron Co., Big Stone Gap, Va.

Formations

Thickness

(feet)

 ______________ 21

__________ - 4994-

_________----____-- 595

Princeton sandstone.............. .- .--- . ? - ^00

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger__-___-_-__ .____._...._._-. 25 

Hinton formation undivided-________________--------_ 67+

GraveL __....___-..

Lee formation______.

Bluestone formation.

base of

formation

(feet)

21

520

1, 115

1,315

1,340

1,407
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 565

Hagan No. 3 well

Southwestern Oil & Gas Co.

Located 500 ft east of 82°30'; 7,500 ft south of 36°55'.

Elevation, ground, 2,600 ft±.

Total depth, 5,348 ft; plugged to.5,-000 ft; abandoned-at 1,583 ft as a dry hole by

Southwestern Oil & Gas Co.; resumed by United Producing Co. 

Shows: gas at 1,458, 2,012-2,015, 2,677, 5,235-5,294 ft. 

Coal at 114-117, 207-210, 278-281, 415-419 ft. 

Samples retained by Virginia Coal & Iron Co., Big Stone Gap, Va.

Formations 

Lee formation..__________________

Bluestone formation._____________

Princeton sandstone._____________

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger_ ______

Thickness 

(feet)

710 +

590

216

Depth to

base of

formation

(feet)

760

1,350

1,566

17+ 1,583

Isaac Kaufman No. 1 well

Benedum-Trees Oil Co.

Located 6,400 ft east of 82°40'; 400 ft north of 37°00'.

Elevation, 2,230 ft. Total depth, 3,670 ft.

Drilling commenced Apr. 4, 1932; completed May 27, 1933.

Production: None.

Shows: gas at 335, 1,560, 3,250, 3,600 ft; oil at 2,450-2,470 ft.

Coal at 273-276, 405-410, 1,162-1,166, 1,722-1,725 ft.

Samples retained by Virginia Coal & Iron Co., Big Stone Gap, Va.

Thickness 

Formations (feet)

' Wise formation________________________________________ 14+

Gladeville sandstone.-__--__--__---______________________ 67

Norton formation_____________________________________ 1, 070

Lee formation_________________________________________ 876

Bluestone formation______________________________.______ 399

Princeton sandstone.____________________________________ 144

Hinton formation:

Avis limestone of Reger______________________________ 30

Hinton formation undivided._________________________ 186

Stony Gap sandstone member_________________________ 160

Bluefield formation______________________________________ 240

Greenbrier limestone_____________________________________ 460+

Osborne No. 1 well

Depth to

base of

formation

(feet)

38

105

1,175

2,051

2,450

2,594

2,624

2,810

2,970

3,210

3,670

Osborne No. 1 well

Oliver Jenkins and others.

Located 40 ft southwest of junction of Virginia Highway 610 and County Road

662; 3 miles ± ENE. of East Stone Gap. 

Elevation, not known. Total depth, 4,861 ft. 

Drilling commenced in 1948; completed Feb. 25-30, 1950. . 

Production: None. . .
566 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Sample-library reference: Virginia; Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological 

Survey.

Depth.to 

' base of 

formation 

(feet)

Thickness 

Formations (feet)

Clinton formation_________________'__________________ 245+

Clinch sandstone-_____________________________ 208

Sequatchie formation____________________________________ 252

Reedsville shale_______________________________________ 425

Trenton limestone______-________________________________ 550

Eggleston limestone______________________________ 122

Pre-Eggleston limestone of Middle Ordovician age. _____ __ 1, 557

Beekmantpwn dolomite.-.._________:_________ 713

Chepultepec dolomite._________________________________ 564+

GILES COUNTY

F. B. Strader No. 1 well

The California Co.

Located 2,800 ft west of 80° 40'; 1,000 ft north of 37° 16'.

Elevation, not known. Total depth 1,450 ? ft.

Production: None.

No coal.

470

678

930

1, 355

1,905

2,027

3,584

4,297

4,861

Formations

Thickness 

(feet)

Depth to

 base offormation

(feet)

Rome formation _ _______ ________ ________ ..... 1,443+ 1,443

27'

Kipps Anthracite Coal Co. No. 1 well

The California Co.

Located 1,190 ft north of 37° 11'; 3,209 ft west of 80

Elevation, ground, 2,483.1 ft. Total depth, 9,340 ft.

Drilling commenced Mar. 3, 1949; abandoned Dec. 2, 1949.

Production: None.

Shows: gas at 7,350 and 7,520 ft.

Coal: 1,090-1,100 ? ft.

Sample-library reference: samples and cores at the Virginia Geological Survey.

Depth to 

base 'of

Thickness* formation 

Formations (feet) (feet)

Price sandatone_______-___________________--____________ 950-4- 1. 160

Chemung formation 690 i, 850

BraUiershale_______-_ ___ ----- -_ 1,350 3,200

Millboro shale of Butts (1940)___ ____________ . _ __-- 2, 400 5, 600

Huntersville chert of Price (1929)__ __ _ __________ 130 5, 730 

Clinton formation:

Keefer sandstone member. ___________________________ 130 5, 860

Cacapon sandstone member _ _________________________ 19O 6, 050

Clinch sandstone......-...-.-..... . ieo 6, 210

Juniata formation. ______ _ ___ _ __ __ __ __ .--...--.i- 192 6, 402

Martinsburg shale. . .___._.._...... .. ----- 2,738. 9,140

Eggleston limestone ___ _ __ _____ __ _ _________ ___ 160 9, 300

Moccasin limestone---...-.-.-.-. ----- 401~ 9» 340

*No correction for dip.
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 567

WEST VIRGINIA 

MERCER COUNTY

A. W. Hicks No. 6478 well

United Fuel Gas Go.

Located 1,500 ft south of 37° 20'; 7,600 ft east of 81° 15'.

Elevation, ground, 2,834.18 ft. Total depth, 4,014 ft well drilling 4,914, Feb. 6r

1951. 

Production: 47 million cubic feet; test after shot 26 million cubic feet at 3,180-

3,187 ft.

Coal at 678-682, 1,106-1,102, 1,106-1,107, 1,116-1,119, 1,294-1,304 ft. 

Sample-library reference: Virginia Geological Survey and Kentucky Geological'

Survey.

'Depth to

 n ii base of Formation Thickness formation 

Hinton formation: ' (feet) (feet)

Hinton formation undivided_-____-___-_--_--_-__-_--_ 550+ 601

Stony Gap sandstone member___-____--_^_____-_-.i_ 77 678

Bluefield formation................___-_..-.__-._.l_ 1,124 . 1,802

Greenbrier limestone!..________________________ 1,206 . 3,008

Maccrady shale-_-___--_._____.__-_--_--_-__._.__ 166 3,174

Pocono formation....._______________________ 623 3, 797

Big Stone Gap shale.________._-._-_-..___-_-___.. 81 3,878-

Chemung and Brallier formations____-_-___-_____-__-___. 136-f- 4,014

MoDOWELL COUNTY

New River Pocahontas Coal Co. No. 6219 well

United Fuel Gas Co.

Located 1,800 ft north of 37° 15'; 8,750 ft west of 81° 35'.

Elevation, ground, 1,627.16 ft. Total depth, 7,276 ft.

Drilling commenced Oct. 11, 1947; completed Jan. 19, 1949.

Coal at 2,017-2,020, 2,020-2,022, 2,022-2,030, 2,030-2,033, 6,018-6,028 ft.

Depth tobase of

Thickness formationFormations (feet) (feet)

Bluestone formation...._ _____._._.-_.___..._ 635+ 692:

Princeton sandstone--------.-------------.-------------- 49 . 741

Hinton formation:

Hinton formation undivided,-_-__-----_---_-_-_----.- 186 927

Avis limestone of Reger____-_____--_--_--____-_.--.-- 50 977

Hinton formation undivided--______-_-_-__-_-_-__-__- 573 1,550-

Stony Gap sandstone member_____-____--_____--__-- 105 1, 655-

Bluefield formation,____________________.___ 600 2,255

Greenbrier limestone.....-___-___.___._-_-_-_--__-.--__.- 960 3, 215-

Maccrady shale..._____-..______-_-.-_-.._ 55 3, 270'

Pocono formation_________._____...__...-_.. 414 3, 684

Big Stone Gap shale. _______________________ 160 3,844-

Chemung and Brallier formations________-.-___--_--_.. 1, 171 5,015'

Millboro shale of Butts .(1940),.___....___............ 1,382 6,397

Huntersville chert of Price (1929)_____.__..__--_._. 61 6, 45&'

Ridgeley sandstone and Rocky Gap sandstone of Swartz (1929). 59 6, 517

New Scotland limestone-.----------.------------ ------- 64 6, 581

Cayuga dolomite..----_----.-.---...-.___------------- 442 ' 7,023:

Clinton formation.__-_._.._________.._______ 245 7, 268

Clinch sandstone..._____..-_____-.1.. .-- 8+ 7, 276:
568 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY / .,.,,

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Averitt, Paul, 1941, The Early Grove gas field, Scott and Washington Counties, 

Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 56, 50 p.

Gives a descriptive log of one well and graphic logs of three other wells. 

Describes the.field and discusses possibilities of extension. Contains 3 pis., 

47figs., and index and geologic maps.

Bates, R. L., 1939, Geology of Powell Valley in northeastern Lee County, Va.; 

Contributions to Virginia Geology-II: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 51, p. 31-94.

Oil and gas possibilities discussed on p. 94; drilling not recommended. 

Contains 7 pis., 8 figs., and index and geologic maps.

Bevan, A. C., 1942, Virginia's war mineral resources: Va. Geol. Survey Reprint 

ser. 4, 9 p.

Short note on Early Grove gas field and well near Bergton, Rockingham 

County, Va.

Butts, Charles, 1927a, Oil and, gas possibilities at- Early GrqvepScott County, 

Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 27, 18 p.

Brief description of the geology of the area, with a discussion of the oil 

and gas possibilities. Contains 2 figs., including map;

 1927b, Fensters in the Cumberland overthrust block in southwestern

.Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 28, 12 p. ,

Brief discussion of drilling activities prior to 1927 in Rose Hill area, with

generalized log of one well. Discusses possibilities for production. Contains

2 pis., including map.

 1940, Geology.of the Appalachian Valley in Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 52, pt. I, 568 p. .

Description of the geologic formations of the Appalachian Valley. Contains 

63 pis., 10 figs., including index, geologic, and sketch maps.

1941, Geology of the Appalachian Valley in Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey

 Bull. 52;,pt. II, 271 p.

Fossil plates and explanations. Contains 72.pis.

Cooper, B. N., 1944, Geology and mineral resources of Burkes Garden quadrangle, 

Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 60, 299 p. .

Discussion of the stratigraphy of rocks encountered in wells in Buchanan 

and Dickenson Counties, Va. Contains 21 pis., 11 figs., including index and 

geologic maps.

 1948, Status of Mississippian stratigraphy in the central, and northern 

Appalachian region: Jour. Geology, v. 56, no. 4, p. 255-263. 

Discussion of Mississippian facies problems.

 1949, The search for oil and gas in Virginia: The Commonwealth, 

p. 28-30, 73-76.

History of oil and gas exploration in Virginia.

Eby, J. B., 1923a (with chapters by Campbell, M. R., and Stose, G. W.), The 

geology and mineral resources of Wise County and the coal-bearing portion 

of Scott County, Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 24, 617 p.

Gives information about a well in Wise County, and discusses oil and gas

possibilities, p. 578-583. Contains 45 pis., 55 figs.; and index and geologic 

maps. . . _ . 
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 569

Eby, J. B. 1923b, The possibilities .of oil and gas in southwest Virginia as inferred1 

from isocarbs: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 7, no. 4, p. 421-425 

By use of isocarbs, he infers that no commercial oil remains in the plateau 

area' of 'southwest Virginia.

Giles, A. W., 1921, The geology and coal resources of Dickenson County, Va.: Va.. 

Geol. Survey Bull. 21, 224 p.

No discussion of oil and gas, but there are graphic logs of diamond-drill 

holes. These can be used in studying Pottsville well cuttings. Contains 

18 pis., .21 figs., and index and geologic maps.

 1925, The geology and coal resources of the coal-bearing portion of Lee 

County, Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 26, 177 p.

No discussion of oil and gas, but there are graphic logs of diamond-drill 

holes given on plate VII.. Contains 21 pis., 11 figs., and index and geologic 

maps.

 - 1927a, An oil seep in the folded Appalachians: Am. Assoc.. Petroleum 

Geologists Bull., v. 11, no. 7, p. 757-763

Report of an oil seep about 2 miles east-southeast of Rose Hill in Lee 

County, Va. Included also is a very generalized driller's log of a dry hole 

drilled in late 1922 or early 1923 to a depth of 303 feet, and a well drilled 

in 1927 to a depth of 400 feet with small production. Both wells stopped 

in Clinton (?) formation.

 1927b, Oil and gas possibilities of Virginia: Econ. Geology, v. 22, no. 8, 

p. 791-825.

Short discussions of the physiographic provinces of Virginia, including the 

stratigraphy and possibilities for oil- and gas in each province. The Rose 

Hill well (1921?) is discussed briefly, and the- driller's log from Butts' 192£ 

report on Rose Hill.is entered. Eby's report on isocarbs is cited.

Harnsberger, T. K., 1919, The geology and coal resources of the coal-bearing 

portion of Tazewell County, Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 19, 195 p.

Diamond-drill logs, p. 23-35, mainly in Pottsville. Contains 14 pis., 17 

figs., and index and geologic maps.

Hinds, Henry, 1916, The coal resources of the Clintwood and Bucu quadrangles,. 

Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 12, 206 p. 

Logs of diamond-drill holes.

1918, The Geology and coal resources of Buchanan County, Va.:

Geol. Survey Bull. 18, 250 p.

Descriptive logs of deep diamond-drill hole on Dismal Creek, p. 13-16. 

Contains 16 pis., 22 figs., and index and geologic maps.

Holden, R. J., 1938, Oil shale in Virginia (abstract): Geol. Soc. America Bull.,. 

v. 49, no. 12, pt. 2, p. 1950-1951.

Reports of oil distilled from folded Devonian shale in Lee and Wise Counties; Va.

McGill, W. M., 1932, Explorations for oil and gas in southwestern Virginia: 

The Mountain Empire, v. 1, no. 3, p. 10-11, 16.

Reference to Early Grove and Rose Hill fields and other drilling.
570 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY ^

McGill, W. M., 1936, Prospecting for natural gas and petroleum in Virginia: 

Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 46-B, p. 11-22.

Discussion of oil and gas possibilities; mentions several wells, but gives 

no logs.

Martens, J. H. C., 1939, Petrography and* correlation of ..deep; welL sections in 

West Virginia and adjacent states: West Virginia Geol. Survey, v. 11, 255 p. 

Gives discussion of criteria for recognition of formations in subsurface 

applicable to southwestern Virginia, p. 19-42. Contains 22 pis., 8 figs.

 1943, Deep well in Russell County, Va.: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists 

Bull., v. 27, no. 11, p. 1543-1548.

Sample log of the Perm-Ohio Gas Co.-Clinchfield Coal Corp., Truman 

No. 1 (272) well.

 1945, Well-sample records: West Virginia Geol. Survey, v. 17, 889 p.

Gives sample logs of the Penn-Ohio Gas Co., Truman No. 1 (272) well 

and of wells in West Virginia counties adjacent to Virginia, p. 862-866.

Martens, J. H. C., and Hoskins, H. A., 1948, A dolomitic zone at the base of the 

Greenbrier limestone (Big Lime): West Virginia Geol. Survey Repts. No. 4.

Merrels, C. W. 2d, 1946, The Berea sand of southern West Virginia: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Oil and Gas Inves. Prelim. Map 59.

Map of the Berea sand in southern West Virginia, shows thickness of sands 

and oil pools in the sand. Text by J. F. Pepper and Wallace de Witt, Jr. 

Shows the distribution of the Berea sand and the outcrop of the Pocono 

sandstone in counties adjacent to southwestern Virginia.

Miller, R. L., 1948, Rose Hill oil field, Lee County, Va.: Structure of typical 

American oil fields, v. 3, p. 452-479.

Discusses the occurrence of oil in this area and the possibility of the extension of the field; maps, and sections.

Miller, R. L., and Brosge", W. P., 1950, Geology of the Jonesville district, Lee 

County, Va.: U. S. Geol. Survey Oil and Gas Inves. Prelim. Map 104.

Discussion of oil possibilities and data on all wells in area drilled before 

1950.

 1954, Geology and oil resources of the Jonesville district, Lee County 

Va.: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 990, 240 p.

Discusses oil and gas possibilities of the Jonesville area and gives available 

information about wells drilled. Contains 36 figs., 8 pis., and index and 

geologic maps.

Miller, R. L., and Fuller, J. O., 1944, Geology of the Rose Hill oil field, .Lee

County, Va.: U. S. Geol. Survey Oil and Gas Inves. Prelim. Map 20.

Data given on about 15 wells. Report superceded by Map 76 (see below).

 1947, Geologic and structure contour maps of the Rose Hill oil field, Lee 

county, Va. : u. s. Geol. Survey Oil and Gas Inves. Prelim. Map 76.

List Of Wells drilled prior to January 20, 1947, and graphic logs interpreted.

structure and stratigraphy of the field described and possibilities discussed.
OIL AND GAS WELLS, SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEFORE 1950 571

Miller, R. L., and Fuller, J. 0., 1954, Geology and oil resources of the Rose Hill 

district the fenster area of the Cumberland overthrust block Lee County, 

Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 71, 383 p.

Discusses oil and gas possibilities of Lee County, Va., and gives the history 

 ' ' of drilling and development'to March 1950. Contains 17 figs., 50 pis., and 

geologic maps.

Price, P. H., 1929, Pocahontas County: W. Va. Geol. Survey County Repts., 

531. p.

Reference to Huntersville chert, p. 236. Contains 21 figs., 71 pis., 2.maps.

 1942, Discovery of gas in Rockingham County, Va.: Am. Assoc. Petroleum 

Geologists Bull., v. 26, no. 2, p. 275.

Report of the Great Eastern States Gas Co., C. L. Souder No. 1 well near 

Bergton, Va. No log is given.

Reger, D. B., 1926, Mercer, Monroe, and Summers Counties: West Virginia Geol. 

Survey County Rpts., 963 p.

Contains 34 pis., 30 figs., and 6 maps.

Rittenhouse, Gordon, 1949, Petrology and paleogeography of Greenbrier formation: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 33, no. 10, p. 1704-1730. 

Describes the petrology and paleogeography of the Greenbrier formation 

in Ohio and West Virginia, as determined from study of well samples, insoluble 

residues, heavy minerals, and thin sections.

Roberts, J. K., 1942, Annotated geological bibliography of Virginia.

Stanton, Cramon, 1949, Oil and gas developments in western and southwestern 

Virginia: Appalachian Geol. Soc. Bull., v. 1, p. 429-431. 

History of exploration for oil and gas.

'Swartz, F. M., 1929, The Helderberg group from central Pennsylvania to southwestern Virginia: Pennsylvania Acad. Sci. Proc., v. 3, p. 75-88.

Reference to Rocky Gap sandstone, p. 80. Contains 3 figs., and 1 pi.

Tucker, R. C., 1936, Deep-well records: West Virginia Geol. Survey Repts., v. 7, 

560 p.

Record of one Virginia well, p. 276. Contains 1 pi., 2 maps.

 1943, Summarized records of deep wells: West Virginia Geol. Survey, v. 

16, 938 p.

Summarized records of wells in Lee, Rockingham, and Russell Counties, 

Va., p. 855-856.

Wentworth, C. K., 1922, The geology and coal resources of Russell County, Va.: 

Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 22, 179 p.

Graphic diamond-drill logs, pi. III. Contains 28 pis., 16 figs., and index 

and geologic maps.

Wilpolt, R. H., and Marden, D. W., 1949, Upper Mississippian rocks of southwestern Virginia, southern West Virginia, and eastern Kentucky: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Oil and Gas Inves. Prelim. Chart 38.

Graphic surface sections and well logs of Upper Mississippian rocks. 

Several maps showing thickness of stratigraphic units.
572 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Woodward, H. P., 1932, Geology.and mineral resources of the Roanoke arear 

Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 35, 172 p.

Oil and gas possibilities discussed, p. 120-121. Contains 29 pis., 8 figs.',, 

and index and geologic map.

 1938, Outline of the geology and mineral resources of Russell County, 

Va.: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 49, County series, no. 2, 91 p.

Oil and gas possibilities and one well discussed, p. 61-63. Contains 13- 

pis., 9 figs., and index and geologic maps.
INDEX

Page 

Abstract... ... 501-502

Acknowledgments_____________ 505

Buchanan County, Va., wells, general features . 506-510, 526-529, 552-559

 Correlation of formations, basis for____.. 535-536 

selected fields.._____________. 550-551

Definitions of lithologic terms.... __ 533-535 

Devonian formations. ___ . 637,547-549 

Dickenson County, Va., wells, general features.... 511-512,529-530,560-564

Early Grove gas field, general features_ 524

Gas fields, location........................... 505

See also Early Grove gas field. 

Giles County, Va., well.. -__. . 523,531,566

History of drilling in the area 503-531

Limestone, defined ___ 534 

Location of the area...____._ 502-503,504,505

McDowell County, W. Va., well.....__ 567 

Mercer County, W. Va., well .. ... 567 

Mississippian formations..... 537,540-547 

Montgomery County, Va., well........ 523,531,566

Oil fields, location. 503,505,525 

Oil fields. See also names of counties and 

individual fields.

Pennsylvanian formations... 537,538-540 

Permeability, estimation of........ . . 534-535

Page 

Porosity, estimation of.... __......... __ 534-535

Pulaski County, Va., well ... . 523,531 

Purpose of the investigation_________ 502

Rose Hill oil field general features..____ 525-526 

Russell County, Va., well.. 523,531

Samples, method of examination______ 532-533 

Sandstone,defined... ..__.........__ 633-534

Shale";'.defined-.. . . .. 534 

Siltstone, defined.. ......__ 534

Silurian formations____________ 537,549-550 

Smyth County, Va., well..._.........._ 523,531

Stratigraphic names, used, list of..____ 637-538

Tazewell County, Va., well.. . __ 523,531

Test wells, Keen Mountain field ._ 527,528

Nora field.......... ... 530

southwestern Virginia and West Virginia. 504,

505

Well logs, Vistula, Buchanan County..... 552-560

Virginia, Dickenson County... __ 560-564 

Giles County 566

Montgomery County. __. 566

Wise County_____..__..__ 564-566

West Virginia, McDowell County........ 567

Mercer County____._. __. 567 

Wise County, Va., wells, general features_.. 522,

526, 564-566 

Wythe County, Va., well.....------- .... 523,531

573

o