Bulletin No. 212 Series A, Economic Geology, 83 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CHARLKS Ii. W.VU'OTT, IMKKCTOK

OIL FIELDS

OF THK

TEXAS-LOUISIANA GULF COASTAL PLAIN

C. W. HAYES AND WILLIAM KENNEDY

\67(245) 

133

534.U3

 WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1903

CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction. ..._________._._._.___.---.-------_-.--.---.----._...-.__.__ 9

Acknowledgments..............-...---.-..--.....---..--.-.....-..... 10

Previous knowledge of the region ....--........._-............... .... 10

Topography of the Gulf Coastal Plain 1.....--.--....-.--...-..--.-- ..-... 13

Relief ...................... 1.................................^..... 13

Drainage........-...-.-.-..--...-----.---...-...-.-.--.---.-'---..... 14

Timber.............................................................. 15

Geology of the Gulf Coastal Plain.. ...^................................ 15

Subdivisions.-._.------.........-----------.-----.----------.--.-.... 15

Geology of the western division ..-----.-...--..--..-----........-...- 16

Surface formations .........-.----------.---.-----.----..------.. 16

Underground conditions ____-____.._._.____ ---..._..__._____.----_ 18

Section from Pleasanton to PalitoBlanco ......^.................. 18

Prospecting for petroleum.......--.........--...--.-............. 19

Geology of the eastern division...-.......-.-...------.-----....-.-... 19

General section ........ .......^.................................. 19

,Base of coastal formations -.--------------.----...-.---.-----.--. 21

Fayette sands.................................^.................. 21

Frio clays ..-..............-----....--....----------.--...-..---. 22

Buriedbeds.---------___...---------------.--------.----------.-.. 23

Lafayette sands..-._-__..___--------.----.-_------------...------ 26

Columbia sands.. ------.....---.-----.-----.------.-..-..--.-.-.. 26

Beaumont clays'...^....^......................................... 27

Recent or Port Hudson clays ..........1.........................^

Detailed sections of Coastal Plain formations -...----...--.----..-.--. 30

Detailed sections on the Guadalupe. ......^........................ 30

Detailed sections 011 the Colorado and Brazos .-----.-.-.--...--.-. 32

Detailed sections between Brazos and Trinity rivers............... 42

Detailed sections in vicinity of Neches and Sabine rivers --.......- 48

Gravels ........................................^.:.'......^...... 62

Changes of level during deposition of Coastal Plain formations ........ 66

Geology of the oil pools -.-.............-.-....-.--..--.-..-.--...-.--.... 68

Enumeration of oil districts _-....-......--......--...--........--.-.- 68

Beaumont district.................-..-.......--..--.--..-.-........-. 68

Spindletop pool.--.......-.-----..--.-...:..----------.--..-----. . 69

Limits of Spindletop pool --------------- .-..-.-.-..-.--.-... 69

Character of overlying beds -.-..-.........-.-...-.--...--...- . 69

Character of the oil rock.--.-.--.---.--..-.'...--..-......-.-. 70

Beds underlying the oil rock ........ 1........---....J........ 71

Structure of Spindletop pool ................................. 72

Well sections .--..-.- ..--.1-------...-----'-------..-.---.-. 74

List of producing wells in Spindletop pool .--......-....-...-- 77

3
4 CONTENTS.

Geology of the oil pools Contiiraed. ' Page.

Beaumont district Continued.

Region surrounding Spindletop pool- ---____._.-.-_._..__...._-__ 86

Well records -------_......_.--_________.._._________________ 87

List of wells-----..----.-.------.... ...._----..._...._._____._ 103

Port Arthur-Sabine Pass district.._..--.____._______.._.______'..__.___ 104

Oil ponds -- ---.----.-_.__.--.-.-_--------..._-_----__---_--._. 104

Examination of mud from Gulf of. Mexico, by H. J. Turner... 107

Sea wax --.------.---..-....-----...........---.-..............-- Ill

Well records -.---------_____..----_._._.-_-.----___...-_..-_-.__ 112

Sour Lake district .---------..._____..-._._.__._--_-._._._._.-_.-.-._ 113

Location and history.._..____.___._____._____'..--._._..____.___.. 113

Well records..-------.____.__.__...___._____._.'........__.._...._. 116

Geologic structure.--._-________________._..___.___.:_____._._____ 118

Saratoga district.-----------__._._-.---_.__.---------__.._____...'--__ 119

Location and history.. ........................................'.... 119

Well records. ........................^..........'................. 119

High Island district..--.-_...__..__.._._.....__...---_..__......__.__ 122

Location and topography ........................................ 122

Well records ----.------.-.--.-------.------.----.---.-.-------.- 124

Geologic structure..-.___..__.._..._____..__.........__......____ 125

Kiser Hill district..................................................... 125

Minor Texas districts ................................................ 125

Big Hill, Jefferson County _-_-_...-__.-_-__--..--.......--._-_.._ 126

DaytonHill ................:.....:._............................ 126

Barber Hill.......l.-.J..^............................. .......... 127

Davis Hill...............................I.........:............_ 127

Bf yan Heights.................................................... 127

Big Hill, Matagorda County -.------.-..-----....-....-....---..- 127

Jennings district ....i............................................... 127

Location and development ..-----..-....-------.--....-.-..--..-.. 127

Oil sand ,-_-_--..-------_-_-__-___-_'_..--__-_..__................ 129

List of wells..................................................... 130

Anse La Butte district.--_............-............--............--.. 130

Hackberry Island..___---.._.___..____._.__..__...__.._._____._.___-__ 131

Sulphur district .---------.--....-----.-..-------....---..-.--.---.--. - 133

Minor Louisiana districts ....................I..-----...-..--..---... 135

Vinton .......................................................... 135

Spring HiU...............'....................................... 136

Welsh........-.--...---.....-..-........-......-.........-..--.- 136

Lake Charles---------------..---------------'-----------------.-- 136

Other localities ------..-......---.-..-----.----------..-.--...-.-. 137

The Gulf Coastal Plain oil---......-.-....-.-...---.-........-.--...----- 137

Origin of petroleum---......_____.___._______._.__._..___.___.--.-.__ 137

Classification of theories . .................................. ....... 137

Theories of inorganic origin...................................... 138

Theories of organic origin-.--------...-..-------..--..--...-.----. 138

Theories of combined organic and inorganic origin................ 139

Conclusion .....'...............................-............._- .. 140

Accumulation of the oil ...^.......................................... 140

Conditions for accumulation ..... '................................. 140

The oil supply ................... .........-'--.--.-..--.---.---.- 140

The reservoir rock ........................---.-----...-.---.-.--- 141

The impervious cover.,.........--.....--....-..-----..---.-.---- 141
CONTENTS. 5

The GKilf Coastal Plain oil Continued. Page. 

Accumulation of the oil Continued. " Anticlinal structure ^.......\.................................... 142

Saturation of the rocks and circulation of the saturating fluid .... 143

Structural conditions ........_V _.........______.._...__._!._..._. 144

1 Physical and chemical properties of the Texas-Louisiana oil........... 146

Physical properties .............................................. 146

Color and odor................................. .............. 14.6

Specific gravity.............................................. 146

Flash and burning point...................................... 147

Viscosity ..............^..................................... 14.8

Chemical properties........................^..................... 148

Composition................................................. 149

Volatility.................................................... 150

Constitution................................................. 153

Associated hydrocarbons........_...............................- 154

Natural gas.................................................. 154

Well phenomena................................................. o 154

Well pressure................................................. 154

Cause of pressure ........................................ 155

Utilization of the Gulf Coast petroleum .............................. 157

Illuminating oil.................................................. 157

Fuel............................................................. 158

Theoretical value ....-... .........-........--.....;....-..... 158

Safety........................................................ . 159

Practical tests in steam raising............................... 160

Comparative fuel value of coal and Beaumont petroleum...... 160

Locomotive tests..................-.-.....---.-..-....--....- 161

Methods of burning the oil........................................ 162

Storage and transportation....................................... 165

Methods and cost of well drilling.........!...............-......--._..- 166

Rotary method ........... ........................:._..--........ 166

Machinery and operation.......^.......... ....................... 166

Cost of drilling.................................................. 169

Finishing the well............................................... 170

Index..._....._._.._...__......._..___._........._._.:..............__ 171

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

PLATE I. Geological map of a portion of. the Gulf Coastal Plain........... 14

II. Generalized section of the Texas-Loitisiana Gulf Coastal Plain f orformations. - ----_-- -.-'-----...__----.--'_--.._...__.._...'.__.. 20

III. Map of Spindletop oil pool.. .................................... 68

IV. View of a portion of Spindletop, 1902.........._...:....._..._.. .72

V. Index map showing location of Louisiana oil districts ..-'----.__. 128

VI. Sand gusher at Welsh, La ...................................... 136

VII. Map of petroleum fields ...-.-.....-._.......................... 144

VIII. A, Williams burner, section through center of burner; B, Williams burner, horizontal section through center of burner..... 162

I.. Babbitt syndicate earthen oil reservoir.......................... 164

X. A, Chapman rotary drill; B, Hoisting and operating machinery. 166

XI. A, Fish-tail bit; B, Core-barrel bit; C, Adamantine or shot drill. 168

FIG. 1. Sketch contour map of Damon Mound ........................... 86

2. Sections of .Spindletop oil pool -..-...--.-.--.-..-....-..--..-.... 73

3. Map of region surrounding the Spindletop oil pool................ 86

4. Map of Sabine Pass, showing location of so-called oil ponds....... 105

5. Index map showing location of Sour Lake and Saratoga oil pools . 114

6. Map of Sour Lake district ......... ^....r ....................'.... 115

7. Sketch contour map of High Island .............................. 123

8. Map of Jennings oil field .........-.:.....-.................-...'. 128

9. Theoretical relations of gas, oil, and water in the reservoir rock .. 157

10. Boiler furnace with oil-burning equipment....................... 163

11. Boiler furnace arranged for burning oil....--.'..-.--..----.-..--. 164

12. Derrick with machinery in place..-.-.-.----..-...--..-...------- 168

7

OIL FIELDS OF THE TEXAS-LOUISIANA GULF 

COASTAL PLAIN.

By C. W. HAYES AND WILLIAM KENNEDY.

INTRODUCTION.

Immediately after the discovery of the Spindletop oil pool by Capt. 

A. F. Lucas in January, 1901, there was a widespread demand for 

information regarding the geology of the Gulf Coastal Plain in Texas 

and Louisiana. Very little was known concerning the formations 

underlying this region, for owing to the lack of exposures it had presented an extremely uninviting field for investigation. It was 

believed that the interests of the oil-producing industry would be 

best served by a thorough study of the stratigraphy of the region and 

the collection of all data regarding the character of the underlying 

beds obtainable from natural exposures and well records. Only upon 

such a foundation of carefully ascertained fact could any reasonable. 

hypothesis regarding the origin and distribution of the oil be based. 

Many theories have been published in the daily press and- elsewhere, 

which have been more or less fanciful, not to say grotesque, and 

which have cast a shade of discredit upon geology by those who do 

not take the pains to discriminate.

For the purpose of collecting all available stratigraphic data in this 

region the Survey obtained the services of Mr. William Kennedy, 

formerly of the Texas geological survey. During his connection with 

the State survey Mr. Kennedy examined a large part of the Gulf 

Coastal Plain, but only a portion of his results was published. He 

began work for the present report in June, 1901, and continued in the 

'field until February, 1902. About eight weeks were spent in the 

field by the senior author in the fall of 1901 and the spring of 1902, 

the more important and promising localities being visited. Owing 

to the press of other duties the preparation of the following report 

has fallen almost entirely upon Mr. Kennedy. He is to be given the 

entire credit for all the stratigraphic descriptions which form the 

chief permanent value of the report. He has also worked out the 

Tertiary history of the Coastal Plain, which is a distinct contribution 

to geologic science and is essential for a theory of oil accumulation in 

this region.

9
10 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Acknowledgments are due to the various oil companies and their 

managers, as well as to individual drillers in the various portions of 

the Coastal Plain, for assistance in various ways and for information 

given by them during the course of the work. Thanks are due more 

particularly to W. E. Griffith, and J. M. Landon, of the J. M. Guffey 

Petroleum Company; to Walter and J. M. Sharp, of Sharp Brothers; 

to George A. Hill, of the safety committee; to W. TI. Mitchell, of the 

Gladys Oil Company; to J. Harbey, of the Harbey Oil Company; and 

to W. A. Andrews, of the Slaughter-Masterson Company. Also to 

H. H. Jones, of Hackberiy, and" Lee Hager, mining engineer, for 

information regarding the Louisiana field; to H. S. Hargraves, of 

Saratoga, and Messrs. Heaton and T. O'Connor, of Victoria and Cuero, 

for assistance in Victoria, Dewitt, and Calhoim counties. Without 

the assistance of these men, much of the information here given 

would not have been obtainable. ' .

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE REGION.

From the Mississippi River westward through Louisiana and Texas, 

along the border of the Gulf of Mexico, is a low, flat country, partly 

swampy or marshy, as in the southern parishes of Louisiana, and 

partly a broad stretch of clayey and sandy land but slightly elevated 

above the level of these marshes. The marshy areas extend westward to the eastern shore of Galveston Bay, while the clayey areas 

may be said to extend as far west as the Guadalupe River, in Victoria 

County, Tex. West of that stream, as far as the Rio Grande, the 

country is covered with sand and has a semiarid aspect. It may be 

added that this condition exists for many miles along the coast of the 

Mexican State of Tamaulipas. This region is known as the Gulf 

CoastalPlain. It extends inland for a distance of from 50 to 100 

miles. Although forests of pine, oak, and magnolia fringe its northern border on the higher grounds, various species of gum occur on 

the lower benches, and heavy forests of black and red cypress occupy 

the low river flood plains, the greater portion of the Coastal Plain is 

a treeless prairie.

These prairies have usually been designated the Coast prairies, and 

the beds which occupy the surface within the area are grouped under 

the general title of Coast clays. No geologic work of any magnitude 

has ever been done in this prairie region, partly because the country 

was not considered of any economic value, and partly on account of 

the difficulties caused by the absence of anything like a natural section. The country is very flat, there are few streams flowing across 

it, and these few are flowing through broad, shallow channels filled 

with recent alluvium.

The only references made to these coast deposits in the published
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE REGION. 11

reports of the Texas State Geological. Survey have been, cursory and 

of a very general character. The most important is as follows:

Immediately bordering the Gulf shore and forming the underlying slope we 

find a series of beds of clays, sandy clays, blue, yellow, red, and often mottled, 

which frequently appear black tipon the surface from the combination of vegetable matter with 'the lime of the calcareous nodules which are found scattered 

through them. These clays are heavy, massive, containing small crystals of gypsxun in places, and so compact that bluffs from 15 to 20 feet in height are often 

found along the streams and bay shores even in such a moist climate as that of 

Texas.

The various strata which form these beds dip so slightly to the southeast as to 

appear nearly horizontal, and form the basis of the level coast prairies which 

stretch inland from the Gulf for distances varying from 50 to 100 miles.

While the underlying beds of clay are seemingly identical for the entire Gulf 

coast, the overlying soil is somewhat different, being more sandy on the eastern 

and western borders and more clayey between the Brazos and Nueces rivers. a

McGee regarded these deposits as belonging in part to his Lafayette 

formation and in part to his Columbia. He considers the region to 

have been built up for the most part from long wave-built keys separated from the mainland by sounds, although he says that " east of 

Galveston the keys and sounds appear to fail; yet the wave-built 

barriers are continuous as in southern Texas and eastern Mexico, 

though submerged beneath the Gulf waters to form Sabine Bank, 

Trinity Shoals, and Ship Shoal, and their connecting series of bars 

parallel with the coast." 6

R. T. Hill describes these plains as a belt of prairie land not over 

100 miles wide bordering the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana and Texas. 

He regards it as a grass-covered constructional plain newly reclaimed 

from the Gulf of Mexico. The interior margin of this plain rises 

scarcely 100 feet above the sea, and it is characterized by an exceedingly level surface hardly broken except by a few low drainage 

grooves, which become fewer and more faintly developed toward the 

Rio Grande. Upon this plain a youthful drainage system is being 

established, while the seaward extensions of the through-flowing 

streams cross it. These rivers have wide and deeply indented valleys 

with gently terraced slopes filled with old alluvium.

The floor of the sea border of Texas is a submerged gently sloping sandy plain, 

or shelf, extending 50 miles seaward. By action of tide, wave current, and wind 

this sand is piled into long island strips which fringe the coast and stand almost 

at sea level. These are separated from the land by shallow lagoons, in which 

most of the sediments of the river are deposited. The building up of the sand 

bars by wind and wave and the filling up of the lagoons between them by river 

sediments, in connection with gradual uplift, may possibly explain the origin of 

much of the adjacent coast prairie, c 

Sufficient work has not been done in southwestern Louisiana to 

give us any clue to the structure of that portion of the Coastal Plain.

"FirstAnn. Kept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1889, p. xxxii. 

^Twelfth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, 1892, p. 316. 

oPhys. Geography of Texas: Topographic Atlas, U. S. Geol. Survey, folio 3.
12 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

According to Hilgard, this portion of the coast country is built up 

partly of littoral and esturine deposits and partly of swampy lagoon 

and fluviatile deposits, whose thickness and location are manifestly 

dependent upon the topographic features of the.continent at the time 

they were laid down. The land at that time was being slowly 

depressed, as is shown by the nature of the deposits and by the 

numerous superimposed generations of large cypress stumps embedded in laminated clays, which exhibit the yearly fall of leaves. 

This view was also held by Hopkins in his survey of southwestern 

Louisiana in 1870-71.

The theories regarding the upbuilding of the Coastal Plain may 

possibly apply to the newest extension in the east, along the Gulf of 

Mexico, which at present is altogether marshy, or to the comparatively 

arid region west of the Nueces River, where at present we find a chain 

of such keys with their accompanying lagoons. The largest of these 

lagoons Laguna de la Madre is being rapidly filled up by the drifting sands from the higher dunes of Padre Island.

A study of the submerged portion of the Coastal Plain, as shown 

by the Coast Survej^ charts, shows that the general slope of the sea 

-floor as far out at least as the 5-fathom, or 30-foot, line is not more 

than 5 to 7 feet per mile, and that there does not appear to be any 

uniformity in the deposition of the materials forming this floor. 

Lens-shaped deposits of hard blue clay and soft mud occur, irregularly 

interspersed with banks of fine and coarse gray sand and broken 

shells. The Sabine Bank is reported as being made up of a gray sand, 

with black specks and broken shells, which closely resemble much of 

the gray sand obtained from the different wells in the southeastern 

portion of the oil fields, especially in the neighborhood of Beaumont. 

It is probable that the upbuilding of the Coastal Plain, at least 

throughout about 500 feet of its upper portion, was carried on in the 

same manner as at present. Under the present Gulf the sands appear 

to be the heaviest deposits, and the well records show the same conditions to exist down to a depth of 500 feet.

The existence of petroleum in this portion of the country has been 

known for many years. In 1860 Wall, quoting from Taylor's Statistics of Coal, mentioned the existence within 100 miles of Houston of a 

small lake filled with bitumen or asphaltum, and having in its center 

a spring from which during the summer months an oily liquid (probably petroleum) continually boiled up from the bottom."

In 1880 S. F. Peckham quotes N. A. Taylor as to the existence of 

maltha in Texas, and gives Sour Lake as one of the localities. On 

the map accompanying his report oil-producing localities are marked 

as follows: At the mouth of the Brazos, near the point where the J. M. 

Guffey Petroleum Company is now drilling; Close to Port Arthur, in

oGeol. of Trinidad, App. G, p. 136; Taylor's Statistics of Coal, p. 223.
TOPOGKAPHY. 13

Jefferson County; in Newton and Orange counties, Tex.; and at several points in Calcasieu Parish, La. a

When the present oil development began it was considered advisable to undertake the study of the Coastal Plain in order to bring 

together such geologic information as was available concerning the 

geologic relations of the various deposits and to assist in the economic exploitation of the oil fields.

With this object in view the Gulf Coastal Plain was thoroughly 

studied. .The various deposits of sands, clays, and sandstones were 

examined and compared, their continuity across the country was 

traced, their geologic conditions were studied, and their position in 

the general section of the region Avas worked out. This has been 

done as far as possible by means of the small bluffs and cuttings seen 

along the courses of the rivers and creeks, as well as of such cuttings 

as could be found along the various railroads traversing the country. 

In addition, the logs of the various deep wells throughout the whole 

Coastal Plain, so far as obtainable, were gathered, and the results of 

the borings collated and compared.

By these means the general underground conditions of the region 

to a depth of about 2,000 feet have been determined and have been 

described so as to be readily understood by those immediately interested in the development of the field. There are, however, many 

questions regarding the underground structure that can not be 

answered until much more drilling has been done.

TOPOGRAPHY OF THE GULF COASTAL PLAIN.

t

That portion of the Gulf Coastal Plain under discussion may briefly 

be described as a belt of country having a width of from 50 to 100 

miles, extending around the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and embracing in Louisiana, in whole or in part, the parishes of Vermilion, Acadia, Cameron, Calcasieu, and Veruon; and in Texas the counties of 

Orange, Newton, Jefferson, Hardin, Jasper, Chambers, Liberty, Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda, Fort Bend, Wharton, Jackson, 

Victoria, Calhoun, Ref ugio, San Patricio, Nueces, Cameron, Hidalgo, 

and portions of Waller, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Polk, and Tyler.

RELIEF.

The surface features of the Gulf Coastal Plain are extremely simple. 

In the immediate vicinity of the coast and for 15 or 20 miles inland 

in the parishes of Vermilion and Cameron and in the counties of 

Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, and Galveston, the general level is 

scarcely more than 3 or 4 feet above the average tides of the Gulf. 

At a few points, such as Grand Chenier and Hackberry Island, in 

Cameron Parish, La., and Big Hill and High Island, in Jefferson and

"Tenth Census, Vol. X, p. 20, and map, Washington, 1884.
14 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.312.

Galveston counties, Tex., there are pronounced elevations, of a few 

hundred acres in extent, rising to heights of from 40 to 50 feet above 

the level of the coast marshes.

Bordering the marsh along its northern edge is a second belt, largely 

prairie land, whose surface rises gradually toward the northwest, at 

an average rate of from 10 inches to a foot per mile.

A few small prominences appear within this belt, as at Spindletop 

and Fairchild Hill, in Jefferson County; at Sour Lake, Dayton, Barber Hill, Kiser Mound, near Columbia, and Damon Mound, in Brazoi'ia 

County; and the Sun Mounds, in Waller County. These, however, 

do not present any great elevations, Damon Mound, probably the 

highest, having a maximum of 83. feet above the plain, or probably 

not more than 140 feet above the Gulf.

The third or inner belt of country belonging to the Coastal Plain 

rises comparatively rapidly from the second, and has a more broken 

and generally timbered surface, with numerous small rounded hills. 

The general elevation of this belt does not appear to exceed 175 to 

200 feet above sea level.

DRAINAGE.

In the eastern part of the region throughout Louisiana the rivers 

are deep and sluggish. The few streams of any magnitude are the 

Vermilion Bayou, Bayou Nenieiitou, and Calcasieu River. Each of 

these streams is narrow, deep, and clear, has scarcely any appreciable 

current, tends to expand into a broad, shallow lake, and enters the 

Gulf through a shallow bay. Vermilion River flows into Vermilion 

Bay. The Neinentou shortly after the junction of Bayou Nezpique 

and des Cannes expands into the broad,' shallow Grand Lake, with a 

depth of little over 3 feet, and again contracts only to enter the Gulf 

through a wide mouth. The Calcasieu forms a series of shallow 

lakes such as Calcasieu, Black, and West Lake, extending all the 

way from Lake Charles to the coast. These Louisiana rivers all have 

the peculiar characteristics of drowned or submerged streams.

Throughout the Coastal Plain in southeast Texas the streams are 

similar in character to those in Louisiana. The Sabiue and Neches 

unite to form Sabine Lake; the Trinity debouches into the eastern 

end of Galveston Bay; the Colorado reaches the Gulf through Matagorda Bay, and the Nueces flows into Corpus Chrlsti Bay. Of all the 

rivers in this area the Brazos alone enters the Gulf directly and without the intervention of any lagoon or bay.

West of the Kueces the coast drainage fails almost absolutely, as 

the whole stretch of coast line to the Rio. Grande contains only two 

small creeks, the San Fernando and the Olmos, and these unite to 

form Copano Bay, near the head of Laguna de la Madre.

These streams of the Gulf Coastal Plain may be divided into two 

groups an older, pre-Pleistocene or p.re-Columbia, and a younger,
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

97°

BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. I 

93°

Sulplmr\>.^, //

-J > > : ' VfW '''ill akeif fJtaries

:V/' .--I-'

OF THE

COASTAI, PLAIN

BY WILLIAM KENNEDY

Scale

, ' 

Recent -vyvv/^Beaumont clays Columbia sands Lafayette, sands

' [H3 . : n rn

'.'Fayeue santis Yegua clays Cook Mountain marine Lignitic

Frio clays 

Tayloi' marls

93°

JULIUS BIEN ftCO.UTH. N Y
DRAINAGE AND TIMBER. 15

post- Columbia. The pre-Columbia (and probably even pre-Laf ayette) 

group includes the Sabiue, Neches, Trinity, Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, and Nueces, all of which appear to have been in existence 

during Lafayette time. The younger, or post-Columbia, rivers are 

the Vermilion, Nementon, Calcasieu, San Jacinto, Buffalo, Clear, 

Oyster, San Bernard, Caney, Lavaca, Aransas, San Fernando, and 

Olmos.

A glance at the map of the region (PL I) will show the reasons for 

this division. It will be noticed that all the rivers included in the 

older group pass completely across the Coastal Plain, heading upon 

the older formations of the interior, while the streams of the second 

or younger class are confined wholly to the plain itself, heading within 

it, or in the strong springs which rise from the Fayette sands at its 

northern border.

Notwithstanding the large number of rivers which occur in. the 

Coastal Plain, much of its surface is poorly drained. AVater stands 

in many small lakes or ponds throughout the year, and over considerable areas the surface is largely under water during the wet season. 

The drainage of the country, particularly throughout the lower or 

coast portion, develops some peculiar anomalies. For instance, Mud 

Bayou, near High Island, begins within a mile of the Gulf shore, but 

follows a series of meanders north and west, and finally enters Galveston Bay about 2 miles north of the Gulf.

TIMBER.

Regarding the timber of the Coastal Plain it may be broadly stated 

that the cypress is confined to the eastern end, or to the swamps 

occurring within the immediate drainage area of the Mississippi 

River, very few of these trees occurring west of the Sabine River. 

The magnolia (M. grandiflora) is found in a belt stretching in a general southwestern direction through the parishes of Sabine and Vernon, Louisiana, and the counties of Newton, Jasper, Hardin, Liberty, 

and San Jacinto, Texas, terminating in a few straggling trees in the 

neighborhood of Houston. The western end of the great southern 

belt of pine is reached near the Brazos River.. West of the Brazos 

the tree growth is mostly represented by oaks and mesquite, the latter gradually becoming the only timber to be found.

GEOLOGY OF THE GULF COASTAL PLAIN.

SUBDIVISIONS.

Although in its main physiographic and geologic features the Gulf 

Coastal Plain is a unit, its eastern and western portions differ in some 

important particulars. The natural line of demarcation between the 

two divisions is the Guadalupe River. The most striking differences 

are climatic, but the character of the geologic formations also changes 

at this line.
16 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.213. 

GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN DIVISION.

Little detailed study has been given to this division, and it has 

little present importance in connection with oil production. Its main 

characteristics may, however, be briefly outlined.

SURFACE FORMATIONS.

Brown and gray sand appear to be the mantle covering everything 

from the border of the Fayette sandstones on the north to the coast. 

In going southward from San Diego a belt of brown sand, probably 

25 miles in width, is first crossed. This is a rolling country more or 

less covered with mesquite and chaparral. South of this comes the 

gray sand belt, having a width varying from 50 to 60 miles, and, with 

the exception of a few live oaks, practically destitute of trees. This 

is the region described by Loughridge, in his report on cotton production for the Tenth Census, as the great Texas desert. Across the 

face of these gray sands stretch two belts of moving sandhills, or 

medanos. These belts have an approximately east-west direction, as 

the prevailing winds are from the east. Each belt consists of a 

double row of dunes from a half mile to a mile apart, the one row 

overlapping the other. Near the coast most of these dunes or medanos 

appear only as white spots slightly elevated above the general level 

of the plain. As they travel westward the dunes gradually acquire 

size and elevation until in northern Starr County some of them have 

reached elevations of from 90 to 120 feet. In form these dunes are 

usually semilunar, having the heavy body of sand toward the center 

and the two ends tailing off to the west to form the horns of the crescent. Some of them are almost circular, with a depression in the 

center; others are oval, with their longer axis parallel with the course 

the hill may be traveling. Nothing appears to stop their westward 

course, and in several instances tall live oaks have been buried so 

deeply that only the dead tops of the highest branches show the fate 

of the grove.

The sand forming these hills is extremely fine in texture and has a 

snow-white color. The crests of the dunes assume fantastic shapes, 

and the lightest wind sets the fine grains in motion. These dunes 

are very difficult to ascend, the climber sinking almost to the knee at 

every step, and, owing to the fineness of the particles, his eyes, mouth, 

and nose are almost constantly filled with sand.

These dune belts lie almost parallel to each other, the first or northern line stretching across .the country through the northern ends of 

Cameron, Hidalgo, and Starr counties, and the second or southern 

belt extending across the same counties about 50 miles farther south.

The blue clays underlying the sands do not appear in many places 

and very little is known about their stratigraphy or areal extent. 

They may be the equivalents of the white and yellow clays forming
"i^NWBDy?] GEOLOGY OF WESTEKN DIVISION. 17

the bluff in the neighborhood of Corpus Christi, and possibly should 

be correlated Avith the blue clays of the east and form a portion of 

Hilgard's Port Hudson or McGee's Columbia.

Probably underlying these clays is the Reynosa limestone, typically 

a tufaceous lime rock, but frequently so mixed with clays and sands 

as to almost lose its identity. Included with the Reynosa division 

are several beds of conglomerate, consisting of pebbles and gravel 

cemented^together by a limy matrix, -together with gravels and limy 

clays.

The Reynosa limestone is by far the most important member of 

the Coastal Plain group as seen in the southwestern end. It is exposed 

high up on the northern side of the range of hills bordering the soutliT 

ern margin of the ISTueces RiA^er Valley in McMullen County. Where 

the Nueces has broken through this range the Reynosa limestones 

can be traced like an old shore around the end of the range and along 

its southern side, Avhere the limestone is found high up on the flank 

and caps the loAver levels of the hills south of San Diego. It occurs 

at Rogers, a few miles Avest of Corpus Christi, and at several points 

on the prairie in upper Hidalgo and Starr counties, and may possibly 

be found in other areas.

In connection Avith the apparent trend of the Reynosa beds in a 

general north-south direction, it is noticeable that these limestones 

are directly associated Avith gypsum deposits in the upper end of 

Hidalgo and Cameron counties, and Avith the heavy salt deposits of 

the Sal del Rey region in southern Texas. Disagreeable-smelling 

sulphur Avater floAvs from a deep Avell at Corpus Christi, and small outcrops of sulphur clays appear in the Rio Grande country near Rio 

Graiide City.

The Reynosa limestone Avith. its associated clays, conglomerates, and 

marls has been considered of Pliocene age.

Pleistocene deposits containing vertebrate fossils haAre been recognized in the Eqwas beds in the neighborhood of San Diego, although 

some doubt has been throAvn on the age of these deposits, Cope considering them to be Upper Pliocene. As in the case of the undevlyiug Miocene deposits of the Bordas district, not enough Avork has yet 

been done to determine their areal extent or even to absolutely prove 

their existence. The beds here considered as Miocene, unlike any 

other deposits of Tertiary age in Texas, are all standing up at very 

high angles, in many places showing dips of 75° or 80°. This is the 

more noticeable in the soutiiAvest corner of Live Oak, northeast corner of Duval, and- southeast corner of McMullen counties. Many of 

the smaller dome-shaped hills haAre the appearance of having been 

formed by a thrust from beloAV, the sandstones forming them dipping 

in every direction.

. Bull. 212 03 2 . .
18 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212. 

UNDERGROUND CONDITIONS.

Throughout this portion of the Coastal Plain the actual geologic 

conditions underground are unknown. Numerous shallow wells 

ranging from 100 to 300 feet in depth have been drilled for water. 

The drillers report rock in a number of these wells at 50 feet and then 

a mixture of rock, clay, and sand to the bottom of the wells. Few 

wells of greater depth have been drilled. Years ago the State made 

arrangements for the drilling of a number of -test wells for water in 

this region and proposed to pay for these by granting sections of land. 

Under this arrangement one well was commenced at "Magueyes," on 

the eastern side of Hidalgo County, but to. what depth it was drilled 

is unknown. The next deep well was drilled at Corpus Christi to a 

depth of 1,765 feet. This well gives a small flow of very disagreeablesmelling sulphur water. Several wells having depths ranging from 

500 to 750 feet have been drilled for water on the Santa Gertrudes 

ranch, in western Nueces County, and yield strong artesian flows. A 

well at Alice is reported to have a depth of 1,000 feet. Northward, in 

the gray sandstone regions, the public well at Tilden has a depth of 

600 feet, giving a strong flow of brackish water with gas. This well 

was drilled in rock with thin partings of clay. Twelve miles south 

of Tilden, at Shiner's ranch house, a well 900 feet deep gives a small 

flow of strong salt brine.

So far as our knowledge of the structure of this region goes, it 

appears that the Fayette sandstones had formed the shore line for a 

considerable period and had been extensively eroded, before the succeeding beds were laid down. The evidences of unconformity are 

plentiful. The Pliocene Reynosa limestone lies high up on the hillsides, and also appears to form ridges on the gray, sandy plain. . This, 

it is true, would give these limestones a gentle dip of about 10 feet 

per mile, but as the surface relief is greater than that, much of these 

deposits must have been destroyed-. Whether these Reynosa limestones ever formed the surface or floor of the plain, and the existing 

ridges are due to erosion, or whether they form the crests of small 

anticlines brought up by some earth movement, is not known.

SECTION FROM PLEASANTON TO PALITO BLANCO.

A generalized section across this portion of the Coastal Plain from 

Pleasanton to Palito Blanco shows the following beds, in descending 

order:

Section of Coastal Plain from Pleasanton to Palito Blanco.

\. Brown sands of Coastal Plain.

2. Blue clays.

3. White or lemon-yellow limestones.

4. White, yellow, and brownish-yellow clays.

5. Thinly bedded gray sandstones, with white and gray clays.

6. Thinly bedded gray sandstones and gray clays.

7. Marine fossiliferotis brown sand, with more or less gypsxuu in crystals.

8. Lignitic beds found in wells at Pleasanton.
GEOLOGY OF EASTEBN DIVISION. 19 

PROSPECTING FOR PETROLEUM.

Prospecting for petroleum in this region is not being carried on Arery 

vigorously. For a number of years petroleum has been obtained 

from a well in the northwestern part of Starr County, but the quantity is so small that the oil is usually drawn up by an ordinary water 

bucket and is sold to local consumers for medical purposes.

A well has recently been drilled at Piedras Pintas, near Benavides, 

on the Mexican National Railroad, in Duval County, to a depth of 

1,200 feet. Small quantities of oil were found at various depths, but 

not enough to justify further developments, and the work has been 

abandoned. This well is in the sandstone region near the northern 

margin of the Coastal Plain and has an elevation above sea level of 

400 feet.

Another well, drilled on the La Parra ranch, in the northern portion 

of Cameron, to a depth of 1,500 feet, has been abandoned. The contractor states that he drilled through clay and sand the whole depth.

GEOLOGY OF THE EASTERN DIVISION. 

GENERAL SECTION.

The general section of the Texas Tertiary formations shows considerable variation in the character and thickness of the various beds, 

and there are such extensive erosions and overlaps that it is somewhat 

difficult to say Avhether some of the beds actually occur at a stated 

locality or at what depth the rocks belonging to the given stage may 

be found. The beds thicken and thin rapidly, and change frequently 

from soft sand to indurated sandstone, while the clay bodies all appear 

to have a somewhat wavy or lenticular form.

In the following section the maximum thicknesses have been given, 

as it has been thought better to place before the well driller the 

utmost thickness of any of the beds he may be expected to go 

through. But, as will be pointed out later, this section will be materially modified as to the thicknesses by the location of the Avell.

The section down to the Eocene is constructed chiefly from well 

records. It has been thought best, for clearness of presentation, to 

give a generalized description of the various formations which make 

up the Coastal Plain, to be followed by the detailed sections and local 

descriptions on which it is based.

. General section of eastern division of Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain.

Thickness

in feet.

1. Recent: Coastal marshes consisting chiefly of sea flats subject to 

overflow at extremely high tides, swamps and partly submerged 

lands, and the bottom lands along the rivers. The life represented 

by recent shells, such as Ranyia cuneata and Qstrea. Beds of 

these shells occur along the rivers and at many of the smaller 

lakes in this region.............................................. 5 to 25
20 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

2. Pleistocene, with probably some Pliocene. . Tin fee^" 

a. Beaumont clays: Brown, blue, and yellow clays, carrying nodules 

of limestone in places irregularly distributed through the 

clays, making the soil black where found; brown and" blue 

sands with great quantities of cypress wood and recent shells. 25 to 400 

b. Columbia sands: White, yellow, gray, and mottled sands with 

beds of blue and yellow clay, some decayed wood, and a heavy 

deposit of gravel at base. In the clays belonging to these beds 

at Sour Lake such vertebrates as Hammut, Megalonycc, Equus, 

Smilodon fatalis, etc., have been found a.................... 50 to 200

3. Neocene (Miocene, with probably some Pliocene).

a. Lafayette sands: Blue and red thinly laminated clays; massive

red and brown clays; and red and brown cross-bedded sands 

and gravels carrying pinkish inclusions of clay .._.......... 30 to 875

b. Blue, brown, and gray clays; sands with thin beds of limestone

and containing small quantities of oil ..^.................... 300 to480

c. Blue clays and thin-bedded irregularly deposited sandstones-... 200 

d. Blue, red, and gray clays and sands and thin-bedded limestones;

limestones doloinitized and associated with sulphur, gypsxim,

gas, and petroleum. Sands carry fossils of Miocene age ..... 300

4. Eocene.

a. Frio clays: Blue, brown, red, yellow, and green clays, thinly 

laminated, partially stratified and massive. The laminated, 

clays carry small crystals of gypsum, and the massive clays 

numerous concretions of lime from 2 to 4 inches in diameter 

and calcareous-ferruginous concretions from 6 inches to 2 or 

more feet in length. Fossiliferous in places and changing to 

sandy calcareous clays to the west .-.-...._--.--........-... 260

b. Fayette sands: Gray sands and gray and white sandstones interstratified with gray, white, and pink clays and sandy clays. 

The lower sandstones are often hard and glassy, and bluish 

or pinkish in color. The upper sandstones are soft and chalky 

white, and contain numerous casts of grass, reeds, palmetto, 

and other marsh plants. At some localities a thin bed of 

limestone in these upper sandstones carries Lower Claiborne 

fossils, and a yellowish-brown sand contains a considerable 

number of plant impressions ................................ 400

c. Yegua clays: Dark-blue gypseous clays and dark bluish-gray

sands with considerable deposits of ligiiite -.-----..----.-.... 1,000

d. Upper marine beds or Cooks Mountain beds: A series of greensands, fossiliferous greensands, fossiliferous clays, stratified 

black and gray sandy clays, black and yellow clays with limy 

concretions. A very prolific Claiborne fauna..----.--.-..--- 390

e. Motmt Selman beds: Brown sands, blue clays, greensands, 

glauconitic sandstone, and heavy deposits of linionite. More 

or less fossiliferous, but fauna mostly represented by casts.. - 260

f. Lignitic: White, yellow, gray-brown, red, blue, and black sands 

with interstratified and interlaminated blue, gray, and brown 

clays with heavy beds of lignite. Apparently unfossiliferous 

except for a few plant remains, including the palmetto....... 1060

g. Wills Point clays: Yellowish-brown sands containing bowlders 

of sandstone and limestone with some calcite concretions; 

dark-blue and brown laminated and massive clays and fossiliferous white limestone........................................ 260

5. Cretaceous. ____ 

a Leidy, Extinct Vertebrate Fauna, vol. 1, Hayden Survey of Territories.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. II

PERIOD.

RECENT.

PLEISTOCENE SOMEWITH 

PLIOCENE.

NEOCENE.

EOCENE.

FORMATION.

u. Beaumont clays. .......

l> ...........................

(I. Cook Mountain beds...

e. Mount Sulman bods ....

/. Lignitic.. ...............

AVERAGE THICKNESS 

(feet).

5 to 2f>

( 25 

\ to 

( 400

( 50 

\ to 

( 200

f 30 

4 to 

( 875

f 300 

I 480

200

300

2f>0

 100

1.000

200

SECTION.

r^z&ff" aaia>iu:ifa<i,

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r^r=f~LiT::''T"""

5?xix3ir

i 'i-l^^iXI

£££$££:

£&3&jl±*i*

^^^

-.^±= 7^. '^S.^S

SgjS^l

^.' sjga*

Si^kHaTB

"%?=r=2=

-=i--=. -=-~

 SiSsSK.

^SrSSs

IMgM

:^S5fitl

r=iniiBn-^.

CHARACTER OK STRATA.

Coast marsh.

Brown elays and sands wlcli Koucnt shells and wood.

White, yeHow, ffray, and mottled sands with traces of 

oil.

Red, 'blue, and mottled clays and sunds with gravel at 

base.

Blue and red clays and sands.

Blue and In-own clays and limestone.

Blue clays and sandstones.

Bine and red clays, sunds. and limestones; limestones 

Iclolomltizcd; associated with sulphur and petroleum.

Blue, brown, red. .yellow, and green clays, thinly laminated, containing numerous limestone concretions, 

fossiliferous in places, changing to sandy clay to 

the west.

Gray sands and sandstone, gray and white clays.

Orrk-lilue gypseous clays and gray sands/with beds of 

lignite.

Greensands. greonsand marl with thin seams of carbonate of iron, fossiliferous greensands. green fossiliferous clays, iron ores, and a few small deposits 

of lignite.

Brown and blue sands and clays and glaiieonitic sandStone, with limoiiite.

White, yellow, brown, red, gray, blue, and black sands 

with interstratifled and interlaminatcd clays and 

heavy beds of lignite.

 _..:_. i

GENERAL SECTION OF THE TEXAS-LOUISIANA GULF COASTAL PLAIN.
GEOLOGY OF EASTERN DIVISION. 21 

BASE OF COASTAL FORMATIONS.

So far as the coastal formations are involved it is unnecessary for 

present purposes to go below the Fayette sands, as their outcrops 

form the northern limit of the Gulf Coastal Plain. In some localities 

it may not be necessary to go below the Frio clays. These clays in. 

point of time are, so far as known, the last division of the Eocene 

in Texas. Owing to the overlapping of newer deposits and extensive erosion which has frequently completely cut through and removed 

portions of these Frio clays, great uncertainty exists in relation to 

this point, and it has been deemed best to assume the Fayette sands 

as the base (or rather as lying immediately below the base) of the 

coastal formations.

FAYETTE SANDS.

The Fayette sands are sandstones and clays Avith occasional small 

irregular deposits of limestone carrying Lower Claiborne fossils, and 

sands containing imprints of leaves. The limestones are not of 

frequent occurrence.

The Fayette sands were considered Grand Gulf by Hilgard, Hopkins, and Loughridge. Hilgard considered these and the next succeeding clays to be the equivalent of his Mississippi beds. Penrose 

included them Avitli the underlying Yegna clays and overlying Frio 

clays as the Fayette beds, and as such they are described in the early 

reports of the Texas geological survey.

The structural difference betAveen the underlying clays and the 

sandstone group led to a separation and the placing of the clays at, 

the base of the Fayette beds under the title of Yegua clays. The 

Frio clays Avere afterAvards assigned to a separate division and the 

name Fayette Avas retained for the middle division of sandstones and 

clays.

It is Avith these Fayette sands in their restricted definition that Ave 

have to deal. These beds form a well-marked horizon, from the Mississippi River Avestward through Louisiana and Texas past the Rio 

Grande into Mexico.

On their northern side they shoAV abrupt faces in. numerous localities, indicating extensive erosion. When seen to the south they 

apparently slope off gently at a dip of only a feAV feet per mile. This 

dip is such that if the beds continued Avith uniform composition 

they should be found in the Avells at Spindletop at depths not exceeding 1,200 to 1,500 feet. They do not occur in these Avells, hoAvever, 

and it may be inferred that considerable erosion, has taken place 

along their southern margin as Avell as on the northern side. That 

these sandstones formed the shore line for some time is evident, not 

only in the eastern division of the Coastal Plain, but also farther 

west, Avhere the sandstones and the later deposits can be seen abutting against each other in such a manner as to indicate that the sands 

formed a steep shore line Avhen the later deposits A\Tere laid doAvn.
22 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULT,.2i2.

The rapid changes of texture of these beds from sands to sandstones 

and again to sands may account for the difficulty of recognizing the 

Fayette sands in the boring of the wells around Spindletop, and it is 

possible, though improbable, that some of the thin-bedded irregularly 

deposited sandstones reported belong to these beds.

In connection with the Fayette sands a comparatively heavy bed of 

thinly laminated brown and gray clays, carrying considerable quantities of iron pyrites, is often found, and" a considerable amount of 

sulphur is disseminated through them. These clays first make their 

appearance on the Brazos River, and occur on the Colorado and on 

Elm Creek near Muldoon in Fayette County. They also occur in 

Starr County on the Rio Graiide. They do not appear on the Trinity, 

and their extent east of the Brazos is unknown, as no exposures are 

found. They appear to lie in a long, narrow trough and to be from 

10 to 50 feet in thickness. In Fayette County they are associated 

with small quantities of petroleum, and it is possible that they are the 

source of the small seeps of oil found in the overlying sandstones in 

Waller County.

FRIO CLAYS.

The geologic horizon of the succeeding Frio clays a is not so clear 

as in the case of the Fayette sands, on account of the enormous 

amount of erosion that must have taken place between their deposition and that of the next succeeding formation, and on account of 

the great extent to which the Frio clays are overlapped by later 

formations.

» The character of the Frio clays is more persistent than that of the 

Fayette. A heavy deposit of blue clay with its conspicuous line of 

calcareous nodules forms a horizon as prominent and well marked as 

the most continuous ledge of sandstone in the Fayette. The other 

clays of the Frio are not so uniform either in thickness, texture, or 

continuity. While they generally contain carbonate of lime, at some 

places this lime is replaced by gypsum, and the clays themselves by 

sands. The Frio beds appear to have been found in the Federal Crude 

well at Beaumont at a depth of 2,300 feet. From the nearest outcrops 

of these claj7 s to the well the distance is about 75 miles. This would 

give the beds an approximate dip of 35 feet per mile. The Frio clays 

have not as yet been recognized in the logs of any wells producing 

petroleum. From west to east the Frio clays change considerably in

"In the Third Annual Report of the Texas geological survey the Frio clays were described 

under the name of the Fleming beds. Later, Dumble, working on tfre Frio River, found the 

same beds well developed and suggested the name Frio clays, which was adopted, and these 

clays have been known as Frio clays ever since. Quite recently Mr. A. C. Veatch examined the 

same clays in the vicinity of Burkeville, Newton Coiinty, Tex., and in his report suggests the 

name "Burkeville beds" for them. The writer, having examined the whole series from their 

exposures on the Frio River eastward through Texas, including the exposures at Fleming, near 

Jasper and Burkeville, and across the Sabine as far as the line of the Kansas City Southern Railway in Louisiana, and finding these clays the same in each place, considers that the name Frio 

clays should be retained, and that it is unnecessary to introduce the name " Burkeville beds," at 

least into the nomenclature of the Texas areas. W. C.
HKB?MBDY?] GEOLOGY OF EASTERN DIVISION. 23

composition and texture. The beds as exposed along the Frio River 

are a series of gypseous clays with sand and sand rock. ffi Between 

the Brazos and Trinity rivers the beds are grayish sandy clays with, 

nodular concretions of lime and occasional deposits of gypsum crystals, thin strata of sandstone, and bluish-gray sands containing 

nodules of lime and clay. East of the Trinity the calcareous clay 

beds become predominant and the sandstones are never very strongly 

represented, losing their continuity of stratification and appearing 

simply as large concretions or bowlders. Another peculiarity in the 

Frio beds, which appears more prominently in the eastern division than 

in the other- sections, is that when they are thin bedded the calcareous 

concretions are largely replaced by crystals of gypsum, while where 

they are thick bedded gypsum crystals do not occur and calcareous 

concretions are found exclusively.

There has been considerable disagreement as to the age of these 

clays. Hilgard, Hopkins, and Loughridge assigned them to the Grand 

Gulf and considered them as of Miocene age, and lately Harris has 

been inclined to consider them as Grand Gulf but belonging to the 

Oligocene. The Texas geological survey held them to be of Eocene 

age and placed them at the top of the Eocene column. They have 

been assigned to that portion on account of their containing fauna 

which appears to be distinctly of Eocene age.

BURIED BEDS.

The next succeeding beds> do not outcrop, and their existence has 

been demonstrated l>y drilling. These are the beds marked b, c, and 

d in the general section (p. 20). The uppermost of these divisions, 

b, has a thickness of from 300 to 480 feet, and consists of a series of 

blue, brown, and gray clays with thin beds of limestone. The second 

division, c, has a thickness of 200 feet, and is chiefly blue clay with 

thin-bedded sandstones. The third division, d, comprises blue, red, 

and gray clays and sand carrying Miocene fossils 6 and thin-bedded 

limestones, with a fair proportion of the limestones changed to dolomite, and is associated with beds of sulphur and coarse sands carrying 

sulphur crystals and beds of pyrites. This division has a thickness 

of 300 feet. It appears to be the chief source of the petroleum and 

gas found on Spindletop and also the source of the petroleum found 

in the other producing fields. The Sour Lake, Saratoga/, and Jennings fields, however, obtain their flow from the associated gray sands 

instead of limestone or dolomite. Division b also carries small quantities of petroleum and gas, but the blue clays and sandstones appear 

to be barren.

These beds have been variously assigned to the Cretaceous and 

Tertiary. Professor Harris c jrtaces them in the Cretaceous on account

" Durable, .Jour. Geol, Vol. II, 1804, p. 544. « Science, new series, Vol. XIII, 1901, p. CGfl. 

''Determined by Dr. W. H. Dall.
24 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BUM.,.212.

of their association with gypsum and sulphur and their somewhat 

vague analogy with the deposits of sulphur and petroleum at Sulphur 

Mine, Louisiana. The latter deposits were regarded as Cretaceous by 

Hilgard in 1871, and have since been so considered without any very 

conclusive evidence. Harris assumed the presence of an anticline of 

sufficient elevation to bring the Cretaceous several thousand feet 

above its normal position. His assumption of an anticline is correct, 

but it was formed after the Eocene had been laid down, and consequently several thousand feet of beds of that age intervene between 

the Cretaceous and the oil-producing beds. Hill places these beds in 

the Neocene, but states that they might as well be placed in the Pleistocene, or Recent, or anywhere else, as Neocene really means nothing 

in particular beyond the fact that such beds are considered postEocene. a

On the other hand, Prof. Gilbert Van Ingen, of Columbia Univesity, who examined the material from the Lucas well, reports it to 

be a compact quartz sandstone, with grains of round to crystalline 

pellucid quartz. The fossils are in layers, the oj^ster shells having 

been apparently washed into their present position by wave action. 

 The interspaces between the oyster shells are occupied by less compact sand, full of latnellibranch shells. These are seldom perfect, and 

on the whole the material is so fragmentary that identification of the 

species is very difficult or impossible. They are clearly Tertiary, but 

whether Eocene or Miocene does not clearly appear. Professor Van 

Ingen's list comprises Ostrea sp., Turritella sp., and Mactra sp. 6 

These were all he could make out.

It is noticed that Professor Van Ingen is doubtful as to whether 

these petroleum-bearing beds are Eocene or Miocene. Dr. W. H. 

Dall examined material found in various wells in the vicinity of 

Beaumont and placed all the shells examined by him in the Miocene. 

The specimens examined were from the Island well at a depth of 800 

feet, the Bayou City well between 1,875 arid 1,910 feet, and the Texas 

Oil and Pipe Line Company's well between 940 and 1,036 feet. The 

material from this last well was the actual oil-bearing rock and the 

source of supply for that well. The other two wells are not on Spindletop and are dry. The fossils from the Island well are Natica 

tuomeyi Whitneld var. Crassinella, sp. like galvestonensis Harris, 

and Corbula (fragment). From the Bayou City well the shells were 

badly broken and show small Mulinia, Balanus sp. (fragments), and 

the earbone of small fish. Of these Dr. Dall says: " These Bayou City 

fossils are uncharacteristic, but with very little doubt belong to 

the Miocene similar to that penetrated at about the same depth by 

the artesian well at Galveston some years since." In the Texas Oil 

and Pipe Line well the rock is described as a liard gray marl with 

water-worn oysters like 0. virginica and probably Miocene.

"Science, new series, Vol. XIV, 190.1, p. 327.

ans. Am. Inst. Min. Eng., Vol. XXXI, 1901, p. 366.
HAYES ANO"| 

KENNEDY. J GEOLOGY OF EASTEKN DIVISION. 25

Mr. T. H. Aldrich," of Birmingham, Ala., on the evidence of some 

shells from a depth of 390 feet, assigns these petroleum beds to the 

Pliocene, saying, "Your fossils are very interesting, and confirm our 

previous theory that the formation that lies above the oil-bearing 

stratum around Beaumont is Pliocene, or even later." The specimens 

described by Mr. Aldrich were Nassa beaumontensis n. sp. AldiM.cn, 

Tornatina canaliculcda Say, Twrbonilla sp., and a young Mactra. 

Mr. Aldrich's determination of the oil-bearing deposits is not conclusive, as at least 600 feet of clays, limestones, and sandstones intervene between his fossil beds and the oil-producing strata. As the 

evidence goes, therefore, it points strongly to the conclusion that the 

age of these petroleum beds is Miocene.

A rough section showing the position of these beds may be constructed from their contained fauna, but it must be borne in mind 

that the depths and thicknesses shown by particular wells Arary from 

those shown in other wells either in the vicinity of Spindletop or at 

several miles distance. With the exception of those found at 40 feet, 

the shells are from wells on Spindletop or in the immediate vicinity.

Section constructed chiefly Inj means of fossils obtained from wells in the Beaumont district.

Location.

River.

Ira O. "Wyse well, 

Spindletop.

Oil and Pipe Line 

well No. 1, Spindletop.

Bayou City well, on 

Iowa Colony land.

County.

Character of strata.

Clay, yellow and blue .

and yellow.

bluish-gray sand

Bluish-gray coarse 

sand and shells.

gypsum; oil rock 

shown in every well 

on Spindletop.

Coarse bluish-gi'ay 

sand with shells 

same as found in Ira 

O. Wyse well at 1,000 

feet.

reous nodules.

Depth.

40

45

890

800

1,000 

1,086

l,f>10

Fossils.

Ostreasp.

Nassa beaumontensis 

Aldrich.

Tornatina canalicuNatica tuomevi Whitfleld.

vestoneusis.

Mulinia, Balanus ......

Mulinia, Balanus...... 

Earbone of small flsh..

Cvassatellites trapaquara Harris.

Ostrea alabamiensis;

cardia, 2 sp.

Crassatellitesantestriata(Qabb).

Age.

Pliocene.

Miocene.

1 Miocene.

Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7 belong to the Miocene and are the divisions 

marked b, c, and.d in the general section given on page 20.

"Texas petroleum, by William B. Phillips: Bull. Univ. of Texas No. 5,1900, p. 02.
26 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [HUM,212

LAFAYETTE SANDS.

The beds overlying these oil-bearing sands, clays, and limestones 

comprise a series of blue and red thinly laminated and massive red 

and brown clays and cross-bedded sands and gravels having a thickness of from 30 to 375 feet. They are probably the eastern extension 

of Dumble's Oakville beds of the western division, as they occupy a 

closely analogous position.

These beds come to the surface and spread over a wide belt to the 

north, overlapping and completely obscuring the petroleum-bearing 

beds. In many places they even overlie and obscure the Frio clays, 

and are found resting directly upon the Fayette sands. These beds 

are widely distributed throughout the Coastal Plain and may probably 

be safely correlated with McGee's Lafayette. They have a comparatively gentle dip compared with that of the underlying Frio clays or 

Fayette sands.

From the general structure of the country it seems that at the close 

of the Eocene the Frio clays were raised and tilted seaward slightly, 

remaining above water during the deposition of the limestones, sandstones, and clays forming the petroleum-bearing beds. These latter 

were evidently laid down over a sea floor which was being tilted southward until the last of the petroleum clays, and possibly also some 

of the succeeding red and brown clays -of the Lafayette, had been 

deposited.

This tilting movement ceased soon after the beginning of deposition 

of the Lafayette, and the land began to sink again. The Lafayette 

sea encroached upon the shores and gradually overran the petroleumbearing beds, depositing sandstones and limestones, and even covered 

a considerable area occupied by the Frio clays and Fayette sands. 

With another 'change of movement these red and brown clays and 

gravels were in a large measure reworked, probably while above sea 

level, and the finer clays and sands were washed into deeper water. 

The coarser material was left by the retiring sea, and now forms the 

extensive deposits of gravel.

The age of these sands and cla}rs has not yet'been satisfactorily 

determined. It is probable that they are in part Miocene and in part 

of later age. They are here assigned to the Miocene, upon the general assumption that they are younger than the Eocene and even the 

oil-bearing beds, but older than any of the Pleistocene deposits. They 

may possibly belong to the Pliocene, although we have no proof of 

this. They do not appear to be fossiliferous. Some of the gravels 

contain fossils, but these fossils belong to the original formations 

from which the pebbles were derived.

COLUMBIA SANDS.

Overlying the Lafayette beds there is a heavy deposit of gravel, the 

age of which has not yet been definitely determined. By some it has
GEOLOGY OF 'EASTERN DIVISION. - 27

been considered as the upper member of the preceding sands and 

clays, and is therefore placed with the Lafayette. These gravels 

have "evidently been derived from the Lafayette, by a process of 

assorting and rearranging, at a time when the sand beds of this age 

overspread the greater portion 'of this region. They'are made up 

chiefly of chert, quartz, agate, jasper, and some crystalline rocks, of 

which only the quartz and crystalline pebbles bear evidence of having 

traveled very far. The chert is peculiar in its angular and subangular condition. These gravel beds are more extensive toward the 

Mississippi ^7'alley region than to the west in Texas, where they appear 

to gradually thin out.

These gravels have been here considered as forming the basal member of the gray sands, clays, and gravels which, with their overlying 

heavy beds of yellow, blue, brown, and black calcareous clays and 

brown and gray sands, form what McGee calls the Columbia and the 

deposits of clays and sands long ago denominated by Hilgard the 

Port Hudson clays. This brings them within the Pleistocene. They 

appear in many of the wells to have a-thickness of from 50 to 250 

feet, or even more.

BEAUMONT CLAYS.

Overlying-the Columbia as above denned is a series of yellow, gray, 

blue, brown, and black clays with brown sands. These beds are 

sometimes thinly stratified or laminated, but frequently massive. 

The laminated beds are usually interstratified with thin beds of blue 

and gray or grayish-white sand. The clays carry considerable quantities of calcareous, nodules irregularly distributed, in many places 

shells 'of Pleistocene or Recent age, and great quantities of decaying 

wood in the form of tree trunks, bark, and leaves. Among these 

the cypress appears as the most prominent, and among the invertebrate fauna found the Rangia cuneata (Gray) and an undetermined 

oyster are the prevailing forms.

In Texas the prevailing colors of these clays are blue, yellow, and 

brown; in Louisiana are occasional, deposits of red clay. In many features the blue clays of these Beaumont beds strongly resemble the 

blue Frio clays, and, from the generally low dip of the beds throughout the regions occupied by both and the known existence of small 

flexures or shallow undulations, might be erroneously correlated with 

these underlying Frio beds. The chief differences between them, 

apart from their geologic position, appear to be the presence of wood 

in the Beaumont beds and the condition of the calcareous nodules. 

In the Frio clays these nodules appear to have a definite horizon and 

to lie in a more or less stratified condition, to have regular lines, and 

to be continuous with the blue clay. Although in several regions 

replaced by gypsum crystals, they continue in the regular lineal 

arrangement. In the Beaumont beds these nodules do not appear to
28 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

have any definite position among the clays. It is true that they 

always accompany the .blue clays, but they are always found scattered 

in small pockets and occupying irregular patches a few acres in 

extent. It is possible that by some chemical action during or after 

the deposition of the clays the lime had been segregated into small 

.depressions or softer portions of the clays. . . " The .country occupied by these clays is flat and-, as a general thing, 

poorly:drained. As a result the greater portion is unforested. Occasional .mottes of small trees appear scattered over the prairie, and 

straggling lines of. timber are found along the banks of the water 

courses. Owing to these conditions very little knowledge of the 

structure can be obtained from the surface; nowhere do we find 

sections exposing more than a few feet, and these show only the prevailing bed of c\a,y. Knowledge of the structure of this area can 

be gained only from the records of the various wells. Along the 

Neches in the vicinity of Beaumont and on Pine Island Bayou a few 

natural sections occur. At Beaumont the beds are seen to be laminated blue cla,ys with brown partings, and on Pine Island a small section of blue and yellow clays is shown.

This series of clays and sands has been named the Beaumont 

beds, from its greatest development in the neighborhood of that city, 

sections showing as much as 400 feet having been obtained from 

many of the wells. The greatest areal extent of these beds is found 

between the Trinity arid the Sabine rivers in Texas, where the maximum width, north and south, is a little over 20 miles. To the east 

of the Neches River their outcrops narrow rapidly, forming but a 

narrow strip across Orange County. In the Louisiana regions they 

appear to widen again to a considerable extent. These clays occur 

at Lake Charles and extend eastward in a broad belt to Abbeville, 

in Vermilion Parish. Passing westward from Beaumont, the areal 

extent of these clays decreases gradually to a few miles, and though 

they have been traced as far west as the Guadalupe River, in Calhoun "County, they do not appear to again widen greatly, though their 

chief characteristics remain constant. The Beaumont beds can usually be detected by the peculiar nature of their soil, which is in many 

places highly calcareous, while the accompanying clays are black, 

owing to the mixture of liine and the decaying vegetable matter 

contained in the clay.

The well sections given on pages 132 and 136 show the relations of 

these clays to the underlying clays in the Louisiana parishes, and the 

records given of deep wells in the oil-producing areas show their connection in Texas.

Large tracts where the Beaumont clay is exposed lie in very nearly 

the same marshy condition as the coastal marsh country itself. Ill 

some areas the surface blue and yellow clays form a low bluff or ridge, 

separating the two divisions. This is more noticeable in the Louisiana 

regions than in Texas.
HIOBHWBDY?] GEOLOGY OF EASTERN DIVISION. 29

Throughout the Beaumont clay region large numbers of peculiar 

mounds or hillocks occur, .forming the often-described "pimpled, 

plains." These mounds extend, in a few cases, within the limits of 

the coastal marshes.

 v' ' '

RECENT'OR PORT HUDSON CLAYS.

The recent Beaumont clays are overlain by very recent materials, the 

present river alluvium and the coast marshes. The first river bottom 

or alluvium proper fringes all the rivers in the Coastal Plain, whether 

they originate in or pass through the plain. No average width can be 

assigned to these deposits, as the low bluffs following the margins of 

the river valley may open out for several miles and again close within 

the distance of a mile so as to restrict the river to its actual water 

channel and efface the bottom land or newer alluvium altogether. If 

the lands subject to overflow be considered the representative of the 

very recent deposits, these will range from a half mile to 5 miles in 

width along eacli side of the river. Along the Sabine the Fayette and 

Frio clays are exposed at many places in the form of high bluffs. On 

the Trinity the overflow lands have widths of from 3 to 5 miles, and 

the Brazos bottoms at several points and at certain seasons present 

the appearance of a river from 12 to 25 miles in width. In thickness 

these deposits range from 4 to 25 feet.

The coast marshes are restricted to the southeastern portion of 

Texas and southern Louisiana, not existing west of Galveston Bay. 

These marshes include a broad belt, but little elevated .above sea 

level, extending from Galveston Bay eastward through Texas and 

southern Louisiana as far as the eastern side of Vermilion Parish. 

The northern border of this belt is extremely irregular, and in many 

places tongues of the underlying clays extend for several miles, forming 

ridges and islands, as these elevations are called. The plain is covered 

with a heavy growth of marsh grass, and with reeds and other vegetation where water forms the permanent covering. Throughout the 

most southerly portion there are numerous sink holes or floating 

marshes, absolutely impassable for man or beast.

In these coastal marshes a few sluggish bayous are found. Theyhave apparently little or no current, and are more or less affected by 

tidal influences. Of these the most important in Texas are East 

Bayou and Mud Bayou in Chambers and Galveston counties, andTaylors Bayou and Hildebrands Bayou in Jefferson County. In Louisiana 

the bayous are few in number, but those which occur have expanded 

to broad sheets of water, s.uch as Calcasieu, Grand, and Mud lakes.

At several points along these bayous the banks form small bluffs, 

ranging from 2 or 3 feet to 20 and sometimes more feet. These bluffs 

are generally made up of shells of Chiathadon cuneatus, with a 

few species of oyster. Probably the most prominent of these is 

Grigsbys Bluff on the Neches, Shell Bluff near the mouth of the
30 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 213.

Sabine, and the low bluffs along Black Lake near Hackberry Island 

in Cameron Parish, La.

Between the coastal marshes and the Gulf there is a narrow, newly 

formed strip of sand, with considerable quantities of recent shells. 

This strip appears, to form a barrier between the Gulf waters and the 

marsh, and is in most localities elevated a few feet above the marsh.

DETAILED SECTIONS OF COASTAL PLAIN FORMATIONS.

The foregoing generalized description of the formations of the Gulf 

Coastal Plain will give most readers a sufficiently complete idea of 

their character and thickness. For the oil prospector, however, local 

details are important, "and these are therefore given in the following 

pages. There is necessarily some repetition of what has gone before, 

since the generalized section is largely based upon these special sections. The eastern division of the Gulf Coastal Plain as above 

denned will be described from its western end eastward.

DETAILED SECTIONS ON THE GUADALUPE.

The detailed geology of the western end of this eastern division of 

the Gulf Coastal Plain is not well known. South of the outcrops of 

gray sandstones of the Fayette beds the country is mostly prairie, and 

the surface, as east of the Brazos, is made up of clays and sands. Very 

few well records are available, and consequently very little knowledge 

of the underground formations is obtainable. Along the Guadalupe 

River the banks are mostly obscured by deposits of recent material, 

and the few sections seen are referable more to the Fayette sands than 

to the Coastal Plain formations.

Throughout this region the ridges forming the northern boundary 

of the plain may be placed in part with the Fayette sands and in part 

with the succeeding Frio clays, and may be roughly characterized as 

follows:

General section near the Guadalupe.

1. Ferruginous gravel containing pebbles of quartz, jasper, carnelian, and chalcedony.

2. Conglomerate formed from underside of gravel beds. The cementing material

is calcareous and the conglomerate is only found where the white or gray

sands prevail. 

8. Brown to red clays and sands, more or less mixed with pebbles, occasionally

indurated and showing considerable ledges of red or brown sandstone in

places.

4. Bluish-gray to gray or dirty white sands, more or less calcareous; and limy 

clays of blue or grayish-blue color.

5. Thin-bedded, soft, grayish, calcareous sandstones, changing frequently into 

gray calcareous sands.

6. Red and blue mottled sands.

No. 4 of this section belongs to the Frio clays, or to that phase of 

those beds peculiar to this section of the country. With but slight
DETAILED SECTIONS. 31

local variations these beds may be traced eastward as far as the 

western edge of Montgomery County.

No. o is the uppermost member of the Fayette sands and appears 

to have the same characteristics wherever found. It, therefore, is a 

good guide across the country separating the underlying Fayette sands, 

clays, and sandstones from the overlying Frio clays.

Surface sections showing the relations of the beds are few. A section at Buchel's dam on the Guadalupe River, in Bewitt County, is as 

follows.:

Section at Buchel's dam on Guadalupe River.

Feet. 

1. Gray sandy soil-._-..-.__--..-.----...-----.-----.-------.--_.-..----.....- 1

. 2. Black sitbsoil_.____._..__-.._.-.-_-.-----------.-.-..----.-.............._1_ 2

3. White gravel ......................................................... ^iQ I

4. Hard, brown sandstone...... ............. ..^.............................. 4

5. Thin beds of sandstone with clay partings to water -.......-.--....-....... 8

Four miles farther down the river the soft, Avhite, calcareous sandstones of No. 5 of this section outcrop, and form the capping of the 

second bottom lands, being here directly overlain by brown sands and 

brown gravel'.

Throughout the eastern portion of Dewitt County the ridge shows 

the same general structure, with the exception that in the Chicoleet 

country and eastward in the neighborhood of Perryville the brown 

and red' sands and gravels are in great measure replaced by beds of 

light-colored (almost white) gravel and beds of heavy, white, calcareous conglomerate.

On Irish Creek, on the A. Biddy league/' a section is as follows:

Section on Irish Creek.

Feet.

1. Black soil.-.-..-............-...-.!.-------.--.----..---.-.-----.--... 4

2. Soft white limestone or calcareous sandstone........................... 12-15

3. Joint clay............................ ................................. 25

4. Sandstone and gravel with water in gravel...-.............-.........._ 6

Still farther east, on the North Chicoleet, the following section is 

shown:

Section on the North Chicoleet.

Feet.

1. Gray soil -.-.. .--.---.-.-..-----.-.---.---..-..---.---.--..... ...-..-.I to 3

2. Gray gravel ........................................... .....^............ 2

3. Coarse gray sandstone........--....,...-.---.-.-.-..-....,--.--...-... 1

The gray conglomerate appears throughout this region in association with the gray gravels; in fact, the one appears to be complementary to the other.

Lying along the southern side of the ridge are more or less distinct 

deposits of brown and gray sandstones. These appear broken or in

" The league is still used in Texas for lauds surveyed during Mexican possession. It contains 

acres.
32 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BUM,.212.

a bowlder-like form. From these beds the country slopes very gently 

until it merges into the great Coastal Plain proper. Very few sections 

are obtainable within the limits of the plain, but from the shallow cuttings seen in this section the underlying beds appear to be blue limy 

clays. About 3 miles south of Port Lavaca, in Calhoun County, on 

Chocolate Bayou, a cutting along the bank is as follows:

Section on Chocolate Bayou, 3 miles south of Port Lavaca.

Feet.

1. Black soil. ................................:.:........................_2to 3

2. Gray calcareous clay, in places blue with limy nodules................. 3 to 5

3. Chocplate-coloredclay. ................................................ 2

Tthese gray calcareous clays, or their blue phase, outcrop in a belt 

stretching across the country as far east as the Sabine River and 

probably much farther. The clays with their calcareous concretions 

have been recognized in Wharton and Brazoria counties, in the neighborhood of Houston and Beaumont, and near Orange, in Orange 

County. They also appear in Louisiana.

DETAILED SECTIONS ON THE COLORADO AND BRAZOS.

Eastward through the counties of Jackson, Matagorda, Wharton, 

Brazoria, Fort Bend, Colorado, and Austin the country presents the 

general appearance characteristic of the Coastal Plain. In Colorado 

and Austin counties the Fayette sands with their overlying Frio clays 

are fairly well developed. In the middle and southern portions of 

Austin County the Fayette beds, in the form of coarse calcareous 

sandstones, are found underlying the Frio clays, which in this locality 

are bluish-gray limy clays, with the limy concretions broken and powdery where exposed. Gray calcareous sandstones appear in the 

banks of the Brazos at Cochran's ferry, near Buckhorn post-office, in 

Austin County, underlying the grayish-blue calcareous Frio clays. 

Throughout the same area many of the higher grounds are occupied 

by ferruginous and gray gravels. At Seely, in Austin County, the 

Frio clays are comparatively thin, being only 35 to 40 feet in thickness, and overlie the upper sandstones of the Fayette.

In the neighborhood of Richmond and Roseiiberg, hi Fort Bend 

County, the coastal deposits comprise a series of dark-brown to black 

calcareous clays, more or less intermixed with deposits of sand. No 

surface sections' are visible, and in the vicinity of the Brazos River 

the recent alluvium is so heavy that no reliable sections are to be 

found. Occasional low bluffs showing interstratified blue clays and 

sands occur, but these give no distinctive indications as to their age. 

The dip of these beds is apparently to the east of south, but the 

exposures are in such condition that no great reliance can be placed 

upon them.

The only wells drilled to any depth in this portion of the Country
IIAYICS AND "I 

KENNEDY. J DETAILED SECTIONS. 33

are those at the Victoria Ice, Light, and Power plant, at Victoria, in 

Victoria County, and a prospecting well at O'Connorsport, on the 

shore of Matagorda Bay, in Calhoun County. Shallow wells for water 

are numerous, but no sections of these are available. They generally 

do not exceed 100 feet in depth and are mostly operated by windmill. 

Artesian water has been obtained at depths ranging from 400 to 600 

feet. In most of these deep wells, however, the water is brackish. 

The drillers state that the water is usually found in a coarse sand or 

fine gravel, which may possibly be No. 3 of the Victoria section.

The section shown by the well at Victoria has been supplied by 

Mr. Heaton, who kept the records and a complete set of samples of 

the borings as far as possible.

Log of 'well at Victoria, Victoria County, Tex.

1

9,

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1?,

18

14

15

Hi

17

18

10

?,0

91

?,?,'

23

Character of strata.

Gray sand ...................................

Pale-blue clay ...............................

Gray sand. ......... ....-...--.--......-.-..

Gray sand ...................... ....... ....

Said to be red clay; sample wanting ...........

Red sand with a little soil. ...----............

Red sand ............................... ....

Red sand ................. ^... ..............

Thickness.

Feet. 

40

33

10

16

12

43

60

50

41

100

22

30

40

255

1

43

8

87

4

1

57

1

From 

Feet. 

0

40

72

82

98

110

153

213

263

304

4.04

426

456

496

751

752

795

803

890

894

895

952

953

To 

Feet. 

40

72

82

98

110

153

213

263

304

404

426

456

496

751

752

795

803

890

894

895

952

953

Bull. 212 03-
34 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

Forty miles farther south, 011 the shore at O'Conuorsport, a well 

drilled in prospecting for oil shows the following section:

Log of loell at O'Connorsport, Calhoun County, Tex.

1

9,

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13 

14

Character of strata.

Fine shells and sand .......-...--..-.-.--....

Yellow quicksand _________.--.--__.-_.__-._.-

Coarse variegated sand ......................

Finer variegated sand . .

Fine black quicksand ...^ ....................

Sand and fine- shells with artesian water ......

Yellow clay and sand with traces of oil. ..... _

Yellow sand rock ........................ ....

Blue clay ....................................

Bound sand and fine shells, strong artesian flow

Thickness.

Feet.

3

35

87

35

35

30

85

60

7

52

1

15

45 

4

From 

Feet. 

0

3

38

125

160

.195

225

310

370

377

429

430

445 

490

ToFeet. 

3

38

125

160

195

225

310

 370

377

429

430

445

490 

494

This well is located within half a mile of the western shore of Matagorda Bay and not more than 10 feet above sea level.

Well ~No. 2 of the O'Connorsport Mining Company has been drilled 

to a depth of 1,484 feet. The following is the log of uhis well as supplied by the drillers:

Log of well No. 2 of the O'Connorsport Mining Company, O'Connorsport, Calhoun County, Tex.

Character of strata.

Soil.---....-.-.---...------.--.--.-------...

Gray sand .................--..-.--....----..

Hard clay and shells ........-..-.--.-..---...

Sand.. ....... .......^... ....................

Round sand and fine shells, artesian flow

Coarse gray sand and shells, artesian, flow....

Thickuess.

Feet.

3

18

22

37

3

77

6

44

15

95

45

87

24

From 

Feet.

0

3

21

43

80

83

160

166

210

225

320 

365

452

ToFeet.

3

21

43

80

83

160

166

210

225

820

365 

452

476

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13
HAYKS AND 

KENNEDYD ] DETAILED SECTIONS. 35

Log of ivell No. 2 of the 0'' Connoraport Mining Company, etc. Continued.

14

15

16

17

18

19

90

at

M

23

?4

85

26

27

28

89

30

31

33

33

34

35

30

37

38

Character of strata.

Gray sand. .-___-----.-__.---._._-._--..----

Conglomerate and blue clay mixed ............

Gray sand with traces of oil ................

Hard rock. ___.__----.._____._.____._____..__

Hard rock with soft layers ................ .

Gray sand with shells ................. .....

Shell concrete ...... ............_ -...

Sand ; artesian water and oil flowed ...........

Concrete with bowlders .....................

Gray sand. ........... ....... ...............

Blue clay with shells and bowlders ....-.--.-

Light-colored clay and very fine sand .-..--...

Blue clay . . ..................................

Rock ........................................

Blue clay, bowlders, and shells ...............

White sand; traces of oil .... ...............

Blue clay, hard in places ^.. .................

Light-colored clay and rock ...................

White water-bearing sand .... ..............

Red and blue clay ...........................

Light-colored clay with red specks ...........

Red, white, and blue variegated clay. ........

Thickness.

Feat.

75

16

127

10

8

3

3

12

42

120

25

4

36

66

14

17

3

9

1

4

31

10

133

232

22

From 

Feet. 

476

551

567

694

704

707

710

713

725

767

887

912

916

942

1,008

1,022

1,039

1,042

1,051

1,052

1,056

1,087

1,097

1,230

1,462

ToFeet. 

551

 567

694

704

707

710

713

725

767

887

912

916

942

1,008

1,022

1,039

1,042

1,051

1,052

1,056

1,087

1 OQ7

1,230

1,562

1 484.

Apparently No. 27 of this section agrees with No. 6 of the Victoria 

section and both may be regarded as Frio clays. This would give 

these clays a dip of 20 feet per mile in this region.

This well is drilled about half a mile from the shore of Matagorda 

Bay and 3 miles southeast of the old town of Indianola.

Within this area four of the small elevated areas occur. These 

are Big Hill, in Matagorda County; Bryan Heights, near Velasco; 

Kiser Heights, at Columbia, and Darnon Mound, near the northern 

side of Brazoria County. The first two are comparatively low, and 

might probably be overlooked by the traveler. Damon Mound (see 

fig. 1), however, is a very prominent feature. Situated on the northern side of Brazoria County, on the Darst league, it forms a very 

prominent feature in the landscape. For at least 20 miles in any 

direction the surrounding country is a low, level prairie. The mound 

itself rises somewhat abruptly to an approximate height of 83 feet
36 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

above the general level of the surrounding prairie and about 140 feet 

above sea level.

The approximate area of this mound is 2,500 to 3,000 acres, 

having a somewhat regular oval outline. Its longer axis lies in a 

general northeast-southwest direction. Viewed from the top of the 

highest point the surface appears as if the Avhole mound has been 

made up of a series of smaller mounds grouped around a central one, 

and the whole so intimately connected as to give the appearance of

FIG. 1. Sketch contour map of Darnon Mound; by A. C. Veatch.

one extended hill. The form of its surface is in part due to erosion, 

but the peculiar geologic structure of the mound suggests that these 

irregularities may be in part constructional. The presence of extensive deposits of salt shown in the Herndon well and its absence in 

other wells in the immediate vicinity, together with the occurrence of 

sulphur and the structure of the mound so far as it can be made out, 

suggest a close similarity with the Salt Islands of Louisiana.

The greater portion of this mound is covered with blue and red 

clays. On the western slope brown sandy clays and shaly clays
HAVES AND DETAILED SECTIONS. 37

appear on the surface. Several small veins or seams of sulphur, evidently deposited by escaping- gases, fill cavities in the sandy clays, 

and considerable quantities of: the same mineral occur in the form of 

crystals disseminated through the beds. This brown sandy material 

with its inclovsed sulphur, locally known as "sour dirt," was at one 

time mined by the Damonia Mineral Company and shipped to Chicago 

for medicinal, purposes.

In a well 40 feet deep a short distance southeast of the hotel at 

Damon post-office the water is saline, while wells along the southwestern edge of the mound near the old town of ."Damon. afford fresh 

water.

.Drilling operations in this field have been carried on by the J. M. 

Guffey Petroleum Company and the Damon Mound Oil and Pipe Line 

Company. The J. M. Guffiey Company has drilled three wells Nos. 

1 and 2 and the Herndon well. Well No. 1 is located near the base 

of the mound on its northwestern side, while No. 2 is located near its 

northeastern end. The Herndon Avell has been drilled near its summit toward the south side. The Damon Mound Company's well is 

near its southeastern base. The New York and. Texas Oil Company, 

although making preparations, has not commenced operations.

No petroleum in any quantity has as yet been found in Damon 

Mound. In the Herndon well the drill entered rock salt at 587 feet, 

and was still cutting through it at a depth of 1,160 feet, thus giving 

a known thickness of salt in this well of 573 feet.

The logs of the wells drilled in the Damon Mound field are as

f olloAvs:

Log of Herndon well, Damon Mound.

[Elevation, 140 feet.]

1

9,

3

4

5

B

7-

8

9

10'

11

12

Character of strata.

Soil...:........................... ..........

Red clay . ...-........-........_..- _._...--.

Blue clay ......................-.-........--:.-.

Sand................ ........................

Blue shale. ..-.....-.....---..-.-..-..--.-----

Salt..........................................

Thickness.

.Feet. 

11

85

36

14

46

4

19

6

378

30

8

-t- 573

Prom 

»<-/. 

0

1:1

46

82

96

142

146

165

171

549

579

587

To-

 .Feet. 

11

40

82

96

142

146

165

 171

549

579

587

1,160
38 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS^LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

No traces of oil were reported from this well, but considerable 

quantities of sulphur water were found. The upper beds of limestone 

and a portion of the gypsum-bearing beds were found to be badly 

fissured or fractured, occasioning a considerable loss of time and 

additional expense in drilling. »

Log of Well No..l of the J. M. Guffey Petroleum Company. 

[Elevation, 60 feet.]

Character of strata. Thickness. From ToFeet.

1 Gray sand.....................

2 Black clay .....................

3 Brown sand.................

4 Bine clay .....................

5 White sand ...._..............

6 Clay.-.. .. ---._.,-.

7 Fine gravel ......... .____ _.

8 Sand.........................

9 Clay... ......................

10 Sand........................

11 Blue shale .--.-..-........-.-.

12 Sand.........-.---.......--.

13 Clay .........................

14 Blue shale ...................

15 Sand and shells. -...........

16 Wood (cypress)----.-----.--.

17 Coarse water sand............

18 Blue shale ..-..-.-........-..

19 Lime and sandstone mixed ..

20 Clay.........................

21 Sand and wood (wood 1 foot)

22 Hard rock...................

23 Blueshale ..................

24 Sand and shells ..:.: . . 

25. Clay ........................

26 Sand rock...................

27 Bine shale ...................

28 Sand and shells.-..----------

29 Sand rock. ..................

30 Clay.....---.........-..-.

31 Sand and cedar log ----------

32 Sand rock and gas.----..---.

33 Sand.................-.-..

34 Clay........................

3

15

22

5

20

20

6

39

9

19

32

9

22

16

18

2

40

36

5

22

14

2.

32

17

12

4

37

23

7

18

14

11

9

16

Feet.

0 

3

18

40

45

65

85

91

130

139

158

190

199.

221

237

255

 257

297

333

'338

360

374

376

408

425

437

441

478

501

508

526

540

551

560

Feet. 

3

18 

40 

45 

65 

85 

91 

130 

139 

158 

190 

199 

221 

237 

255 

257 

297 

333 

338 

360 

374 

376 

408 

425 

437 

441 

478 

501 

508 

526 

(540 

551 

560 

576
ITAYES ANI)-| 

KENNEDY. J DETAILED SECTIONS. - 39 

Log of Well No. 1 of the J. M. Ouffey Petroleum Company Continued.

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

4?,

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

Character of strata.

Sand .__...__.._._...... _______.___._....____

Sand rock. ................. ............ ......

Sand ............ ............................

Sand and lime rock. . .....................

Gravel and water ...........................

Fine sand ...................................

Sand rock. ..... ....... '.....................

Sand ..-...-.-..-.--.........-.......-.......

 Loose dirt and sulphur, apparently the same 

bed as No. 10 in the Herndon well .........

Blue shale ............................. ...

Sand rock..... ..............................

Very fine sand ...............................

Sand rock ...................... .............

Sand, medium. ..............................

Clay......,.:................................

Fine sand ...................................

Sand rock ...................................

Blue shale. ......................._..........

Lime rock ..................................

Blue shale. ........-.--......-.---......-....

Sand rock ...................................

Blue shale. ..... ..-.-......--------..........

Lime and sand rock, very hard and flinty ....

Thickness.

Feat. 

3

10

14

41

19

2

30

2

32

17

39

8

44

3

49

 6

45

18

31

3

58

6

35

6+

From 

Feet. 

576

579

589

603

644

663

665

G95

697

729

74.6

785

793

837

840

889

895

940

958

' 989

992

1,050

1,056

1,091

ToFeet. 

579

589

603

644

663

665

695

697

729

74.6

785

793

837

840

889

895

940

958

989

992

1,050

1,056

1,091

1,097

Log of the Damon Mound Oil and Pipe Line Company's well. 

[Elevation, .100 feet.]

1

?l

3

4

5

Character of strata.

Clay............. ........:.................

Limestone ..................................

Clay.........................................

Sand and clay ....... .-.._.......-..........

Thickness.

Feet.

260

70

200

650

50

From 

Feet. 

0

260

330

530

1,180

To 

Feet. 

260

330

530

1,180

1,230

This well is located a little over three-quarters of: a mile south of 

the Herndon well. The gypsum of the Herndon well is here represented by limestone, while the 650 feet of limestone No. 4 of the
40 OIL FIELDS- OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN,

Damon Mound well apparently is equivalent to the salt deposits of 

the Herndon well, and also the 30 feet of sulphur and gypsum.

Log of Equitable Mining Company well at J£i,xer Heights, about 2 miles west of

Columbia.

[Elevation, 34 feet.]

1

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

19

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

91

99

OO

94

95

26

97

28

Character of strata.

White clay. . ...... ...........-....---. ....-

Red clay . ---.................,....-.........

Gray sand ........................._...._...

White clay .................... .............

Quicksand ......... .... ...................

Yellow clay ................... ... .........

Qiiicksand .... .......-._.-.......-. .......

Gray sand .-....-.....-.-._-....--.-........_

Lignite with logs ...'..... ......--..---....

White clay . . ........_...__ ....._._-........

Soapstone (clay) ................... . . ......

Blue shale. --_..--.._-_ ___--.__--.. _. ._ .

Blue clay ............................. .....

Rock and gas --..-..--.....-........... ...

Blue sand and clay with thin streaks of rock, 

water in rock -__.____..____._____.__ ...

Rock ..... .---_.....--._.-..................

Sand ----.-----...-.....-.----..--.-..........

Blue clay. . ....................................

Hard rock. ................................. .

Blue clay ........--..-.-...--. .-...........

Quicksand and gas ..... ..-.... ..-.'..-.......

Blue shale with some oil .-.--.-- -...--..-...

Oil sand. ....--.........-...-.--.....--.......

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

Thickness.

Feet.

2

8

15

244

10

1

23

6

15

15

14

18

4

112

1

1

18

7

19

6

38

1

1

20

44

76

From 

Feet. 

0

3

10

25

254

50

60

01

84

90

105

120

134

152

156

268

269

270

288

295

314

320

358

359

360

380

424

500

To 

Feet. 

2

10

25

50

60

61

84

90

105

120

134

152

156

268

269

270

288

295

314

320

358

359

360

380

424

500

-,. This well has been drilled to about 600 feet, where the gas pressure 

was stron,g;enough to blow the.well out. This gas was accompanied 

with a large.flow of water with a small quantity of oil.

Along the San Bernard River, about 8 miles northwest of Damon 

Mound, there outcrops a soft grayish-white limestone which strongly 

resembles the Reynosa limestones of the West, and which may be 

traced to the upper exposed bed of limestone in Damon Mound.
HAVES AND" DETAILED SECTIONS. 41

Limestones also appear in the.wells at Velasco at 735 feet and at 

Columbia at 156 feet. Whether or not these may be correlated with 

the Reynosa, sufficient knowledge is not yet available for determining. 

With the exception of the limestone reported in the Big Hill well in 

Matagorda County, no limestones are known to exist in this region, 

and the nearest Reynosa limestones occur at Rogers in Nueces County, 

at least 135 miles distant.

It will be noticed that the first bed of limestone found in these wells 

lies in such a position as to appear in all. It is interbedded between 

two thick beds of clay, except in the Velasco well, where its underlying bed is not known, and a thin bed of gravel, intervenes between 

the clay and limestone. This limestone appears to be irregular in 

thickness. In the Guft'ey No. 1 and Herndon wells it does not.show 

a thickness exceeding 4 to 5 feet. In the Columbia well the thickness recorded is 5 feet, but in the Damon Mound Oil and Pipe Line 

Company's well, about a mile south of the Herndon well, the reported 

thickness is 70 feet. Its thickness in the Velasco well is not known.

From the depths given, this limestone appears to dip in a southeasterly direction from the summit of Damon Mound at the rate of 25 

feet per mile. On the northern side of the mound the dip is to the 

northwest at the rate of 93 to 95 feet per mile. About 8 to 10 miles 

northwest of the summit the same limestone conies to the surface in 

the bed of the San Bernard River. The beds shown in that locality 

are dipping toward the mound at a rate of approximately 33 feet per 

mile. Another noticeable feature of the region is the appearance of 

a minor fold in the Columbia field. The area or extent of this minor 

fold is not known.

From these figures it would seem as if the regular dip of these beds, 

including the limestones as well as sandstones lying at greater depths, 

is southeast toward the coast. The dip is probably interrupted by a 

fold, and probably a fault at Damon Mound, beyond which the beds 

resume their normal southeasterly dip.

How far to the east or west these folds may extend is not known. 

No drilling has been done to the west except at Big Hill, in Matagorda. 

County, approximately 20 miles to the southwest. In the Big Hill 

well limestones occur at various depths, and it is possible that these 

are the same beds as those forming the minor fold -in the Columbia 

field and that the minor fold has a length of at least 20 miles. From 

this it might be inferred that some traces of the main fold may be 

found lying in the same direction.

Toward the east it is doubtful whether drilling would show any 

continuation of the Columbia well limestones. No drilling has been 

done in the line of the arch projected, but at Angleton, a few miles 

to the south of such a line, the Brazos Valley Oil Company and New 

York and Texas Land Company have drilled wells, the former to the 

depth of 1,500 feet and the latter through sand and clay to a depth 

of 600 feet.
42 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

The limestone found in the Velasco well at about 745 feet, where the 

gas flow was struck, is apparently closely allied with the limestone 

found in the Matagorda County well at about 900 feet, in which a 

similar flow of gas occurred. In both cases it caused the abandonment of the wells. A similar heavy flow of gas occurred in the Equitable Mining Company's well at Columbia at a depth of about 600 feet. 

Little or no gas occurs in the wells at Damon Mound.

DETAILED SECTIONS BETWEEN BRAZOS AND TRINITY RIVERS.

In the region lying between the Brazos and Trinity rivers a new 

topographic feature is introduced. From the western boundary of 

the region discussed eastward as far as Galveston Bay the coast line 

is protected by a series of long, narrow islands, or keys, separated 

from the mainland by narrow, shallow lagoons. These lagoons show 

more or less of a bluff structure along their inner or landward shores. 

This shore bluff, beginning at an elevation of a few feet at Point 

Isabel, gradually increases in elevation until it reaches its highest 

point in the neighborhood of Corpus Christi. From that point the 

bluff lessens in height until it reaches the shore of Galveston Bay. 

On the east side of the bay, in the neighborhood of East Bayou and 

up along the eastern shore to the mouth of Trinity River and Cedar 

Bayou, commences the low, flat sea marsh area which continues eastward and forms an extended territory in the southern portion of 

Jefferson and Orange counties in Texas and Cameron and Vermilion 

parishes in Louisiana. >

In the same limits there are also numerous mound-shaped elevations which may be in part remnantal and due to erosion and in part 

due to the uplifting of the underlying beds. The Sun Mounds in 

Waller County are representative of the first class, and Dayton Hill, 

Barber Hill, and Davis Hill probably belong to the second class.

In its general features this portion of the country has the same 

characteristics as the counties lying immediately to the west of the 

Brazos. The general section shows the Fayette sands to comprise a 

series of gray and yellow sandstones, more or less calcareous in some 

portions, and interstratified with coarse, yellow sand and beds of siliceous yellow limestones. The beds are somewhat lenticular in form 

and the material is very irregular in texture, often passing from a 

solid, close-grained sandstone to a loose, unconsolidated sand in a 

distance of a few hundred yards.

The southern boundary of this series and its contact with the succeeding Frio clays is often obscured by heavy beds of gravel which 

form a belt over 3 miles in width and 15 to 20 feet in thickness. 

This boundary passes across the counties of Grimes, Montgomery, 

and Walker in a general northeastern diiection from near Chappel 

Hill, in Washington County, passing Courtney and Anderson, in 

Grimes County, and crossing the Trinity near Riverside on the Inter-
HAYE8 AND 

KENNEDYD] DETAILED SECTIONS. 43

national and Great Northern Railroad. In this portion of the State 

these sandstones occupy a somewhat restricted area and have an 

estimated thickness of 350 feet.

The Frio clays overlying these Fayette sands have in this area a 

thickness-of 75 to 100 feet and rest more or less u neon form ably upon 

the eroded surface of the Fayette beds. The Frio clays here comprise 

a series of blue, yellow, and sometimes red clays, with concretions or 

nodules of lime carbonate interstratified with occasional beds of gray 

calcareous sands and thin-bedded, coarse-grained, soft, calcareous 

sandstones. The clays are mostly massive (although occasionally 

shaly or thin-bedded deposits occur) and show a tendency to break 

up into cuboidal blocks. The colors also tend to intergrade, although 

at most localities there is a strongly defined line of color demarcation, 

but no sign of any change in the character or texture of the clays. 

In other words, changes of color do not indicate any change of bedding. The lime nodules vary from 2 to 4 inches in diameter and 

show different degrees of hardness. , When exposed to -the air they 

.slake or crumble to a fine powder. The geological survey of Texas" 

gives two sections showing the character of these Frio beds. One is 

as follows:

Section of Frio beds betioeen Brazos and Trinity rivers.

Feet.

1. Brown sand..-...-.-..-....... ....---.,.._-.............................. 3

2. Grayish sandy clay with concretions or nodules of lime..---...-........... 8

3. Thin stratum of sandstone.....-..---...---...---.--....----.--........... -J

4. Bluish-gray sand with nodules of lime and clay -..........--...-._........ 2

In the second section, near Courtney, the beds are shown to be blue 

clays, changing to red, and in places white, containing numerous 

nodules or concretions of lime.

This series occupies a comparatively narrow strip, probably not 

more than 15 or 20 miles in width. The base of the series is seen 

in. the Christian well, near Courtney, Grimes County, and is found in 

wells at Howth station, in Waller County, and exposed in Lime Creek, 

4 miles south of Hempstead. These clays can be traced in a general 

northeastern direction to Longstreet, Montgomery County. From 

Longstreet to Dodge, on the International and Great Northern Railroad, they rarely come to the surface, being for the greater distance 

completely overlapped by the mottled sands and clays of the succeeding deposits. At Point Blank post-office, in the northern end of San 

Jacinto County, these calcareous clays are seen in the following 

section:

Section at Point Blank post-office, San Jacinto County, Tex.

Feet.

1. Brown sandy clay................................... .................... 8

2. Calcareous clays with lime in nodules or concretions ..................... -(-5

Succeeding the Frio clays, and in many places completely obscuring 

them, is a series of red and brown clays and sands,Avith occasional indu-

« Fourth Ann. Eept. Geol. Surv. Texas, p. 11.
44 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [nuT.L.212.

rations or soft sandstone. The sands are often cross bedded and contain nodules or concretions of pinkish clay varying in size from a few 

inches to a foot in diameter; the clays are blue and red, laminated or 

thinly stratified, and blue and red mottled. These beds toward the 

western end of the district, or in the Brazos River section, appear 

chiefly in their brown cross-bedded sandy condition, and small exposures of them may be seen in the river banks north and west of Hempstead and also in the shallow cuttings on the Houston and Texas 

Central Railroad between Hempstead and Hockly, in Waller County, 

where they appear to merge into the general level of the Coastal 

Plain proper. So small a difference in elevation occurs that these 

brown sands may be said to be the lowest member of the coastal 

deposits in this region. At Conroe, in Montgomery County, these 

beds still maintain their brown sandy character, although they have 

risen more than 80 feet above their level at Hempstead. Northward 

from Conroe these beds occur as laminated blue and red clays, and 

eastward along the Trinity they ^appear as bright-red, pink, and brown 

heavy-bedded clays, rising to considerable elevations above the river 

valley. At Dodge, in Walker County, they are between 20 and 30 

feet in depth and overlie the blue joint clay of the Frio beds, and at 

Point Blank, 14 miles farther east, brown sands of this series are seen 

overlying the blue calcareous Frio clays. The red sands forming the 

capping of the Sun Mounds in Waller County may possibly belong to 

these beds, although the present conditions would presuppose a large 

amount of erosion or a considerable uplift after these sands were laid 

down. Occasional deposits of gravel appear in connection with these 

sands.

These brown sands and clays appear to mark the beginning of a 

new epoch. They are unconformable with the underlying Frio claj^s, 

and in many places have so overlapped them as to obscure them-altogether. At other places much erosion has taken place -before the 

deposition of the brown sands and clays. In many places the sands 

are cross bedded and show an otherwise irregular deposition. The 

total thickness of the sands and clays of this division has been estimated at 350 feet.

These beds are referred to the Lafayette and are correlated with 

the Oakville beds in the western end of the plain and the Loup Fork 

beds by Dumble and regarded as of late Miocene or early Pliocene 

age.

Southward from these brown sands and clays is a series of graj7 - 

white, bluish-gray mottled, and yellow sands with occasional thin 

lens-like deposits of blue, gray, and yellow clays containing irregular 

gravel deposits and many concretions and beds of indurated sands 

forming a soft sandstone. These practically occupy the whole country 

from the upper margin of the underlying brown claj^s to the latitude 

of Houston. Owing to the generally level surface of the country 

occupied by these beds, reliable sections are rarely seen. These
. DETAILED SECTIONS. 45

sands appear in several small cuttings along the line of the Missouri, 

Kansas and Texas Railway going westward from Houston; and near 

Brunn'er, on Buffalo Bayou, in the vicinity of Houston, banks from 

15 to 20 or more feet high are made up of the brownish-gray sand 

with thin ledges of coarse soft sandstone or sand concretions of this 

formation. The same sands are also found in cuttings near the San 

Jacinto River, and at Crosby, on the Southern Pacific Railroad east 

from Houston. The sandy deposits also form the summit of Dayton 

Hill, in Liberty County, and show a thickness of at least 15 feet in 

cuttings along the line of railroad. South of .Dayton they form the 

bluff marking the edge of the Trinity River bottom lands. Indurations of these sands in the form of sandstones occur at many places. 

Near Tarkington Prairie, in Liberty County, and between that place 

and the Trinity River, they form hills of considerable height and 

extent. These indurations also occur on the same river about 3 miles 

northwest of the town of Liberty, as well as at several places south 

and east, notably in old ballast pits a little east of the town.

Of economic interest in connection with these sands are the various 

.small deposits of carbonate of iron found in the form, of thin, irregular sheets or as stains throughout the beds. This ore is freely soluble 

in carbonated Avater, and seepage carries the solution out into small 

gulches or ravines, where, coming in contact with oxygen, the iron is 

precipitated and forms a brilliant iridescence on the surface of the 

water. This has frequently been mistaken for petroleum, and many 

of the so-called petroleum springs or seeps found in the areas belonging to these beds are this iron in course of deposition.

From Houston south to the coast the country is almost flat, perhaps 

sloping at a rate of 10 inches to 1 foot per mile. This region is occupied by the clays and sands of the Beaumont beds and clays and sands 

of post-Pleistocene age, while in the immediate vicinity of the head 

of Galveston Bay the coastal or sea marshes begin.

The underground conditions of this section are practically unknown. 

Few wells of great depth have been drilled, the most important being 

the deep Avell at Galveston (3,070 feet) and the deep well at Huntsville (about 2,203 feet). The section of the Hn.ntsvi.lle well is as 

follows:

Section of ivell at .HuntuviUe.

Feet. 

1. Clays and sandy clay, with water bed at 339 feet....................... 417

!?. Water-bearing sand.................. .................................. 67

3. Clays, etc.............................................................. 506

4. Sand .----...._..__._.._.._____.__.___..___________.__________._._.:_. 15!)

5. Clays....................................................... ........... 477

6. Sands. ........................................... ............... I ....... 677

2,208

Several wells, ranging from GOO to 900 feet in depth, have been drilled 

at Houston. The Brazos Valley Oil Company and the New York and 

Texas Land Company's wells at Angleton have already been referred
46 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

to. On the Smith league, on Cedar Bayou, a well 238 feet, giving1 the 

following section, was drilled several years ago:

Log of well on Smith league, on Cedar Bayou, Texas.

Feet.

1. Red clay..... ..................................... ...................... 75

2. White sand .......... .... .............................................. 75

3. Bluish clay, with shells ................................. ................. 40

4. Blue sand and pebbles..................................................... 48

At Dayton the J. M. Guffey Petroleum Company drilled a well 1,900 

feet deep, and on the north side of the hill the Taylor-Dayton Company has been drilling to depths of from 500 to 1,000 feet. At Stillson the Plill-Brown Rice Land and Irrigation Company has drilled two 

wells nearly 500 feet in depth.

The log of the Taylor-Dayton Company's well shows that Dayton 

Hill is composed of blue clays and sands to a depth of 500 feet, with 

bowlders of a soft gray sandstone at several horizons. These bowlders are rounded and concretionary, readily breaking into thin slaty 

portions, and appear to lie in a blue marly clay and to overlie heavy 

beds of quicksand. At 600 feet this well passed into limestones to 

the depth of 800 feet and then rock salt to 1,200 feet. In the Guffey well, 6 miles farther south, thin beds of sandstone are reported at 

various depths, but chiefly below 800 feet. Gravels also occur in this 

well record in the lower depths. In the Stillson well, 3 miles west of 

Dayton, yellow clays were drilled through to a depth of 104 feet. 

These were followed by 19 feet of quicksand, and from that depth to 

447 feet the section shows mostly a series of blue clays. Lime concretions were found from 132 to 174 feet and again between 244 and 

263 feet. No bowlders were found in this well, which terminated in 

40 feet of coarse gravelly sand with water. The following are the 

logs of these wells as supplied by the companies:

Log of Taylor-Dayton Company ivell, nee. 1%4 Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company's lands, Liberty County.

[Elevation, 100 feet.]

1

a

3

 4

K

6

7

8

9

10

Character of strata.

Black dirt. __________.__._._-._______..-..----

Water sand .......,........-........-------.

Quicksand -.----...--........-.......---.-..

Blue inarl ...................................

Bowlders. . .................................

Thickness.

Feet. 

6

22

8

37

12

15

2

39

66

2

From 

Feet. 

0

6

28

36

73

85

100

103

141

207

ToFeet.

6

28

36

73

85

100

102

141

207

209
DETAILED SECTIONS. 

Log of Taylor-Dayton Company 'well, etc. Continued.

. 47

Character of strata. Thickness. From To 

Feet.

Coarse quicksand........

Bine marl and bowlders 

Blue marl. .............

Bowlders........._.....

Blue marl (gas at 244).. 

Quicksand ..............

Water sand ............

Quicksand ..............

Blue marl..--...-..-...

20

3

6

3

32

.47

6

3

Feet. 

209 

229 

282 

238 

241 

273 

320 

320

Feat. 

229 

232 

288 

241 

273 

320 

326 

329

Tills well is now nearly 1,200 feet deep and is being drilled in rock 

salt.

The log of the Hill-Brown .Rice Land Company's well, at Still son, 

shows the following:

Log of Hill-Broion Rice Land well,-on sec. 13S of tli-e G'ldf, Colorado and Santa Fe

Railroad lands, Liberty County, Tex.

[Elevation,'85 feet.]

Character of strata. Thickness. From To1 Yellow clay ...................

2 Quicksand ................ ....

3 Hard clay......................

4 Sand............................

5 Hard clay and lime pebbles....

6 Soft clay.......................

7 Sand...........................

8 Hard blue clay ................

9 Soft blue clay ..................

10 Soft blue clay with lime.......

11 Hard blue clay............ ....

12 Soft blue clay.............. ....

13 Hard blue clay .. '. ...............

14 Soft blue clay ......... .......

15 Hard blue clay .......... .....

16 Fine gray sand ................

17 Hard blue clay ................

18 Yellow clay and sand..........

19 Very hard yellow clay........

20 Yellow sand and clay...........

21 Coarse gravelly sand to bottom

104

19

6

3

43

10

.10

44

6

19

13

16

5

17

20

15

9

49

5

35

40

Fatit.

0

104 

*123 

129 

132 

174

 184 

194 

238 

244 

263 

276 

292 

297 

314 

834 

349 

358 

407 

412 

447

Feet. 

104 

123 

129 

132 

174 

184 

194 

238 

244 

263 

276 

292 

297 

314 

334 

349 

358 

407 

412 

447 

487
48 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

The log of the J. M. Guffey Petroleum Company's well is not available.

The section shown in the Galveston well has already been published 

in several places/' so need not be repeated here except to show the 

ages assigned to the various deposits.. According to Harris 6 the 

deposits found appear to be as follows:

Section of Galveston ^vell.

Feet. 

Pleistocene .-... .---.........-.--.-.---_-----.-.------...-_.---.. .46 to 458

Doubtful I.......................................................... 458 to 1,510

Upper Tertiary.. ............'..............'.'.....'.....'........... 1 ,510 to 2,158

Miocene (Upper) ... .................--.-.-.............-.......'... 2,158 to 2,920

These have been partially correlated with the deposits found in the 

well at the State penitentiary at Huntsville.

DETAILED SECTIONS IN VICINITY OF NECHES AND SABINE RIVERS.

Eastward from the Trinity the general features of the country are 

very similar to those of the section last described, west of that river. 

The topography is that of a level plain, mostly prairie, but.timbered 

along its northern margin and swampy along the Gulf coast.

It is in this eastern division that the so-called hills, or more properly prairie swells, which play so important a role in oil prospecting, 

are most extensively developed. Near the coast are High Island and 

Big Hill, in Jefferson County, while farther inland are the present oilproducing regions of Spindle top, Sour Lake, and Saratoga. In addition to these there are several smaller and apparently less developed 

elevations, of which the more important is Fairchild Hill, situated 

about 4 miles west of Sour Lake station. It rises with considerable 

abruptness to an elevation of 25 to 30 feet above the general level of 

the country and covers approximately 50 acres. Small ponds or 

depresssions holding water are scattered over the top, and more or 

less gas appears in the neighborhood of these depressions. About 2 

miles southwest of Fairchild Hill lies another hill of about the same 

extent and elevation. This is of a somewhat irregularly oval form 

and is nearly covered by a single pond. The crest of the hill forms 

a natural embankment, and confines the water, which covers 2 or 3 

acres. Gas also occurs in the neighborhood of this pond.

In Orange County occur several similar though smaller elevations, 

but these, as well as some others in other portions of the Coastal Plain, 

are not named.

In the Louisiana region the most important elevations are Hackberry Island, in Cameron Parish, Vinton and Sulphur mine, in Calcasieu Parish. Besides these are a number of other smaller and less 

noticeable elevations.

"Fourth Ann. Rept. G-epl. Survey Texas, 1893, p. 89 etseq. 

i, p. 118
DETAILED SECTIONS. 49

While some of these hills, and perhaps most oil them, are due to the 

geologic structure, others are probably due in part at least to erosion. 

 A peculiar topographic feature of the Gulf Coastal Plain in Texas 

and Louisiana, but especially well developed in this eastern division, 

is the "pimpled plain." Large areas are covered with small mounds, 

generally circular in outline, from 20 to 60 feet in diameter and from 

2 to 10 feet in height. In some cases they are so close together as to 

be in contact, but they are generally separated by distances varying 

from a few rods to a quarter of a mile. Large areas of the plain are 

entirely free from the mounds, though not otherwise different in character of soil or underlying formations from the pimpled plains. The 

mounds are composed of fine sand or sandy loam even where the 

surrounding plain has a clay soil. Numerous theories have been proposed to explain the origin of these mounds, but none of them are 

entirely satisfactory, and they need not be enumerated here.

The presence of these mounds was considered, during the early prospecting of the Texas field, a favorable indication of the presence of 

oil, and- much drilling was done on the strength of this indication. 

No rational theory for their origin, however, connects them ii\ any 

way Avith deep-seated commercial deposits of oil or gas, and experience has shown that they have no connection with such deposits. 

Their presence or absence should, therefore, be wholly ignored by the 

oil prospector.

The northern boundary of the Fayette sands crosses the Trinity a 

short distance south of Hyde's ferry in Houston County, passing in a 

general northeast direction past Pennington, where it turns easterly 

and reaches the south side of the Neches River near dark's ferry, 

where the Houston East and West Texas Railroad crosses that stream. 

Crossing the river near Rockland, in Tyler County, the line turns 

northeastward past Brookland, about 8 miles, north of Jasper, and 

crosses the Sabine River near the mouth of Little Sandy Creek, in 

Sabine County.

From the crossing of the Trinity near Riverside the southern border follows a somewhat irregular line in a generally eastern direction, 

passing between Corrigaii and Moscow, near Bowers, on the Missouri, 

Kansas and Texas Railroad; Summit, on the Texas and New Orleans 

Railroad; Jasper; Farrs, a few miles north of Burkesville; and crosses 

the Sabine about 3 miles north of Burr's ferry.

The composition of the Fayette beds has generally been described 

as gray sands, sandstones, and gray clays. In this area the Fayette 

is made up of gray and white sandstones; gray and pinkish-gray 

sands; gray, pinkish-white, and white, with occasional beds of palegreen clay; one or more beds of white fossiliferous limestone, and 

brown or yellowish-brown sandy clays containing many impressions 

of leaves and stems of plants, among which leaves resembling the 

gum appear to be the prevailing fgrni, Along the line of the HousBull. 212 03 4
50 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

ton East and West Texas Railroad, between Clark's ferry crossing 

and Moscow, the following section occurs:

Section on Houston East and West Texas Railroad between Clark's ferry .and

. . . . MOSCOW. 

Frio: ' ' Feet.

1. Coarse gray sand ...'.......:.......!............................... 50

2. Laminated blue arid white sand .........^.......................... 1.5

Fayette: .

3. Brownish-gray to yellow sandstone, gradually losing its brown tint 

as it nears the base. The upper, brown division is thinly laminated 

and contains plant impressions and nodules of pure clay. The lower, 

gray division contains clay nodules but no plants; 4 feet in railway 

cut, but 15 feet in Hitchcock's quarry ........... 1................ 20

4. Gray sand......................................................_.... 22

5. White limestone containing casts of Venericardia planicosta and other 

shells - -----_._------..__----__._._._....._-.________._.______..__ 2

6. Indurated gray sand or soft sandstones .............................

7. Gray cross-bedded sands .------..-----.-..-.-........--.......--.'.. 35

8. Gray sands with opalized wood .................................... 25

9. Laminated pink clay --'--..-.-.---..-..--............................ 6

10. Gray laminated and grayish-brown sand ........................... 24-

11. Gray sandy clay ....... ............................................. 3

. 12. Gray sandstone ---..-..-..-----....---.-....-...................... 3

13. Shaly gray clay.................................................... 1

14. Gra'y and yellow sand.....-........-.--......_..................... 3

15. Light-yellow or cream-colored clay................... 1.............. 2

16. Thinly laminated gray sandstone.................................... 3

17. Brown laminated clay ..................................... ......... 3

18. Thinly stratified white or gray sandstones .......................... 1

19. Gray .sandstones stained bi'own........:......--...................... 3

Yegua:

20. Thinly stratified or laminated blue clay with gypsum in crystals .... 35

At Rockland these beds give the following section:

Section at Rockland. a

, Feet.

1. Gray sand and siliceous pebbles -..--_-----------.-...... -.----..--.- 18

2. ( Mottled blue and brown sandy clay..-.-.-.-. _--....-.-..--.- -..---. 20 

Frio: ..

3. Green sandy clay ............-......---...-..-.--..-.-.------...---- 20

4. Brown sandy clay...........--.--..-.--.--.--------......----------- 20

5: Pale-blue sand and clay ........'......---.-.-..-.----.-..----.---.---- 15

6. Dark-blue clay with lime concretions --'.----.-.'-...-.-..-.--.-.----.- 20

7. Drab-gray sandy clay ....:..........--.--..-.---..-..--.-----.-.---- 30

Fayette:

8. Gray sandstones, coarse grained on top but changing to a fine-grained,

blue, hard quartzitic stone at base..-..-....-...--.-..-----....---- 120

In this section the Frio clays overlie the Fayette beds and are in 

turn overlain by the blue and brown sands and sandy clays seen at 

Colmesneil.

a Third Ann.'Rept. Geol. Survey Texas, 1893, pp. 61,120.
D ] DETAILED SECTIONS. 51

Still farther east, at Rock Branch, 5 miles south of Brookland, in 

Jasper County, the coarse gray sandstones are shown in a bluff on 

the bank of the creek, but their thickness is unknown. In this region 

the rock is badly broken up and covers the face of the hill for over 

200 feet, the sandstones being broken into large blocks, in. many 

places over 3 feet in thickness. Along the line of the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Rail way in this vicinity the upper "bed of sandstone appears to vary from 2 to 4 feet in thickness and to be underlain by heavy beds of yellow and pink clays. Several of the cuttings 

show that the sandstones have been eroded, leaving the clays to form 

the surface throughout the valleys. The region comprises a hilly 

country, showing deep" valleys and knob-like hills. These hills are 

generally covered with a brownish-gray conglomerate containing 

great quantities of white quart/ pebbles.

In Newton County the sandstones are not much exposed. The 

rounded knob-like hills found in Jasper County extend across Newton County and into the lower portion of Sabine County. A section 

on Little Sandy Creek shows the lignites of the underlying Yegua 

beds beneath the sandstones. The section is as follows:

Section on Little Sandy Creek. 

Fayette: . Foot.

1. Gray sandstones ..-...-..-..--.-. .----..-.--.--.-.--...-:.-........ 4 to 6

2. White clays and sands ..........-.-..-..--..---.-.-.-............. 60

Yegua:

3. Lignite........................................................... 2

On the Sabine River the sections seen at Snells Landing, Hadden 

Ferry, and Runyons Bluff show the Fayette beds in this region to be 

gray sandstones with, thinly laminated pink and white clays, the 

sandstone beds ranging from 1 to 6 feet in thickness.

Passing into Louisiana, the same sandstones, with their associated 

clays, appear in the SW. £ sec. 2, T. 5 N., R. 13 W. Between Hornbeck and Christie the section shows the sandstones underlying the 

blue calcareous clays of the Frio beds. The sandstones also occur at 

Kisatchee, Lena, Fail-mount, and as far east as Harrisonburg, in 

Louisiana.

Along the southern border of these beds the exposures are by no 

means satisfactory. They usually pass under the Frio clays in such 

a way as would lead to the inference that the sandstones underwent 

considerable erosion during the period in which the Frio beds were 

deposited. The Fayette beds dip S. 30° E.

Succeeding the Fayette beds the Frio clays occupy a belt of country 

of somewhat irregular width but probably never exceeding 15 miles. 

The Frio beds are dark to pale blue, brown, red, yellow, and green 

clays, with a few thin strata of a ferruginous sandy conglomerate. 

Some thin beds of sand appear interbedded among these clays,
52 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 312.

but the sands nowhere seem continuous, appearing to form lenses. 

Occasionally the sands are indurated, and in places they occur in the 

form of bowlders scattered through the clay beds. The clays are 

sometimes thinly laminated or partially stratified, but are more frequently massive, and have a tendency to break into cuboidal blocks. 

The most important bed of clay in this group is a heavy bed of blue 

clay containing numerous concretions of carbonate of lime. The 

arrangement of the lime concretions gives to this clay the appearance 

of being partially stratified, as in most exposures seen these concretions lie in regular planes, and while for the greater part rounded and 

nodular in form, in several sections they appear as flat concretions, 

sometimes being over a foot in length while not more than 2 or 3 

inches in thickness. . Owing to the nature of the country underlain by these beds very few 

sections of any value are to be seen. Near Corrigan, on the Missouri, 

Kansas and Texas Railroad, in Polk County, laminated gypseous 

clays of this series occur, the thickness being a little over 6 feet. 

They also appear at Fleming, Chester, and other localities along this 

railroad. Near Fleming, in the eastern edge of Polk County, the following section appears in a railroad cutting:

Section near Fleming, Pollc County.

Feet.

1. Surface gray sand........... .......................................... 4

2. Brown mottled sand .................................................. 2 to 4

3. Gray stratified sand containing fossil palm wood in great abundance, 

with nnmerons quartz, jasper, and other pebbles; gravelly in some 

localities.---------.-._.----._____._..____.___._._.__.._._._.._.._. .. 20

4. Blue clay partially stratified, but showing a tendency to break up into 

conchoidal blocks, and containing numerous nodules of calcareous 

matter......... .. ................................................... 50

5. Red clay having practically the same structure as No. 4, but without 

limy concretions -.-.--.-..-..........-.....-.-...-'--.--.'--......--...

6. Yellow sand, visible -....-.-....................--..--.--..-..-..-...-

Five miles farther east the same clays appear underlying the gray 

sands, but in this place they appear as a partially stratified mottled 

clay containing nodules of lime. This mottled condition may be due 

to a mixture of the red and blue clays, as in none of the localities 

observed does there appear to be any real parting or line of division 

between the red and blue clays, except that the red does not contain 

calcareous nodules, which appear to be altogether confined to the blue 

clays. In the Rockland section the blue clays have a thickness of 20 

feet, while the other Frio deposits in the same section consist of 

green, brown, and pale-blue clays having a thickness of 60 feet. 

In this locality the blue clays contain a small quantity of gypsum 

crystals in close association with the calcareous nodules,
DETAILED SECTIONS. 53

Between Roganville and Jasper, on the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railroad, in Jasper County, the blue clays, with lines of irregular stratification and ferruginous and calcareous concretions, appear in 

the cuttings for over 2 miles. In this locality the ferruginous and 

calcareous concretions appear to lie in definite lines, although broken 

in their longitudinal direction. These concretions are flattened oval 

in shape and range in length from a few inches to 2 or 3 feet. These 

beds again appear between Newton arid Burkeville, but in this locality 

are very generally covered by a ferruginous gravel containing considerable quantities of quartz and jasper and carnelian pebbles, and in 

several places indurated brown sand and ferruginous sandstone. In 

the neighborhood of Burkeville, in Newton County, they form a small 

prairie with black calcareous soil, and carry a thin seam of hard ferruginous sandstone containing such Eocene fossils as Ostrea aldbamiensis, Cerifhium sp., Venericardia, Crassatella antestriata Gabb, 

C. trapaquara Harris, Cardium, Astarte, Chama, Cytheria sp., Corbula sp., and Area like mississippiensis Conr.

In Louisiana the calcareous blue clays are seen near Hornbeck in 

Vernon Parish, and at intervals along the Kansas City Southern Railway northward beyond Christie. A general section in the vicinity of 

Hornbeck shows the sequence of the beds to correspond with the 

Texas section..

General section near Hornbeck, La.

1. Surface brown, reel, and mottled sands, in places weathering to a gray or brownish white.

2. Blue calcareous clays with some sandstone bowlders and ferruginous and calcareous concretions.

3. Gray sandstone.

Few wells have been drilled in the areas occupied by these Frio 

clays and the underground conditions are not Avell known. These 

beds are not usually water bearing, and when water is afforded by 

them it is generally unfit for use. When water is not obtainable from 

the surface creeks and smaller streams, or from shallow wells where 

the overlying sands overlap the clays, it is usually got from ponds or 

cisterns. The only wells drilled to any depth throughout the region 

are two recently drilled, prospecting for petroleum. These are widely 

separated, the first being situated 5 miles west of Valda in Polk 

County, Tex., and the second being about 12 miles southwest of 

Many, in Sabine Parish, La.
54 OIL FIELDS .OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BUM,.212.

Five miles west of Valda, in Polk County, a well drilled to a depth 

of 543 feet gave the following log:

Log of Dean well 5 miles ivest of Valda, Polk County, Tex. 

[Elevation,825 feet.]

Character of strata.

1 Surface sands and gravels ..........

2 Whitesand.................:......

3 Strong water sand..................

Frio:

4 Clay with lime ......-........'.......

5 Blue clay...........................

6 Greenish clay with water at 1.95 feet.

7 Green shale .........................

8 Green shale with gravel _ .......'... .

Fayette:

9 Quicksand .........................

10 Quicksand with lime and shells .....

11 Blue clay...........................

12 Green shale .........................

13 Shale ......:..:....................

14 Soft green shale ----.--...-____.--...

15 Green clay ..................... ....

16 Green sand with pyrites ............

17 Quicksand .........................

18 Green sand..........................

19 Blneclay.............. ._______._ ___

20 Green shale ........................

21 Blue clay...........................

22 Shale rich in iron pyrites .-._. _.-.._

23 Dark shale ......... ...... ____ __.1__

24 Light shale........................ .

25 Shale.--...-.-........... ........... .

26 Water sand.........................

27 Grav sand. .....-..- ............---..

Thickness.

Feet.

45

20

35

35

10

11

33

8

4

25

4

25

34

16

3

21

6

30

36

11

13

10

10

3

From 

Feet.

0

22'

36

95

140

160

195

230

240

251

284

292

296

321

325

350

384

400

403

424

430

460

496

507

520

530

540

ToFeet.

22

36

95

140

160

195

230

240

251

284

292

296

321

325

350

384

400

.403

424

430

460

496

507

520

530

540

543

This well has been drilled through the Frio cla37 s into and almost 

through the Fayette sands. The Frio beds here apparently have a 

thickness of 145 feet, giving the Fayette beds a thickness of 303 feet.
HAYES ANT) 

KENNEDY

n] DETAILED SECTIONS. 55

In T. 5 N., R. 12 W., Sabine Parish, La., the I). M. Foster well gives 

the following log to 630 feet.

Log of D. M. Foster well, in T. 5 N., R. 12 W., Sabine Parish, La.

Character of strata. Thickness. Prom To 

Feet.

1 Soiland clay-____.___,_....______._........_. 18

2 Quicksand ..^............................... 5

3 Blue clay changing to blue shale............. 27

4 Blue limestone .............................. 2

5 Blue clay with bowlders, first sign of oil at 75

feet.......................... . ........ 23

6 Blue shale, oil signs, and plenty of gas ....... 125

7 Lignite.-.----.-.-.-...-.-.--...-.-.--.-----. 5

.8 Blue shale andgas...--------.-----.-------.- 135

9 Brown gummy shale, oil on water ........... 10

10 Blue shale with oil and gas .................. 80

11 Slate-colored talcky rock _---._..----_-.-_.._ 64

12 Bluish-gray lime rock, very hard. Gas blew

out drillings.............-......-.-._.--.. 8

13 Tan-colored shale with yellow sand .......... 40

14 Milky-white talcose rock-......--..--....--.. 38

15 Blue shale with small white pebbles ......... 20

16 Blue hard and flinty limestone; gas under this

rock .....,.............-....:.-....-.-... 4

17 Shells and pebbles with strong indications of

oil and much gas .----.......---.....-... 26

Feet. Feet.

0

18

23

50

52

75

200

205

340

350

430

494

502

542

580

The location of this well is such that the Frio and Fayette sands 

are both absent owing to the extensive erosion that has taken place 

in this region. The gray sandstones occur both to the north and to the 

west of the well. These deposits are considered lignitic by Harris."

The red and brown sands, clays, and sandy clays, and the blue and 

red laminated clays which go to make up the series of deposits succeeding the Frio clays have in this portion of the State an approximate width of from 25 to 30 miles, with a slight increase in width as 

they enter Louisiana. Along their northern border these sands, often 

bleached white or brownish yellow, overlap the underlying beds at 

many places for considerable distances, and in several localities completely obscure them. It is a question not yet satisfactorily answered, 

whether much of the grayish sands with fossil palmwood found in 

seA^eral localities and over .considerable areas overlying the Frio beds 

should not be referred to this series of sands. The palm-bearirtg

«Geol. Survey Louisiana, Report for 1899, p. 9SJ et seq.
56 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN.

sands are in close connection with and in many places form a portion 

of the upper margin of these deposits, so that in all probability they 

will ultimately be found to be of the. same age as these red and white 

sands, the difference in color being largely due to bleaching.

Along their southern edge the sands of this division merge so imperceptibly into the overlying Columbia sands that it is often difficult 

to say where the line should be drawn. To add to this difficulty, the 

upper sands of both Lafayette and Columbia have a tendency to 

weather to a dirty brown white, and few sections showing the contact are visible anywhere. Both series are water bearing to a high 

degree. The Columbia sands also contain a series of mottled brown 

and blue and brown and white sands, although no clays of this character have been observed.

In their general composition these beds resemble those toward the 

middle and western portion of the field, and it is hardly necessary to 

describe them here. Few sections of over 10 to 25 feet are obtainable 

anywhere throughout the area, and even wells scarcely ever exceed the 

latter depth. In the overlapping at Colmesneil the section shows a 

heavy deposit of brown sand containing nodules or inclusions of a 

pinkish-purple clay. These inclusions generally have a rounded or 

nodular form and appear to have been transported to their present 

location.

On the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, near Colmesneil, in 

Tyler County, these mottled sands appear to have a thickness of 10 

feet and to overlie the fossiliferous cross-bedded sands. A section is

as follows:

Section near- Colmesneil, Tyler County, Tex.

Feet.

1. Gray sand ....------..-.-...-...-----.-.-.----.---..-.-..---......-... (i to 8

2. Mottled blue clay in small irregular elliptical pockets .............:.... 4 to 2

3. Mottled brown sand or soft sandstone broken into irregular blocks and 

containing lenticular patches of pale grayish-blue clay stratified at each 

end of cut -------_.-..--.---______.___---.-__._._.....---.-.. ...-.--- 10

4. Gray cross-bedded sand, containing siliceous pebbles and fossil wood ... 15

Three and a half miles south of Colmesneil the contact between 

these brown sands and the underlying Frio clays may be seen in the 

following section:

Section 3\ 'miles south of Colmesneil, Tyler County, Tax.

Feet.

1. Gray sandy soil..........--.--...........----.-..----.--_--.........-... 1

2. Brown clayey sand.......-.-............--.-..--.-..-.-------....----- 4

3. Brown laminated sand ........._........--...---..---------.....--..-- 3 to 10

4. Brown sand with pale-blue streaks ......... 1 --._...-.--...-.-...........- 4

5.' Brown sand with a pinkish shade. - ................................. 1 to 10

6. Thinly stratified blue clay and red sand ................................ 6

7. Blue clay with lime nodules (Frio) ....-....--..--..-------.---------- 6

The purplish-pink clays of the Lafayette extend eastward through 

Jasper and Newton counties. In these locations, however, they
HAYES AND"1 

KENNEDY. J DETAILED SECTIONS. 57

assume a laminated condition and overlap the underlying Frio beds 

for several miles. In a laminated or mottled condition they also 

appear in Louisiana. In the Texas region they occur mottled in the 

railroad cuttings between. Call and Roganville. North of Roganville 

they are laminated, and they lie in contact with the Frio calcareous 

clays near Walnut Creek a short distance south of Jasper. North of 

Burkeville, in Newton County, a section on the William Williams 

survey is as follows:

Section on William Williams survey, north of Burkeville, Newton County, Tex.

Feet.

1. Brownish sands weathering white on the higher grounds...--..---.....-.- 7

2. Variegated blue-brown and white clays in thinly laminated condition, colors

about equal in thickness and not exceeding half an inch.__.__.-._.___-_- 2 

2. Brown sand mottled with blue..-.--.......---....-----.----------.----.-- 15

4. Thinly laminated white, brown, and blue clays similar to No. 2........... 5

5. Ferruginous sandstone.

Near the town of Warren, in Tyler County, these beds are seen in 

contact with the Columbia sands in the following section in a well:

Section near Warren, Tyler County, Tex.

Feet.

1. Red sand with spots of blue .............................................. 40

2. Grayish-blue sand .......-..........................-.-..--..--.--.-..-.- i

3. Coarse brown sand with pink clays ......-..--......--.-.--.....--...-.--.- 2

4. Pinkish-red sandstone with soft gray water sand.......................... 8

Few deep wells have been drilled in the regions occupied by these 

beds, and until now only one has been bored for petroleum-prospecting 

purposes.

Log of 'well drilled betiveen Hush and Wolf creeks, about 2 miles from, Neches 

.River, in Tyler County, Tex.

1

2 

3 

4 

5 

6

Character of strata.

Clay......

Sand and gi 

Clay .......___.......

avel. .....

Coarse sand with some 

Bine shale with sight in 

Blue sand ....

gravel ................

dications of oil and gas.

Thickness.

Feet. 

8 

1(50 

4 

428 

60 

164

From 

Feat. 

0 

8 

168

172 

600 

660

To 

Ftiut. 

8

168 

1.72 

600 

660 

824

No division of this record is possible, but from the depth it must 

have been drilled through the Fayette sands, the last 224 feet at least 

apparently belonging to that division.

The eastern extension of the gray, white, bluish-gray, and yellow 

sands and accompanying yellow and blue clays of the Columbia finds
58 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

its greatest development in this region. Beginning at the Trinity 

River these beds cover an area from 12 to 15 miles in width. In the 

Village Creek region this width has increased to about 30 miles, which 

is maintained as far east as the Sabine River, and apparently also 

along the line of the Kansas City Southern Railway in western Louisiana. Their areal extent has not been mapped in Louisiana, but they 

probably cover the greater portion of the territory generally classed 

as long leaf pine flats. The sands appear in T. 8 S., R. 9 W., along 

Hickory Branch, and also at Phillips Bluff on the Calcasieu River, in 

T. 8 S., R. 6 W., and at a number of places between. They are also 

found in the Mendelsohn well about 2 miles north of Sulphur station, 

where they are reported to be 200 feet thick and underlain by gravel.

Closely associated with these sands and within a short distance 

from the surface the dark-blue clayey sands and clays give the 

water rising from them a peculiarly disagreeable fetid smell and 

taste, similar to that from decaying vegetable matter. Even boiling 

the water does not destroy its peculiar taste. The surface material 

at these localities is usually dark gray in color and apparently almost 

impervious to water, and in wet weather remains covered with water 

for some time! These conditions are noticeable at Nona, Kountze, 

and other places. ° .; < '.

Several beds of clays are included in the division, but sands 

form the prevailing material. Where the Texas and New Orleans 

Railroad crosses Village Creek these sands have a thickness of 20 to 

30 feet and their texture and grayish color maybe seen in the old ballast 

pits of the railroad. Similar bluffs occur along the creek between 

this point and the crossing of the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City 

Railroad, in which locality the beds have a thickness of over 50 feet, 

and occur as clear, white, fine sands overlain by brown and gray 

mottled sands, showing in some places ferruginous indurations 

resembling a brown sandstone.

In the Kountze region the sands have a thickness of 46 feet and 

over, as shown by well sections. Six miles west of the town the well 

dug for the water station of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad 

shows a section of 4G feet, of which the upper 10 feet are mottled and 

the lower 10 feet white sands. Twelve miles west of Kountze the 

same sands are shown to be over 30 feet thick.

These sands form the surface deposits covering the higher grounds 

in the neighborhood of Saratoga, Balson Prairie, in Hardin County, 

and Sour Lake. In the neighborhood of Saratoga they are yellowish 

white and contain considerable quantities of indurations of a soft 

sandstone. These sandstones or indurations also occur in the 

neighborhood of Sour Lake and at several places along the Trinity 

River.

The Columbia sands form a very important member in the geologic 

section of the Beaumont oil fields, as the expensive drilling in this
TTAYES AND"] 

KENN1CDY. J DETAILED SECTIONS. 59

field is due chiefly to these beds. It is also due to their water-bearing 

qualities that the shallow wells drilled for water purposes in this 

region, afford so steady and liberal a supply that extensive areas of 

rice lands are irrigated wholly from them.

The dip of these beds appears to be comparatively gentle, and while 

their thickness is very irregular, its average may be taken, as approximately 200 feet.

Several deep wells have been drilled in the territory occupied by 

these sands, but very few of the logs are available. In the Saratoga 

oil field these sands appear in the Hooks well No. 1 to have a thickness of 173 feet and to be underlain by a blue and white clay. In the 

Libbie well, 3 miles farther west, the section of the well gives these 

sands a thickness of 135 feet. Here they rest upon blue limy clay. 

The following is the log of this well:

Log of Libbie Oil Company's well on the Joseph Blake tract, ,? miles loest of 

Saratoga, Hardin County, Tex.

[Elevation, 90 feet.]

Character of strata. Thickness. From Toll Brown sandy clay ....--.._----..._._ . .....

2 Gray sand..... .............................

3 G ray sand with gas at 05 feet..... .............

4 Grayish-brown sand with gas.................

5 Grayish-brown sand.........................

6 Blue clay with lime nodules --..-........-...

7 Grayish-blue sand with lime--...-.....-.--..

8 Grayish-white sand..........................

9 Gray sand.... '. ...............................

10 Gray sandy clay.............................

11 Gray sand...................................

12 Clay ........................................

13 Gray rock with artesian water and small 

	quantities of oil immediately under the rock.

14 Sand with oil.. *._.,.-,..,-......................

15 -Clay .......^> .'^............................

16 Sand.................... ....................

17 Clay ....,...,.._.............._..._._.___._

18 Rock......,......... ................. .....j

.19 Sand........................................

20 Rock in thin layers with clay partings ... -^.

21 Rock and sand .................1............

22 Sand and rock (bowlders) .....:. ^..... ..^...

40

20

10

10

55

18

56

22

89

88

10

20

10 

5- 

5

17 

37 

1.3 

86 

11 

1.4 

48

Feel..

0

40 

60

70

80

135

153

209

231

270

308

818

838

. 348

353

358

375

412

425

511

523

537

Feet.

40

60

70

80

185

158

209

231

270

308

318

338

348 

353 

' 358 

375 

412 

425 

Oil 

523 

537 

585
60 OIL FIELDS OE TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.

This well has since been drilled to a depth of 958 feet. During the 

drilling some oil and two streams of hot water were encountered. 

The first stream had a temperature of 100° and was found at about 

938 feet, and a second, hotter stream was encountered at 950 feet.

On the Bridges survey, about 3 miles northeast of Sour Lake, the 

Empire State Oil, Coal and Iron Company's well has been drilled to 

a depth of 1,284 feet.

Log of Empire State Oil, Coal and Iron Company's well, Isaac Bridges survey,

Hardin County, Tex.

[Elevation, 95 feet.]

1

9, '

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

^11

19

18

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Character of strata.

Sand and clay mixed. . _....__.-_._.__.....- .

Yellow sand. .............-.-..----.....-....

Dark-blue clay .........'......... ............

Blue sand ...................................

White sand ........-....-----..--....'....._...

Blue clay .........i... .....................

Blue clay ......--.-...'.--.-....-.............

Sand and wood . . . . . ..... ......._...........:

Pale- red clay ................................

Fragmentary rock .... ....

Blue clay. ...................................

Solid rock. ..................................

White sand ...................... .... .......

Blue clay ...................................

Blue clay with pyrites. .....................

Thickness.

Feet.'. 

5

10

50

121

15

47

82

53

26

54

13

537

7

16

3

116

10

21

54

44

From 

Feet.

0

5

15

65

186

201

248

330

'383

409

463

476

1,018

1,030

1,036

1,039

1 155

1,165

1,186

1,240

ToFeet. 

5

15

65

186

201

248

330

383

409

4.63

476

1,013

1,020

1,036

1,039

1,155

1,165

1,186

1,240

1,284

In the Gold Thread well, southwest of Sour Lake, the bine claj'S 

with calcareous nodules are overlain by 160 feet of sand and are 

apparently the clays No. 12 of the above section.

It may also be noted that in the area occupied by these sands a 

number of salt licks and salt marshes occur. These extend across 

the country from the Trinity to the Calcasieu and cover areas from a 

few hundred yards to nearly 100 acres in extent. One of the largest 

of these marshes occurs in the immediate vicinity of Sour Lake, and 

lias an area of approximately 100 acres; another large one is located 

2 miles west of the Libbie well at Saratoga, and has an area of 

about 60 acres.
RAYES AND"! 

KENNEDY. J DETAILED SECTIONS. 61

Few wells of which the records are available have been drilled in 

tliis eastern section of the Coastal Plain outside of the oil fields in the 

immediate vicinity of Beaumont. At the Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas 

City Railroad station the section shows 175 feet of clays and sands, 

as follows:

Section at Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City .Railroad station at Beaumont.

1. Clay.

2. Sand.

Foot.

....._..._._.__._-___.._-._....._..-...___..._.-...----.--..--. 6 

..-._..-.....-......--.-..--..---...-.-.--..--.-----...----... 2

3. Blue clay ........ ........................................................... 37

4. Sand with shells ..... .-.-..-,..---...-.......-.-....--.-.-...---.--.-.... 4

5. Blue clay with thin streaks of sand ..................... ...............'..... 71

6. Sand with, wate'r ......... ................................................. 55

About 22 miles southwest of Beaumont, on sec. 56, Texas and New 

Orleans Railroad lands, a-well 104 feet deep shows 100 feet of mottled 

clay overlying 4 feet of white sand. The deep wells at Landrum, in 

Jefferson County, and near Winnie, in Chambers County, show the 

same conditions.

The following is the log of the Dixie Oil and Pipe Line Company's 

well, 3 -miles north of Winnie, on the J. M. Durant league, in Chambers County.

Log of ivell of Dixie Oil and Pipe Line Company, 3 miles north of Winnie, Cluimbers County, Tex.

[Elevation, 26 feet.]

1

8

8

4

5

0

7

8

9

10

11

19

13

14

15

16

17

18

Character of strata.

Soil.........................................

Yellow clay (2-foot log at 56 feet) -......--...

Water sand ...-.._.- ........... ............

Yellow clay ..................................

Water sand .........^^.. ....................

Blue tough clay ............. ...............

Water sand .................................

Tough clav. .................................

Clay shells ....................................

Blue rock ...................................

Blue clay and shells ..........................

Gray sandstone ...... ._..__.. _._..._...._ __'.

Tough clay .......................... ......

Clay with shells ..............................

Hard shale ..................................

Soft clay ....................................

Gravel ......................................

Thickness.

Feet. 

2

58

30

90

124

76

243

212

21

20

20

163

1

318

62

20

20

30

From 

Feet. 

0

2

60

90

ISO

304

380

623

835

856

876

897

1,059

1,060

1,378

1,440

 1,460

1,480

ToFeet. 

0

60

90

180

304

380

623

835

856

876

897

1,059

1,060

' 1,378

1,440

1,460

1,480

1,510
62 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212. 

 GRAVELS.

Lying at the base of the Columbia beds, and apparently more intimately connected with them than with the underlying red and brown 

sands, there generally occurs a heavy bed of beach gravel. This 

gravel covers the whole of the territory occupied by the underlying 

red clays and sands, and in many places overlaps other underlyingdeposits as far north as the outcrop of the Yegua clays. The gravel 

is irregularly deposited, being found in heavy deposits at some localities and in very small quantities at others, without any apparent 

cause for the irregularity. Along the northern border of the formation there appears an intermingling of the sands and pebbles, but 

within a very short distance southward the gravels have generally 

disappeared from the sand beds.

The pebbles forming these beds include clear and milky quartz, 

agate, jasper, carnelian, and some chalcedony, with considerable 

quantities of gray-blue and black chert, and some crystalline rock. 

The chert and some of the other pebbles have retained their angularity to a considerable extent, which would lead to the conclusion that 

they have not traveled any great distance. Most of the others are 

rounded and waterworn. While in some places the pebbles occur 

mixed with sand or in an unconsolidated gravelly condition throughout the greater portion of the field, as especially shown in the records 

of the deeper well drillings, the pebbles are cemented by a white 

calcareous matrix and form a conglomerate of variable hardness.

The actual areal extent of these gravels and conglomerates is not 

known with any certainty, but they appear to be coextensive with 

the Columbia beds and with them to pass under the overlying clays. 

They are found in" one or the other form in every well sufficiently 

deep throughout the whole coast country from the Mississippi westward to the Guadalupe River, and probably even farther Avest.

In almost every well drilled or dug down to them these gravels are 

shown to lie between the two sands. In thickness they vary from 10 

to 80 feet; their1 greatest thickness as well as'greatest areal development is toward the eastern or Mississippi end, and they gradually thin out toward the west and southwest. They also lie at a 

much greater depth in the western than in the eastern portion of the 

Coastal Plain. Throughout the parishes of St. Marys, New Iberia, 

and St. Martins they lie at depths ranging from 94 feet at Anse la 

Butte to 150 feet 3 miles southwest of Jeanerette/' where they have a 

thickness of 64 to 90 feet. In Arcadia and Vermilion they have 

thicknesses of from 41 to 80 feet, and lie at depths ranging from 140 

to 170 feet in Arcadia Parish and from 100 to 170 feet in Vermilion. 

In' this region it is evident from Mr. Clendenning's sections, as well 

as those made by Mr. Hager, & that these gravels underlie the clays

a W. W. Clendenning, Geol. and Agric. of Louisiana, Part III, 1896, p. 243. 

b Communicated to writer by Mr. Lee Eager.
IIAYKS Attli" 

KENNEDY. DETAILED SECTIONS. 63

succeeding the Columbia beds. The position of these gravels with 

reference to the overlying deposits maybe seen in the following logs:

Log of Pioneer Oil Company's ivell at Anse la Butte, La. 

[Elevation, 45 feet.]

Character of strutu.

Red clay _'...___.__._....__.__.._-.-_._.___.

Red sand ._....._..__....______...._....__'_-

Gray sand .................................

Gravel and gray sand .........,.....:...--

Gravel with wood.........................

Sandstone .................................

Light gravel ..............................

Sandstone. ...................................

Gravel and sand. .....................^....

Rock......................................

Heavy gravel ..............................

Sand, gravel, and oil .....................

Coarse gravel --.......-..-.-...--.-.-..--I

Sand.....-......--...-.....-....------....

Sandstone.................................

Sand and blue clay ........................

Sand and gravel...........................

Gravel . r ...................................

Sand and clay.............................

Blue clay .................................

Rock, 18 inches sandstone with oil. .........

Blue shale . '...............................

Sandstone.........................I........

White sand ...............................

Rock with oil, flinty. ._._...._..----.'.._-.-

.Hardpan and clay .........................

Blue clay ..... .............................

Blue sand ..................................

Rock...............-....'..................

Blue clay .................................

Rock.... ....................i............

Oil sand and gravel, with oil and salt water

Tliiokiiuss.

Feet.

30 

15 

23 

40 

40 

20 

1C

4

20 

14 

10 

35 

43

5

1

28 

32

6

20 

71

 U 

424- 

48 

51 

21 

54 

44.0 

50 

20 

14 

20

1

From 

0

80 

51. ' 

74 

114 

154 

174 

190 

194 

220 

284 

250 

285 

328

333

334

302

394

400

420

' 491

492*

535

578

629

050

704

1,150

1,200

1,220

1,234

1,260

ToFeet. 

30 

51 

74

114

154

174.

190

194

220

234

250

285

328

833

334

362

894

400

420

491

'493*

535

578

629

650

704 

1,150 

1,200 

1,220 

1,234 

1,260 

1,201+

Another well in the vicinity gave gravels at depths between 40 arid 

50 feet, with another bed 50 feet thick between 150 and 200 feet.
64 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

Among the shallow wells the following sections show near Abbeville, 

in Vermilion Parish, La.:

Sect-ion near Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.

Feet.

1. Yellow clay .-_._. _.._._.-.--_.____.___._. ..__._.__:_._______....__.__.._. 30

2. Blue clay .....__._._.____.._._._._______________...____.____::____..._. 20

3. Sand. ..._-_-._.._____ ___..______________.__......________.______________. 30

4. Dry blue and gray clay .................................^.^............. 25

5. Sand...____.__.___ 1.................................................... 25

6. Gravel.-..--.-..-.- ...................... ................'.. .......... 40

In Arcadia Parish, 12 miles north of Crowley, a section iSas follows:

Section 12 miles north of Crowley, Arcadia Parish, La.

Feet.

1. G-ray clay.............................-.........................,......'... . 50

2. Blue clay ............................................................... 100

3. Gray sand .............................................................. 20

4. Gravel-- ....... ....^........................................ .............. 35

At Welsh, in Calcasieu, a well gives a section as follows:"

Section at Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.

Feet.

1. Soil---.-.----...------------..--------------.----. --.--...-------.---. 4-tof2. Mottled clay.......'.................................................... 70

3. Red quicksand .----------.-........-.--.-......-.....--............... 20

4. Chalky clay-............-...-.............-...........-.'.............. 50

5. Blue clay ...................................... ........................ 10

6. Beach sand and gravel...........-...-............................'...... 100

In the western portion of Louisiana these gravels lie at a considerably greater depth and are somewhat thinner than in the eastern 

portion of the field. At Lake Charles the Watkins well No. 1 shows

44 feet of gravels mixed with sand, underlying sand, at a depth of 400 

feet. At depths of 550 and 600 feet gravels also occur in this well, 

which otherwise shows nothing but sands and clays throughout its 

entire 2,400 feet. At Sulphur the gravels appear at 300 feet and are

45 feet thick, and at Vinton, about 12 miles to the southwest, the 

gravel beds are reached at a depth of 440 feet, having in that locality a 

thickness of 25 feet. Here they are strong water-bearing beds.

In the Texas regions the gravels disappear in the vicinity of liillister, 

in Tyler County, on the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. This is the 

farthest south at which the siliceous pebbles have been seen. They 

also pass under the Columbia sands to the west in the neighborhood of 

Shepherd, in San Jacinto County, on the Houston, East and West 

Texas Railway. They are, however, reported from every well drilled 

to the south of the Columbia outcrop. On Spindletop they appear in 

the Higgins well No. 2 at 120 feet. In the original Higgins well of

n Clendenning, loc. cit,
DETAILED SECTIONS. 65

1803 the black cherty gravel was passed at 200 feet. In the Lucas 

well and the Higgins well No. 1 the gravels occur at 245 feet, in the 

Geyser Development well at 295 feet, and in the Treadway at 454 feet. 

Westward the Texas Gulf Coast Land and Oil Company passed 

through 40 feet of conglomerate at a depth of 360 feet. In the Bryan 

Heights well near Velasco, in Brazoria County, the gravels were 

reached at a depth of 735 feet. At Dainon Mound the gravels are 

associated with shells at 171 feet in the ITerndon well and at 255 feet 

in the Guffey No. 1, about a mile to the northwest. In this latter 

well they have a thickness of 18 feet, while in the Herndon well they 

show only 6 feet. The thickness shown in the Velasco well is over 10 

feet, but the actual thickness is not known.

It appears from the above well records that throughout the whole 

of the Texas region these gravel beds are much thinner than in 

Louisiana. In the Texas wells they range from 10 to 26 feet, except 

in the Gulf Coast well as given above.

At the time of the deposition of these gravels the laud must have 

stood at a comparatively slight elevation above the level of the sea 

and have had only a moderate inclination seaward, since their dip as 

shown by the borings does not at present exceed 9 feet per mile.

The determination of the age of these gravels and their correlation 

with similar deposits elsewhere are somewhat difficult, and involve 

questions which can not be definitely answered without carefully 

tracing the beds over extensive areas toward the northeast. Whatever their age, whether late Tertiary or early Pleistocene, they should 

probably be correlated with the Plateau gravels of central Texas and 

the Uvalde formation of southwestern Texas, as described by Hill, 

and with the latest episode of the Lafayette formation east of the 

Mississippi, as described by McGee, or, more properly, the earliest 

Columbia. Since these deposits of coarse material were probably laid 

down at the margin of a transgressing sea, they can not be regarded 

as strictly contemporaneous, except along lines parallel to the former 

sea margin.

Like their associated overlying sand beds, the presence, thickness, 

and position of these gravels are of the utmost importance to the 

well driller. They are usually strongly water bearing, and the driller 

after water is almost certain to get a considerable supply when lie 

reaches them. To the oil-well driller these gravels often offer a strong 

barrier to his further progress. The rotary method of drilling is not 

adapted to raising such heavy material to the surface, and more than 

one well has been lost because the driller was not prepared to handle 

this gravel when reached. Where the gravel beds are heavy the 

driving of the casing has usually to be resorted to. This entails considerable risk, and often the loss of the well by damage to the casing.

Bull. 212 03 5
66 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [»ULL.212.

CHANGES OF LEVEL DURING DEPOSITION OF COASTAL PLAIN

FORMATIONS.

At the close of the Eocene the Frio clays occupied a broad belt 

above sea level and formed the coast line of this portion of the continent. The coast had been rising for a long time, and then remained 

practically stationary at a comparatively high level long enough to 

permit of the extensive erosion to which the Frio beds have been subjected, and at the same time to permit the deposition of some 900 to 

1,000 feet of sandstones and limestones in the comparatively shallow 

water offshore. During the deposition of these sandstones and limestones there appear to have been considerable oscillations^ the land 

sinking toward the east and rising to the west. It formed a low sandy 

shore, Avith broad stretches covered at intervals by tide.

Following the deposition of these sandstones the land began to sink 

again, and continued sinking until a depth of at least 500 feet was 

reached throughout southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. 

This sinking enabled the deposits then being laid down to cover a very 

wide stretch, extending as far northward as the old Cretaceous shore 

line in the Texas areas and in some places overlapping it. These 

deposits, however, did not completely submerge the whole of the 

Eocene of Texas. Some of the higher divides appear to have been 

above water at that time, as they are not covered with the brown sands 

and sandy clays of these later deposits and there are no evidences of 

their ever having been covered. It was during this period that the 

brown sands, sandy clays, and gravels of the Lafayette were laid down.

Another change took place and the land again began to rise. The 

elevation was apparently at a more rapid rate than the previous 

depression. This elevation gradually increased until the present 

shore line in the Texas areas had an approximate elevation of 400 

feet and the Lafayette shore lay at least 150 miles seaward.

This elevation of the land continued for a period long enough to 

permit of the removal of these sands from a very large area and the 

formation of wide channels along the courses of the rivers and the 

deposition of the heavy beds of gravel which now everywhere cover 

the lower levels of the country.

During this period the rivers then in existence had extended their 

channels seaward, and the Brazos, Trinity, and Sabine united in their 

lower reaches and flowed for miles through a single channel.

Following this high continental condition was another depression, 

and the brown and gray sands and sandy clays of the Columbia epoch 

were deposited. Again the sea enroached upon the land, but not 

nearly to the extent it had done during the preceding Lafayette, as 

the present shore line sank only to a depth of about 100 feet below sea

level.
CHANGES OF LEVEL. 67

This sinking appears to have been, accompanied with a series of 

oscillations or tilting of the laud, and it was probably during this 

period that a considerable part of the flexing or faulting of the beds 

which resulted in the'formation of the anticlines, or lines of domeshaped elevations, took place.

Again the sea began to recede, and the Columbia sands were raised 

above the level of the water. High-level conditions again prevailed, 

and there followed a period of nearly stationary conditions with only 

a few slight oscillations. The flexing or folding that was active in the 

preceding period evidently continued through this also, and the domes 

were raised still higher, until probably their crests approached the 

surface of the water and formed reefs and islands occupied by such 

marine shallow-water life as the Ostrea.

The land subsequently tilted seaward, and it was during this time 

that the disposition of the Beaumont clays took place. These clays 

and muddy deposits associated with them were evidently laid down 

in water comparatively shallow and subject to prolonged periods of 

alternate marsh and lake conditions. They are very generally filled 

with stumps and logs, and at a depth of from 45 to 100 feet appear to 

have had a period of vicissitudes very closely approaching those to 

which the overflow bottom lands of many of the present rivers are 

subject. Marshy conditions doubtless occurred, and during that time 

the cypress appears to have flourished. Floods brought down from 

the higher grounds the dead and fallen wood and other debris, andthe small streams and rivers, upon entering the comparatively quiet 

waters covering these flats, dropped their burdens, which were, afterwards assorted and distributed by the tide.

A further slight rise took place and these clays became dry land, 

and the shore line was moved much farther southward, until it probably stood about where the Trinity shoals are now situated. The 

final change followed this elevation and present conditions were 

inaugurated; the sea again began to encroach slowly upon the land, 

.which it appears to be doing at the present time, at least in the region 

eastward of the Trinity, though west of that river the land is slowly 

rising.

It appears that the area between the Brazos and Guadalupe rivers 

was less affected by these changes of level, and that even in Lafayette 

times this area formed a ridge extending seaward, and that throughout all the fluctuations it maintained a comparatively higher altitude 

than the regions on either side.

Evidence pointing to the same conclusion is the presence of beds 

belonging to the Miocene and early Pliocene at the surface throughout several portions of the margin of the western Coastal Plain, while 

these beds do not appear anywhere throughout the eastern end, but 

lie buried to a depth of several hundred feet.
68 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [uuLL.213.

GEOLOGY OF THE OIL POOLS.

ENUMERATION OF OIL DISTRICTS.

The foregoing account of the GnIf Coastal Plain has been given in 

some detail in order that the geologic environment of the oil pools 

might be readily understood. The latter, so far as they are now 

known, occupy an extremely small fraction of the region described. 

Excepting the Spindle top pool, their limits are in no case defined with 

any degree of accuracy. It is probable that the actually productive 

territory will be confined to small areas similar to the Spindletop pool, 

which may vary in extent from 200 to 2,000 acres.

The districts which at present give promise of productiveness, and 

which will be described in the order given, are the following:

In Texas: .

1. Beaumont district, including Spindletop.

2. Port Arthur-Sabine Pass district. 

8. Sour Lake district.

4. Saratoga district.

5. Dayton district.

G. High Island district.

7. Columbia district.

8. Velasco district. 

In Louisiana:

9. Jennings district.

10. Anse la Butte district.

11. Sulphur district.

12. Vinton district.

13. Hackberry Island district.

14. Minor Louisiana localities.

It is not implied that the districts mentioned above include all the 

productive territory in the Texas-Louisiana field. It will readily be 

understood from the geologic conditions already described that prediction in this field is exceptionally hazardous. On another page the 

most favorable regions for prospecting are indicated, but it is entirely 

within the range of possibility that elsewhere than in these apparently 

favorable localities oil may be found in. commercial quantities. All 

that can be said with regard to the greater part of this field is that 

no evidence of the existence of such deposits has yet appeared, and the 

only Avay in which their presence or absence can be definitely determined is by systematic and expensive drilling.

BEAUMONT DISTRICT.

This district includes the small area which is actually productive, 

generally known as Spindletop, and a much larger surrounding area 

in which active prospecting has been going on for more than a year, 

lout which nas not yet developed any paying wells. The Spindletop 

pool will first be described and then the surrounding unproductive 

portion of the district,
U S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 212 PL.

SPINDLETOP OIL POOL

BEAUMONT DISTRICT. TEXAS

Showing location of "wells completed and drilling, June 1902 \ 

Scale

100 (I tOO glXl 300 ^UO SOU ttOO fe«t

Contour interval 2* feet

 Producing wel!s{numbers. refer b list of mils in body of report)

O Onl/ing wetfs

Q Wooden tsnks

Q Steei tanks 

--- --Pipe lines

Wurnbers in f~ed, welt index 

Numbers in b/ack, land subdivisions
BEAUMONT DISTRICT. 69 

SPINDLETOP POOL. 

LIMITS OF THE POOL.

The delimitation of this pool, as shown on the map (fig. 3, p. 80), 

has been practically completed by a series of borings made on almost 

every side of the heights and in close proximity to them. Outside of 

the line indicating the limits of the pool these borings have in every 

instance proved to be dry holes. To the south two wells the McFadden oil and gas well (No. 40) and the Hebert well (No 39), drilled to 

depths.of" 1,500 and 2,000 feet, respectively have been abandoned. 

On the east the Gober No. 1 (No. 37), 1,840 feet; the Stribling (No. 

36), 1,530 feet; and a little farther east the United States No. 7 (well 

No. 38), 2,100 feet, have all been abandoned as dry. Northeast and 

north fchere are several: wells of different depths, but most of these 

have been abandoned as dry. Among them are the Bayou City (No. 

12), 2,010 feet; the Treadway (No. 18), 1,800feet; the Allyne (No. 13), 

2,015 feet; the Chicago Crude (No. 21), 1,650 feet; and the T. and 

N. 0. Company's well (No. 17) the celebrated " Keiser-Kelly" 

2,160 feet. In the same region the Slaughter-Masterson (No. 22) and 

the Harby (No. 4) wells are drilling. The Slaughter-Masterson is at 

present (May, 1902) one of the deepest wells in the field, being at a 

depth of more than 2,250 feet. The Harby has reached a depth of 

1,840 feet.

On the west and southwest the Acme (No. 45), 1,680 feet; the 

Trenton Rock (No. 30), 1,500 feet; the Buffalo (No. 28), 1,400 feet, and 

the Federal Crude (No. 29), 2,350 feet, have been abandoned. A test 

well is now being made of the Federal Crude, and arrangements have 

been made to drill to 3,000 feet if necessary.

These wells, all of which go to considerably greater depths than any 

of those within the productive territory, practically limit the Spindletop pool to an oval area about 3,000 feet in length and 2,700 feet in 

width. This gives a total .productive area of about 200 acres. The 

longer axis of the pool lies approximately southwest and northeast.

CHARACTER OF OVERLYING BEDS.

Notwithstanding the great number of wells which have been.drilled 

on Spindletop, it is somewhat difficult to obtain accurate detailed 

well records.. While the drillers and owners can supply the depth at 

which oil was found, very few appear to have kept anything like a 

reliable log. The general consensus of opinion, based on statements 

of the drillers and on the few logs obtainable, appears to be that the 

first 500 feet of strata from the surface are composed of sands and 

clays, with occasional deposits of shells and thin, irregular seams of 

sandstone. At depths varying from 500 to 600 feet many of the wells 

have passed through limestone and sandstone, which from their irregularity and fractured condition are looked upon as large bowlders.
70 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BUM,.212.

From their size and position it is, however, more probable that these 

so-called bowlders are fractured beds brought into their present condition by the uplift of the dome: Following these limestones is 

another series of clays, sands, shells, and limestones extending down 

to the so-called cap rock, which is a limestone of the same age as the 

overlying beds. It is of variable thickness, ranging from 3 to 50 feet. 

Throughout the beds, from the depth of 500 feet downward to the cap 

rock, occasional oil-bearing horizons are met with. Some of these 

exhibit considerable strength, and have in several wells been heavy 

enough to interfere with the drilling. Very heavy gas pressures have 

also been met with between the 500-foot sandstone and the cap rock. 

The depths at which the cap rock has been struck varies between 

900 and 1,000 feet. A few have fallen below the 900-foot mark, while 

some have slightly exceeded 1,000 feet.

CHARACTER, OF THE OIL ROCK.

The oil rock is a dolomite, fairly uniform in composition and 

structure. It is not a pure dolomite, but contains a considerable 

preponderance of calcium over magnesium carbonate, sufficient to 

cause it to effervesce rather briskly in cold dilute hydrochloric acid.

The most striking characteristic of the oil. rock is its extreme 

porosity. In some wells, under the pressure of the escaping oil and 

gas the rock was broken down and large quantities were carried up the 

casing to the surface, appearing as coarse sand or gravel, the fragments varying from a very small fraction of an inch to an inch in 

diameter. In addition to this disintegrated rock many large fragments were thrown out by the gushing oil, their size being limited 

only by the size of the casing. These fragments always have a porous 

structure, and even their most compact portions, as shown under the 

microscope, contain a larger proportion of vacant space than most of 

the oil-bearing Trenton dolomite of Ohio and Indiana. In addition 

to these minute spaces between the crystals composing the rock, such 

as characterize ordinary oil sands, the rock contains many large 

cavities, certainly as much as an inch across and probably very much 

more. Naturally the maximum size of these cavities can not be 

determined from the rock fragments which form their walls, but 

there appears to be nothing unreasonable in the supposition that 

they may in some cases be measured in feet rather than in inches. 

Reports from drillers of tools dropping several feet after passing 

through the cap rock are in support of this view, though such reports 

are always to be accepted with caution.

The cavities in the oil rock are always lined with a layer of crystalline calcite, the free ends of the crystals extending into the open 

spaces. It is evident, therefore, that the latest/ action of the circulating liquid in these cavities has been that of deposition rather than of 

solution, although the latter must have been at one period extremely
HAYES ANT) 

KENNEDYn] SPLNDLETOP POOL.

active. From the samples of the oil rock thus far obtained it is 

impossible to make any accurate determination of the relative volume 

of the open cavities, but the proportion can hardly be less than onethird, and may be somewhat more when account is taken also of the 

minute spaces between the crystal grains of the more compact portions 

of the rock.

The exceptional character of this oil rock explains in a measure the 

remarkable features of the Spindletop pool. Its extreme porosity 

favors the storage of a very large volume of oil, and also favors the 

yielding of this oil with great rapidity when the reservoir is tapped. 

It also favors the early exhaustion of the oil in the pool and its rapid 

replacement by the underlying brine.

From some of the wells, along with the. dolomite large pieces of 

crystalline gypsum or selenite have been thrown out by the escaping 

oil. Their surfaces are always deeply corroded, giving evidence that 

they have been subjected to the action of some solvent.

Another important accessory mineral in the oil rock is native sulphur. Large crystals, an inch or more in length, have been, obtained 

from many of the wells, and it is reported by several of the drillers 

that the oil rock is overlain by a heavy bed of sulphur. In the 

National. Oil and Pipe Line well No. 1 this sulphur deposit is claimed 

to have a thickness of 40 feet. A large amount of material was 

brought out by the bailer, consisting of coarse sand, about 25 per 

cent of which was pure sulphur and the remainder granular dolomite 

and crystalline calcite. The grains are slightly rounded, probably 

.by the friction of the bailer, and the sand is doubtless derived from 

the disintegration of a soft dolomite in which the sulphur crystals are 

embedded. In wells Nos. 2 and 3 of the same company a similar bed 

of pure sulphur is reported, separated from the oil rock by from 23 to 

26 feet of sulphur-bearing sand. In the Heywood wells No's. 1 and 2 

this bed of sulphur is also recorded, and there is said to be about 70 

feet of it in' Gladys well No. 3. A similar bed of sulphur is claimed 

to underlie 10 feet of oil sand in the Higgins well No. 1, but does hot 

appear in Higgins well No. 2 nor in the Lucas well. It is also absent 

in the Geyser Oil and Development well on the north side of the hill.

BEDS UNDERLYING THE OIL BOOK.

While the actual thickness of the oil-bearing beds throughout the 

greater part of the pool is undetermined, certain minimum thicknesses are known, as wells have been drilled as deep as 77 feet into 

these beds, and one well has gone down to a depth of 96 feet without 

passing through the oil rock.

Only a few wells on Spindletop have passed entirely through the 

oil rock, and there is therefore little information available concerning 

the character of the underlying rocks. The Robertson Avell, toward 

the western side of the pool, is reported to have passed through 50
72 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

feet of oil rock and a distance of 100 feet into a white limestone underneath. IsTo samples of the latter were obtained, but from the description given by the driller it is regarded as at least probable that this 

bed is gypsum, rather than limestone. The thickness of 50 feet for the 

oil rock indicates that the bed thins out toward the western edge of 

the pool. ,

The Higgins No. 3 well passed through 19 feet of oil. rock at a depth 

of 855 feet. This was cased off and the drilling continued, with a 

view of determining whether or not there were any lower oil-bearing 

horizons. A second bed of oil rock was reported, 21 feet in thickness, 

below which the drill penetrated 70 feet of rock similar to that found 

in the bottom of the Robertson well. The Higgins Company put 

down another test well iu the immediate vicinity of the No. 3, which, 

after passing through the oil rock, entered gypsum at about 1,040 feet 

in depth, and at 1,650 feet encountered salt, which continued to a 

depth of 1,960 feet, where the drilling stopped. The entire thickness 

of the salt is not known.

STRUCTURE OF SPINDLETOP POOL.

In the records of wells drilled on Spindletop the only horizon which 

can be identified with any degree of certainty is the oil rock itself. 

It is generally supposed that the so-called cap rock on which the casing 

is set represents the same stratum in every case, but this is by no 

means certain. Each driller decides when he has reached a bed sufficiently solid to set his casing, and this point probably varies rather 

widely, which explains in some measure the differences in reported 

depth to the cap rock in closely adjoining wells, and some, at least, 

of the apparent irregularities in the surface of the oil rock. Eliminating these minor irregularities the structure of the pool appears to 

be that of a dome .or quaquayersal with steep sides and rather flat 

summit. The dome in the beds at the oil-bearing horizon coincides 

closely with the surface elevation, Spindletop Hill, although the dips 

of the beds around the margin of the dome are much steeper than the 

corresponding slopes of the laud surface.

The accompanying sections across the pool on the lines shown on 

the map, nearly at right angles to one another, show the structure so 

far as it has been made out. Outside of the producing territory the 

numerous wells which have been put down, some to depths of more 

than 2,000 feet, fail to reach any stratum which can definitely be 

correlated with the '' cap rock." Hence the lines indicating structure 

can be extended beyond the limits of the field only by inference. 

All the indications are, however, that the dip away from the dome is 

very abrupt, possibly more so than shown on the sections. These 

sections are drawn upon a natural scale that is, the horizontal and 

vertical scales are the same and the lines represent the actual slopes 

of the beds so far as they can be determined from data now in hand.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

VIEW OF A PORTION OF SPlNOLblOP, I902.
HA YES AND" 

KENNEDY. SPINDLETOP POOL. 73

The section A A crosses the eastern side of the hill, its direction being 

N. 48° W., coinciding very nearly with the southwestern boundary of 

the Hogg-Swayne tract. Along this line the arching of the strata is 

not very striking, although there is considerable ascent from the 

Guffey No. 9 to the National No. 1, and then a slight descent to the 

Geyser-Kaltenbach, which is the last well in this part of the pool from

2_§-E -A

/

^

c"

/J

~-~~ " """

y and*

>--^""

lrre{

and

-O'l

'*'

*ular, alternating

with thin beds i

Cap rock

>A

/

>/n

~°-£-.__ fo^o

sets of c/a

sandsto,

us dolomi

*

int.

ffi

ind, a.

~~~~^

net

~ £Q

- -- «-...,

,^<,

 ^ - -

'//Tress

/5><?

tr^>ssr

-^ ^

\

Gypsum ?

Salt- ? -

FIG. 2. Sections of Spindletop oil pool. (Soo map, PI. III.)

which a record was obtained. Continuing the line about 2,000 feet 

beyond the Geyser-Kaltenbach, the Chicago Crude, well is reached. 

This is a dry hole, and to a depth of 2,100 feet encountered nothing 

which could be identified as the oil-bearing bed of the 'Spindletop 

pool. It is evident, therefore, that the oil rock either dips very 

rapidly toward the north between these two wells or does not retain 

its peculiar characteristics beyond the limits of the productive terri-
74 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

tory. Or the failure to find the oil rock in any of the wells outside 

the proved field may be due to a combination of these causes.

The second section, B B, is upon a line N. 15° E. > coinciding approximately with the long axis of the pool. It shows very clearly the 

arching of the strata in this direction. About 1,100 feet beyond the 

Denver and Beaumont well, toward the northeast, is the Big Jumbo, a 

dry hole, which stopped, after passing 14 .feet into limestone, at a 

depth of 2,000 feet: This is not certainly identified as either the cap 

or oil rock, but probably represents approximate!}* the horizon of the 

latter, which .would indicate a steep dip, about 40°, immediately 

beyond the margin of the productive territory. The same indications 

of very steep dips away from the pool are afforded by all the dry 

wells which have been drilled immediately about its margin.

WELL SECTIONS.

Several sections of wells in the Spindletop pool have already been 

published, notably that of the original Lucas well. Considering the 

number of wells drilled in this small area, very few logs having any 

degree of accuracy are obtainable. The method employed in drilling by means of the rotary drill, which is described on a subsequent 

page does not favor the keeping of accurate records. The only 

means which the driller has of determining the character of the material which he is passing through is its relative hardness and the 

material brought up by the return-water flow. By the caving in of 

the sides of the hole below the casing any soft material which has 

been passed through and not cased off may be brought up, and not 

necessarily represent the.bed at the bottom.of the well, but a mixture 

of materials from varioiis depths. A few logs have been kept with as 

much accuracy as the method of drilling permitted, and two of these 

will be given, chiefly to indicate the extreme variability of the 

materials overlying the oil horizon.

Log of the Geyser-Kaltenbach ivell, block 23, Spindletop. 

[Elevation, 25 feet.]

1

9,

3

4

5

fi

7

8

9

10

Character of strata.

Yellow clay -___._..___-________.---------.--

Quicksand.,.. .......... ----------- -.. ...

Blue clay . . ...............-...---.-----.------

Hard blue shale. .................--....------

Blue clay ......-'.-.-...--.--..-.-------------

Blue clav .-.-.- -----------------------------

Thickness.

Feet. 

20

36

134

105

20

10

4

51

17

13

From 

Feet. 

0

20

56

190

295

315

325

329

380'

397

To 

Feet. 

20

56

190

295

315

325

329

380

397

410
HAYK8 AND"! 

KENNEDY. J

SPINDLETOP POOL. 75

Log of the Geyser-Kaltenbach well, block S3, Spindletop Continued.

Character of strata. Thickness. From To 

Feet.

Coarse gravel..___.___-_---..____..__

Coarse sand with gas ................

Blue clay............................

Blue clay mixed with small bowlders 

Quicksand......'.....................

Blue clay......-..-..-.----..;.......

White lime rock.....................

Sulphur and oil sand..................

Blue sand rock .__._..__.._ _.________

Hard white liuie rock ................

Blue clay............................

Soft sand rock.......................

Hard white lime rock................

Blue clay............... ..............

Soft sand rock.......................

Blue clay...-..--.--...---...........

Shell formation. _....................

White lime rock.....-...---.........

Gray clay ....................^......

White lime rock .....................

Gray clay with shells..................

Shells..................... .........

Blue clay ....-..-.---.--.-..........

Gray clay..----------.______.'._. ....

Shells...............................

Oil sand .......... ..................

Blue clay _________ ....'.. ............

Hard lime rock 1......................

Black sand..... ....................

White lime rock .....................

Soft dark shale.....-'....-............

Soft white lime rock. ___... ___._____..

Soft dark shale.......................

Blue sand rock.......................

Quicksand............................

White lime rock.....................

Sand showing oil..--.---.-.-..-...'... 

Blue clay -..-...--....................

Iron pyrites. -.--------...--...-.-......

Dark clay........-.-----.............

Oil sand .............................

3

5

4

0

2

13

7

18

5

12

3

12

10

2

3

18

Feet. 

410 

428 

465 

4.80 

495 

507 

590 

GOO 

602 

620 

625 

632

643

644

652

657

680

717

737

748

749

780

787

794

810

81.2

815

820

824

830

832

845

852

865

870

882

885

897

907

.909

912

Feet. 

428 

465 

480 

495 

507 

590 

600 

602 

620 

625 

632

643

64.4

652 

. 657

680 

'717

737

748

749

780

787

794

810

812

815

820

824

830

832

845

852

865

870

882

885

897

907

909

912

930
76 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 213.

Log of Higgins ivell No. 2, near southern margin of Spindletop pool.

[Elevation, 25 feet.]

Character of strata. Thickness. From To 

Feet. Feet.

1 Soil, black sandy loam_._._.____--_..__-.,._.

2 Yellow clay with red streaks.--_--.---------.

3 Blue clay with limy concretions --__-_-----_.-

4 Bluish-gray sand ............................

5 Yellowish-colored clay with lime .--._..-.___

6 Dark-blue clay with some lime and shells.....

7 Gray sand ..................................

8 Blue sand .............................^...'..

9 Blue clay with pyrites -..-.---.------....-...

10 Blue sand with some clay and small pebbles - -

11 Fine bluish-gray sand .......................

12 Fine gray sand ...--.---.-.......--....-.--.

13 Fine gray sand with black specks .--..--.--._'.

14 Bluish-tinted gray sand......................

15 Dark-gray sand with black specks............

16 Fine dark-gray sand.........................

17 Fine grayish-tinted sand.....................

18 Fine grayish-green sand .....................

19 Fine brownish-gray sand ..-....-.-.--..---..

20 Fine brown sand with shells ....----....-.. ..

21 Fine brown sand with broken shells .........

22 Coarse blue sand with broken shells, ---------

23 Very fine muddy sand ........................

24 Very fine bluish-gray sand.. ..............'...

25 Very fine gray sand with bluish tint...........

26 Fine gray sand with bluish tint..-..-.-.---...

27 Fine sandy clay (fish bones at 628 feet) ------

28 Fine blue sandy clay ........................

29 Very fine light-blue sand .......---..---.---.-.

30 Light-blue rock -----.--...-....--.-..-----..

31 Bluish-gray sand .--.....-.--....-.-.-------.

32 Light-gray sand with shells.---.----. --------

33 Marl with small shells --.--.....-----.-.-----.

34 Light bluish-gray sand and shells -.--.-----...

35 Fine sand and shells.............. 1.---..-.--.

36 Very fine dark brownish-gray sand...........

37 Hard grayish-blue sandy clay, with shells and 

	heavy indications of oil....................

38 Dark rock 2 feet, shells 1 foot.................

39 Dark grayish-blue sand with some clay.......

40 Lignite .....................................

3* 

.12

6

8

10 

16 

13 

51 

26 

10 

31 

10 

65

9

44 

35 

50 

40 

30 

21

9

47 

17 

48 

1.2 

42

6 

13 

43

8 

14

6

5

64 

49

26

3

12

5

0

1

4

16

22

30

40

56

69

120

146

156

187

197

262

271

315

350

400

440

470

491

500

547

564

612

624

666

672

685

728

736

750

756

761

825

874

900

903

915

Feet.

4

16

.22

30

40

56

69

120

146

156

187

197

262

271

315

350

400

440

470

491

500

547

564

612

624

666

672

685

728

736

750

756

761

825

874
8PINDLETOP POOL. 77 

Lofj of Higgins well No. 2, near southern margin of Spindletop pool Continued.

41

42

43 

44

45

40

Character of strata.

Bluish-gray sand with shells .................

Very fine grayish-brown sand with shells .... 

Very fine sand with shells ...... ............

Dark gray rock, "cap rock".................

Coarse dark gray sand .with oil. ..............

Thickness.

Feet. 

34

 4

24 

13

5

6

From 

Feet. 

920

954

958 

982

995

1,000

To 

Feet. 

954

958

982 

995

1,000

1,006

LIST OF PRODUCING WELLS IN SPINDLETOP POOL.

The following list gives the names of the wells in the Spindletop 

pool which have shown a yield of oil sufficient to be considered of 

commercial importance. , It is as complete up to Juiie 15, 1902, as it 

has been possible to make it by consulting numerous sources of information, although there are doubtless some omissions and inaccuracies. 

This is especially the case with the ownership of the wells, which is 

subject to frequent changes, and is sometimes difficult to determine. 

The size of the bottom or inner casing and the depth of the well have 

been given wherever ascertained. I^Tot all of these wells are to be 

credited with actual commercial production, since many of them, 

after having been "brought in" and allowed to flow long enough to 

free themselves of any obstructions, have been closed up and never 

connected with a tank or pipe line. They have been potentially productive but actually dead. The reason for this has been the lack of 

facilities for storing or transporting the oil.

Producing ivells in Spindletop pool.

No. 

on 

map.

1

 ?,

3

 4

. 5

fi

7

8

9

10

11

12

Name of well.

McFaddenNo. 1 .......

National No. 1 ........

Gladys No. 1. .........

Higgins No. 1 --....-..

Gladys No. 2..........

Hey wood No. 1 ........

Gladys No. 3..........

Star and Crescent No. 1.

Heywood No. 2. .......

McFaddenNo. 3 ......

McFaddenNo. 2 ......

Name of owner.

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

National Oil and Pipe Line Co .

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

Higgins Oil and Fuel Co. ......

Heywood Oil Co ..............

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

Star and Crescent Oil Co ...

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

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

Sjzo of 

casing.

Inches. 

6

6

4

- 4

6

4

6

6

6

6

6

6

Depth of 

well.

Feet. 

1,139

1,018

1,070

1,040

1,092

925

7fiQ

935

7«K

967

1,028

976
78 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [uuLL.313. 

Producing wells in Spindletop pool Continued.

No.

Oil

rnap.

18

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

ai

?,?,

9,3

24

9,5

9,6

97

9,8

9,0

80

81

89,

88

84

OK

36 

37 

38

on

40

41

42 

43

M

45

A n

47

48

49

Name of well.

Hogg Swayne No. 1 . . . .

Higgins No. 2 .........

Columbia No. 1... ....

National No. 2. ........

Spindle Top No. 1......

Ground Floor No. 1 ...

GlaydsNo. 5 ..........

Yellow Pine No. I.....

Manhattan No. 1 ......

Darragh --....-......

Cattlemen's ...........

Alamo ................

Beatty . ...._........

Export No. 1 -.-...-.-.

National No. 3 -.-.....

Fountain ...............

El Paso... ............

Spangler ........ 1 .....

TVTl GG1 OOl T~1TY1 Tnfl T^tiVlfl Q

Federal Crude (Grace) .

Missouri, Kansas and 

Texas.

Gober No. 2. __..._.._.

Ti vi 1 1 PVQ

Fort Worth ...........

Gladys No. 6.. ........

Beaumont Confederated 

No. 1.

Btiffalo ---.-...-.----.

Enterprise .....-..---.

Georgetown Waco. .... 

Oteri No. 1.... ........

Geyser- Kallenbach ....

Eureka ...............

Trenton Rock .........

Name of owner.

Hey wood Oil Co ..............

Hogg Swayne Syndicate . ....

Higgins Oil and Fuel Co -..-...

Columbia Oil Co. ..............

National Oil and Pipe Line Co .

Spindle Top Oil Co ............

Ground Floor Oil Co. ..........

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co . . . .

Yellow Pine Oil Co ...........

Alamo City Oil Co. ____________

Manhattan Oil Co .............

St. Marys Oil Co... ...........

Cattlemen's Oil Co .__._..____.

Alamo Oil Co. -----------------

Beatty Oil Co.. ................

Export Oil and Pipe Line Co. . .

El Beaumont Oil Co ...........

National Oil and Pipe Line Co .

Fountain Oil and Fuel Co ......

El Paso Oil Co. --.--.......--..

Merchants and Mechanics. .....

Palestine and Brut Oil Co --..-.

Mississippi and Texas Oil Co . . .

Federal Crude and Grace Oil 

Companies.

Missouri, Kansas and Texas 

Oil Co.

Gober Oil Co. .................

Drillers Oil Co.. _..-._.........

Fort Worth Oil Co.. ..........

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co....

Beaumont Confederated Oil Co. 

Buffalo Oil Co.. .......... ......

Moore Skinner Com. Co. ........

Georgetown and Waco Oil Co.. 

Oteri Syndicate. . .-.-..-.-.--..

rGeyser Oil Development Co. ... 

IKallenbach Oil Co. ........ ^ ...

Eureka Oil Co-----------.--..-

Trenton Rock Oil Co.-------..

Size of 

casing.

Inches.

6

2

6

. 8

6

4

6

8

6

6

4

6

6

6

6

G

6

6

6

6

6

8

6

6 

6 

6

6

6

6

6 

6

6

6 

6

} '

6

6

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

950

1,006

1,006

796

974

940

971

830

957

937

970

935

960

1,017

1,060

920

965

938

1,025

924

1,025 

1,027 

840

1,020

1,028

975 

960

950

930

920

1.044
HA YES AND"! 

KENNEDY. J

SPINDLETOP POOL.

Producing wells in Spindletop pool Continued.

79

No. 

on 

map.

50

51

59

53

54 

55

56

57

58

50

00

61

63

68

64

65

66

67

68 

60

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

70

80

81

8?,

83

Name of well.

Queen of Waco. . ......

Star and Crescent No. 2

German- American No.

2. 

Paragon ..............

Cincinnati-Beaumont . . 

King...... ...-.-....--

Detroit, Beaumont and 

Home.

Hogg-Swayne No. 2. ...

Twentieth Century

No. 1. 

Manhattan No. 2 ......

Hogg-Swayne No. 3 . . . .

Gladys of Beaumont- . .

Saratoga ...............

German -American

No. 1, 

Hogg-Swavne No. 4 ....

Houston-Beaumont .... 

American Oil and Refining Co.

Greater New York 

Home.

Cartwright- . ..........

OteriNo.2.. ..........

McFadden No. 8. ......

Anglo-American No. 2.

Twentieth C e n t n r y

No. 2. 

Finlay ................

San Jacinto No. 2 ......

Trans-Mississippi ......

Spindle Top No. 2.....

Stribling Cox No. 1....

Hogg-Swayne No. 5 . . . .

Plunger. ..............

Ira O. Wise ...........

Name of owner.

Queen of Waco Oil Co. --------

Star and Crescent Oil Co. ------

German- American Oil Co -.--..

Paragon Oil Co. ..--.......-...

Cincinnati and Beaumont Oil 

Co.

King Oil Co. ...... .----.-....-.

Detroit, Beaumont and Home 

Oil Co.

Alabama Oil and Pipe Co. . ....

Hogg-Swayne Syndicate .......

Commonwealth Oil Co. ........

Twentieth Century Oil Co . . . . .

Manhattan Oil Co .............

Hogg-Swayne Syndicate .......

Geyser Oil Co .................

Gladys Oil Co.... .............

Saratoga Oil and Pipe Line Co.

German- American Oil Co. . . . . .

Hogg-Swayne Syndicate -------

Houston-Beaumont Oil and Refining Co.

American Oil and Refining Co .

Greater New York Home Oil Co. 

Cartwright Oil and Development Co. 

Oteri Syndicate ---.......-....

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co . . . .

Anglo-American Oil Co. -------

Twentieth Century Oil Co . . . . .

Apex Oil Co ...................

San Jacinto Oil Co ._.._._...__

Trans-Mississippi Oil Co. ......

Spindle Top Oil Co ............

Stribling & Cox ................

Hogg-Swayne Syndicate .......

Texas Oil and Pipe Line Co-...

Ira O. Wise Beaumont Oil Co..

Sizo of 

casing.

Inches.

6

6

6

6

6 

6

6 

6

6

6

6

8

6

6

6

6

8

6

6

8

4 

6

6

6

6

6

8

6

4

6

G

6

8

6

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

056

014

025 

060

037

1,000

1,023

1,025

020

1, 060

1,000

086 

041

860

1,051

076

1,050

.. 1,015

1,003

1,036
80 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.213. 

Producing ivells in Spindletop pool Continued.

No. 

on 

map.

84

85

86

87 

88

89 

90

91

Q?

93

<M

95

96

97

98

QQ

100

101

10?,

108

104

105

106

107

108 

109 

110

111

11?,

118

114

115

116

117

1 1 Q

11Q

1?0

Name of well.

Keith Ward No. I.....

Beaumont Confederated No. 2.

tri-City No. 1. ....-.:.

Cincinnati-Beaumont 

No. 2.

Old Reliable..:. .......

Two Republics ....-.-.

ated No. 3. 

Gladys No. 7..........

Guarantee ............

Yellow Pine No. 2.__._

CaldwellNo. 1 ........

Texas Standard No. 1 - _ 

Brooks ----------------

Federal Crude, Grace

No. 2.

Beaumont and Damon 

Mound.

Madeline Consolidated.

Globe..-.. ------------

Fort Worth No. 2......

Keith Ward No. 2 .....

Galloway Oil .-----.-..

Anglo-American No. 3.

Diamond Crude ........

R. A. Josey ............

H.M.Mitchell.........

Name of owner.

Keith Ward Oil Co..... -------

Citizens' Consolidated Oil Co ..

Beaumont Confederated Oil Co. 

Tri-CityOil Co................

Cincinnati-Beaumont Oil Co ... 

Cronin Land and Oil Co .......

Two Republics Oil Co ..........

J. M. Guff ey Petroleum Co.-.-

Guarantee Oil Co ...............

Arkadelphia Oil Co ............

Mercer County Oil Co .........

Yellow Pine Oil Co. ...........

Caldwell Oil Co. ................

Anglo-American Oil Co ........

Mound City Oil Go............

R. E. Brooks................__.

Cronin Land and Oil Co ......

Federal Crude Oil Co ..........

Beaumont and Damon Mound 

Oil Co.

Madeline Consolidated Oil Co.. 

Josey Investment Co. .........

San Jacinto Oil Co. ...__.____._

Globe Oil Co ...................

Granite Mountain Oil Co ......

Fort Worth Oil Co ........ A ..

Keith Ward Oil Co.. ..........

Hogg-Swayne Syndicate --.....

Calloway Oil Co.. .............

Anglo-American Oil Co --------

Diamond Crude Oil Co .--......

R. A. Josey ..-.------..-......

MitchellOil Co. ........:......

Size of 

casing.

Inches.

6

6

6

6 

6

6 

6

6

6

6

6

6

8

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

8

6

6 

6

6

8

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

975

936

1,025

996

1,053

1,078

977

1,090

940

1,025

977 

990

934

1,040

1,072

1,028
HAYES AND"! 

KENNEDY. J

SPINDLETOP POOL. 81

Producing wells in Spindletop pool Continued.

No. 

on 

map.

121

122

123

124

125

12fi

127

128

120

180

181

182

133 

134

135

186

137 

'138

13Q

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

140

1 "in

151

152

153

154

Name of well.

McFadden No. 7. ......

Equitable .............

Simms Bartlett- .......

McFadden No. 9 ......

Bunns Bluff... ........

Godcheux .............

Seaboard No. 2 ........

Texas Geyser ..........

Lumberman. .........

Texas Oil and Pipe 

Line No. 2.

Beaumont Petroleum 

and Gas.

Silver Dime No. 1 .....

Silver Dime No. 2 .....

Chicago-Texas No. 1 ...

Hogg-Swayne No. 7. ...

Chicago-Texas No. 2. . .

The Mercantile ........

No. 3.

Paulhamus ............

R. L. Cox. ............

Slope. 

Illinois Oil Co. No. 1 ..

Gladys No. 8.... .....

inont. 

"Rnll 010 fiq c

Name of owner.

New York Oil Co.... ..........

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co .....

Equitable Oil Co ..............

Simms Bartlett & Harrison ....

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

Bunns Bluff Oil Co ............

Independence Oil Co. ...........

Seaboard Oil Co ...............

Texas Geyser Oil Co. ..........

Lumberman's Oil Co .--.-.....

Texas Oil and Pipe Line Co .... 

Peoria Crude Oil Co -----------

Becky Sharp Oil Co. ...........

C. E. Jones and others. ........

Beaumont Petroleum and Gas 

Co.

Silver Dime Oil Co .............

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

Chicago-Texas Syndicate ......

Hogg-Swayne Syndicate ........

Chicago-Texas Syndicate ......

The Mercantile Oil and Refining Co.

Beaumont Associated Oil Wells

Co. 

R. L. Cox Co...... ............

portation Co.

Co. 

Illinois Oil Co.. .............. .

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co....

and Transportation.

Size of 

casing.

Inches. 

6

6

6

0

6

6

6

6

G

 6

6

0

8 

0

6

6

6 

6

6

6

6

9

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

1,030

1,042

1,098 

94.8

1,034

1,075

950

1,055

914

932

1,018

1,050
82 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212. 

Producing ivells in Spindletop pool Continued.

No. 

on 

map.

155

150

157

158

159

160

161

169,

183

104

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

178

174

175

176 177'

178

179

180

181

18?,

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

Name of well.

Chicago-Texas No. 1 . .

Chicago-Texas Export.

Chicago-Texas Syndicate. 

Mercer County No. 2 . .

Forward Reduction . .

Robertson. ............

Oklahoma and Texas

Heywood No. 4. .......

Higgins No. 3 ..........

Hogg-Swayne No. 8 ....

Ground Floor No. 2...

Texas No. 2. 

Georgetown- Waco No.

2.

Mound No. 2. 

Forward Reduction No.

2. 

Denver-Beaumont No. 1

Empire State ..........

Gladys of Galveston...

Huntley ..--..-.......

Tri-CityNo. 2... _.___.

Guffey ...............

Do...... ..........

Spindletop No. 3 ......

Lone Acre No. 1 .......

Lone Acre No. 3. ...

Sunset No. 2 ..........

St. Louis-Spindle Top . .

Texas Live Oak ..-.-..

Name of owner.

Mercer County Oil Co .........

Forward Reduction Co .-...--..

J. Robertson ..................

Heywood Oil Co. ...............

Higgins Oil and Fuel Co. ......

Ground Floor Oil Co '..........

Oil Co. 

Georgetown- Waco Oil Co ......

Oil Co. 

Forward Reduction Co ........

Denver-Beaumont Oil Co ......

Empire State Coal, Iron and

Oil Co. 

Gladys Oil Co. of Galveston ..

Huntley Oil and Refining Co. . .

Tri-City Oil Co..... ...........

J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co ....

.....do ..._.....'............._.

Spindletop Oil Co. .............

Borealis Oil Co ................

Geyser Oil Co. of Galveston . . .

Lone Star Oil Co --------------

Lone Acre Oil Co. ...... .......

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

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

Maskemp Oil Co ..-...--..-..-

St. Louis-Spindle Top Oil Co . . .

Drummond Oil Co. ....--...-..

Texas Live Oak Oil Co. ........

Size of 

casing.

fiiches.

6

6

,6

6

6

6'

6

6

6

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

1,056

1,085

1,088
HAYES AND~1 

KENNEDY. J

SPINDLETOP POOL. 83

Producing wells in Spindletop pool Continued.

No. 

Qn 

map.

101

192

193

194

195

196

^197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

Name of well.

Zenith ................

United States No. 1 ....

United States No. 2. ...

United States No. 3 ....

United States No. 4. . . ,

Babbit Syndicate ......

British American ......

Bayou City No. 2 ......

Mound City ...........

Magnolia. . ............

Sam Houston. . ........

Chicago-Texas Syndicate. 

Higgins No. 4 .........

Kansas City. ..........

Iowa-Nebraska ........

Imperial ...............

Beaumont and Spindletop. 

Black Hawk ...........

Burlington ............

Buckeye .-.-----......

Big Four.. ............

Burt- Missouri _-.......-

Cascade ............

Chemical. ....... ..

Blue Grass .............

Drummers ........

Continental .........

Cedar Rapids ...........

Call & Polk......

R. L. Cox No. 1. ......

Lake Superior and

Beaumont. 

R. L. Cox No. 2.......

New England .........

North American Crude

Crescent ............

Omaha and Texas .....

Name of owner.

Zenith .Oil Co .................

United States Oil and Fuel Co .

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

.....do'............,..:........

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

Babbit Syndicate Oil Co .......

British American Oil Co. ......

Bayou City Oil Co. ............

Pittsburg Mound City .........

Magnolia Oil Co. .----.-.-.....

Sam Houston Oil Co. ..........

Chicago-Texas Syndicate ......

Higgins, Oil and Fuel Co. ......

Kansas City Oil and Refining

Co. 

lowa-Nebraska-Beaurnont Oil

Co. 

Imperial Oil Co. .... ...........

Beaumont and Spindletop Oil

Co. 

Black Hawk Oil Co.... .....

Burlington Oil Co .............

Buckeye Oil Co.... ............

Big Four Oil Co. ..............

Burt-Missouri Oil Co ..........

Cascade Oil Co ............

Chemical Oil Co.-.-..- .

Blue Grass Oil Co .............

Drummers Oil Co .

Continental Oil Co. . . ...

Cedar Rapids Mission Oil Co. . .

D. CaH and I. D. Polk .........

R. L. Cox......................

Lake Superior and Beaumont

Oil Co. 

R.L. Cox.... ........... . .

New England and Beaumont

Oil Co. 

North American Crude Oil Co. .

Crescent Oil Co ................

Omaha and Texas Oil Co ......

Size of 

casing.

Inches.

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

942
84 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212. 

Producing ivells in Spindletop pool Continued.

No. 

on 

map.

227

9,9,8

9,9,9

880

831

9,8?,

9,88

9,84

9,85

9,8fi

987

988

9,89

940

9,41

949,

948

9,44

945

9,4<i

9,47

9,48

9,49

950

9,51

252

9,58

9,54

9,55

9,56

9,57

958

9,59

9,fiO

9R1

262

9,68

Name of well.

Cotton Oil... ..........

Sutchliffe .............

Minnesota No. 1. ......

Minnesota No. 2. ._ i _ _ .

Can-oil & Co ..........

Consolidated ..........

Consumers .---..---...

Empire No. 2. .........

Equitable No. 2 .......

El Beaumont No. 2 ....

Flora Oil Co. ..........

Fairfield ..............

Fairchild. -.-.....-....

Galveston and Burt ....

Good Luck -.-....-....

Greater New York No.3

Home -....----...--.-.

Midland ..............

Minnesota Oil No. 3 . . .

Mississippi-Texas ......

Nickel Plate No. 1.....

Nickel Plate No. 2. ....

People's.... .. .........

Pittsburg .............

Rock River ...........

Reed ......'---....-....

Sim Oil ...............

Sabine .................

Name of owner.

Sutchliffe Oil Co.. .............

Minnesota Oil Co -- ---.- -

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

F. L. CarroU ...............

Consolidated Oil and Pipe Line

Co. 

Consumers' Oil and Pipe Line Co

Detroit-Saginaw Valley Oil Co

Empire State Oil, Iron and

Coal Co. 

Eastern Texas Oil and Development Co.

El Beaumont Oil Co ------------

Flora Oil Co.. ........... ......

Clarke Fairfield -....-.. .......

L. H. Fairchild. . ____._._.__ ..'.

Good Luck Oil Co .............

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

Home Oil Co ..................

Interstate Oil Co . . ...........

Libbie Oil Co.. ................

Louisiana Purchase Oil Co. ....

Midland Oil Co.... -------

Michigan-Burt Oil and Refining

Co.

Nickel Plate Oil Co .... .......

People's Oil Co ..'..-.. . ...-

Pittsburg-Texas Oil Co ........

N. Cabell Reed. ..... . .

Sim Oil Refining Co ....... ....

Sabine Oil and Pipe Line Co . ..

Sacramento Oil and Pipe Line

Co,

Size of 

casing.

Inches.

Depth of 

well.

Feet.
REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP. 

Producing icells in Spindletop pool Continued.

85

No. 

on 

map.

204

205

200

207

208

209

270

271

272

278

274

275

270

277

278

279

280

Name of well.

Springfield ............

Sterling ...............

Spindletop No. 3 ......

St. Marys .............

Sarpy .................

St. Louis-Spindletop . . .

Texas Fuel Oil Co.....

Thompson Hill No. 1 . .

Thompson Hill No. 2 ..

Texas- American .......

The Fifteen ...........

Union. ................

Union Oil and Refining

Waco-Burt -.-.-..---..

White King..... .....

Ward.................

Name of owner.

Sterling Oil Co ..................

Sabine Oil and Marketing Co . .

St. Marys Oil Co. ..............

Sarpy Oil and Transportation

Co. 

St. Louis-Spindletop Oil Co ....

Texas Fuel Oil Co -------------

Thompson Hill Development Co

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

Texas- American Oil Co _.....--

The Fifteen Oil Co... ..........

Union Oil Co ..................

Union Oil and Refining Co . . . . .

Waco-Beaumont Oil Co --..-...

White King Oil Co ...... ......

W. K. Ward ..................

Size of 

casing.

InclieK.

Depth of 

well.

Feet.

REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP POOL.

In the region surrounding the Spindletop pool a large amount of 

prospecting has been done, but up to the present time no productive 

territory has been developed. This region is a very level plain, for 

the most part treeless prairie, but with some considerable timbered 

areas. The monotony of the surface is relieved only by the broad 

flood plain of the Neches River, which, is but slightly above tide level 

and generally occupied by cypress and other swamps. 

. The wells, whose locations are shown on the accompanying map, 

fig. 3, vary in depth from 1,200 to 2,400 feet. Although none of 

them are productive, most have shown some signs of oil, probably 

derived from beds corresponding to those which yield small quantities of oil over the main oil rock in the Spindletop pool. They furnish considerable information regarding the character of the beds 

underlying the Coastal Plain, and a number of the logs are here given 

in order that they may be on record.

From what has already been said concerning the normal thickness 

of the Gulf Coastal Plain formations and the structure of the Spindletop pool, it is evident that a well in this region less than 3,000 feet 

in depth does not reach the oil-bearing horizon anywhere except upon 

the Spiudletop. dome. It can not- be said, therefore, that the possi-
86 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

bilities of finding oil in this region have been exhausted by the relatively shallow wells thus far drilled. On the other hand, it can not 

be said that the probabilities of finding oil in paying quantities at 

greater depth are sufficient to warrant the great expense of prospecting. It might, however, be expedient to put down a cooperative test 

well, at some carefully selected locality, sufficiently deep to exhaust

C.Hi/lebrand

League MGrange League

FIG. 3. Map of region surrounding the Spindletop oil pool.

the possibilities. One such well put down to a depth of 3,000 or 

3,500 feet would be of much more value than any number of wells 

half those depths.

The well records available in this region show the Underlying formations to be largely heavy beds of blue clay and blue and gray sands, 

the latter being generally denominated quicksands by the drillers.
HAYES AND 

KENNEDYD ] REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP. 87

Occasional thin beds of sandstone, with infrequent heavier beds and 

thin layers of limestone interstratified with sands and clays, also occur. 

In several of the wells many small fossils of Miocene age appear, usually associated with a bed of grayish-blue sand. A number of the 

sand beds are water bearing, and might form a fairly good source of 

water supply for the Beaumont district, if properly exploited. Salt 

and sulphur water also accompany these sands at various levels, and 

in some of the Avells have developed considerable flows.

The upper 40 or 50 feet of these beds contain much decayed wood, 

and at an approximate depth of 45 feet the drillings indicate tliat 

when the land stood at that level it was subject to overflow by streams 

carrying great quantities of cypress and other timber. The only fossils found at this horizon were Rangia cuneata Gray and an undetermined oyster, from a depth of 45 feet, in the Harby well. These 

accumulations of buried vegetable matter continue downward to a 

depth of 800 feet in some of the wells. In the Island well Natica 

tuomeyi Whit, and Crassatella sp. were found at 800 feet. In the 

American Oil and Refining Company's well the drill passed through 8 

feet of bark and logs at 892 feet and again at 994 feet. In the Decker 

well logs of cypress occurred at a depth of 800 feet. These logs still 

possess the ordinary woody texture, while the bark retains its fibrous 

character and often by its toughness interferes seriously with the drill. 

In addition to this unaltered wood, more or less lignite occurs in the 

various wells, and small seeps or deposits of oil are found in nearly 

every well drilled throughout this area.

Sands, clays, and even fair-sized bodies of sandstone and gravel 

make up the most of the strata encountered between 900 and 1,500 

feet. Below 1,500 feet the drilling is mostly through beds of blue, 

gray, and pink clays interstratified with limestones and sandstones 

down to the greatest depth yet reached. The limestones in these beds 

range in thickness from 2 inches to 2 feet.

From the fossils found in the various wells in this region the geologic age of the beds appears to be approximately as follows

1. Recent; to a depth of 45 feet.

2. Pleistocene and Pliocene; between 45 feet and 800 feet..

3. Miocene; between 800 feet and 2,200 feet.

4. Eocene; below 2,200 feet. V" 5 """

I . WELL RECORDS.

The following weir logs have been furnished, in all cases, by the 

owners of the wells or by the contractors with the owner's permission:

Beginning at the northern end of the field, two wells have been 

drilled on the D. Easley survey near Pine Island Bayou, about 9 

miles north of Beaumont. These are known as the Sanger and Walker 

wells. Both are dry and have been abandoned. In drilling the Sanger
88 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

well considerable trouble was experienced with water, especially in 

the first 600 feet. The following log is furnished by the contractors:

Log of Sanger ivell on D. Easley survey. 

[Elevation, 25 feet.] 

No.

1

3

a

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

18

14

15

16

17

Character of strata.

Clay..................................;......

Coarse water sand. . . ..._---_-..-....-..._-..

Blue clay ...................................

Alernate layers of clay and coarse white

Sand...:...... ..............................

Shell rock. .................................'.

Sand.... ....................................

Shells. --..----------.--.-- -----------.----

Sand. . _.....__._--.-.._----------.---.---.-.

Clay.............-..-....------.....-..---..

Clay...... _--.---.--.----------------.----

Thickness..

Feet. 

6

150

6

438

1

40|

260

1

30

60

239

1

27

30

20 "25

85

From 

Feet. 

0

6

156

162

600

600|

641

901

902

932

992

1,231

1,232

1,259

1,289

1,309

1,334

To 

Feet. 

6

156

162

600

600i

641

901

902

932

992

1,231

1,232

1,259

1,289

1,309

1,334

1,419

Five miles west of Beaumont the American Oil Company's well 

shows a section consisting almost exclusively of clays and sands.

Log of American Oil Company's well in sec. 101, Texas and New Orleans Railway

land.

[Elevation, 50 feet.]

No.

1

P,

3

4

' 5

fl

I 7

i 

ft

9

10

Character of strata.

Sand.........................................

Yellow clay ........-.....------..--.---.- .-.

Quicksand ....-..-.-.--.--..--.-..-.-..-----

Blue clay. . ....-....-....--.-.-.-.-.--------.

Sand. ...... ............ -.--.-.-...-.---.----

Blue clay -..------ --------------------.------

Sand _______._.-------.-.--------------------

Blue clav. .....-.-..---..-----------.--------

Thickness.

Feet. 

3

5

10

11

3

16

18

12

10

32

From 

Feet. 

0

3

8

18

29

32

48

66

78

88

ToFeet. 

3

8

18

29

32

48

66

78

88

120
ITAYE9 AND"] 

KENNEDY. J REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP. 89

Log of American Oil Company's weZZ in sec. 101, etc. Continued.

Character of strata. Thickness. From ToFeet.

Fine sand and shells.._.-.'---_-..___-.._....

Blue clay.-_.._-_-.---._-___.._.__-__,____--

Sand ---......_.----._.-----___-_._-..-_--_-__

Blue clay........_.--_..-..--....._....___---

Sand ----.--__.._.-.---.-_-_---._-..__.-._--

Blue clay...................................

Blue clay........ l .....-......:.............

Sand....-.-........--.-......-..........--.

Blue clay.. ..........--..--- --......-....--.

Sand...............................'.........

Blue clay ...j..............................

Sand ........................................

Blue clay ..................................

Sand.......................................

Blue clay ...---....-...._..................

Sand .......................................

Blue clay ..................................

Sand -__--.-__-_...--..___-----..._______._.

Blue clay ..................................

Sand with hard streaks.....................

Eed clay...................................

Soft sandstone .............................

Sand.......................................

Sand with hard streaks.....................

Blue clay --__._..._..._...__-_..._.____.____

Sand.......................................

Blue clay ....................................

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

Sand.......................................

Fine quartz gravel from pea to marble size, 

smooth, and various colors .....---.....-.

Sand.......................................

Blue clay ..................................

Sand.......................................

Red clay ....................................

Sand.......................................

Bark and logs......................... .....

Blue clay -........-............_............

Sand and shells...--.---....-...............

Blue clay ...---..--.----.....-.............

Sand.......................................

6

20

28

35

21

11

22

26

19

64

37

13

31

6

46

24

17

18

15

2

30

3

15

20

17

8

65

10

65

13

11

6

22

8

16

10

8

50

Feet. 

120 

126 

14.6 

174 

209 

230 

241 

264 

272 

294 

320 

339 

403 

440 

453 

484 

490 

530 

560 

577 

590 

605 

607 

637 

640 

655 

675 

692 

700

765

775

840

853

864

870

892

900

916

926

934

Feet. 

126 

146 

174 

209 

230 

.241 

264 

272 

294 

320 

339 

403 

440 

453 

4.84 

490 

536 

560- 

577 

590 

605 

607 

637 

64.0 

655 

675 

692 

700 

765

775'

840.

853

864

870

892

900

916

926

934

990
90 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212. 

Log of American Oil Company's well in sec. 101, etc. Continued.

No. Character of strata. Thickness. From To 

Feet.

51 Hard sand _..-.'._-.

52 Bark and logs .. _.. _

53 Bine clay ...........

54 Sand............. ..

55 Red clay .__.-._._.....

56 Sand, clay, and bark.

57 Blue clay ...........

58 Sand.....:....... ..

59 Blue clay ...........

60 Sand................

61 Sand and gravel.....

62 Blue clay ...........

63 .....do ..............

64 Sand..-.-.-..-...-..

65 Sand and fine gravel.

66 Sand................

67 Sand and shells......

68 Blue clay............

69 Soft limestone....

70' Yellow clay ..... ...

71 Sand................

72 Red clay ............

73 Sand and shells......

74 Blue clay......:.....

75 Sand.................

76 Blue clay............

77 .....do ..............

78 .....do ------........

79 .....do ---..-.. ....

80 Sand-.-.....:.......

81 Blue clay............

82 Sand...,.,,,........

4

16

11

25

9

15

12

23

27

21

11

35

4

30

16

55

12

7

2

4

30

12

5

41

87

10

25

19

23

6

12

10

Feet. 

990 

994 

1,010 

1,021 

1,046 

1,055 

1,070 

1,082 

1,105 

1,132 

1,153 

1,164 

1,199 

1,203 

1,233 

1,249 

1,304 

1,316 

1,323 

1,325 

1,339 

1,359 

1,371 

1,376 

1,417 

1,454 

1,464 

1,489 

1,508 

1,531 

1,537 

1,549

Feet.

994 

1,010 

1,021 

1,046 

1,055 

1,070 

1,082 

1,105 

1,132 

1,153 

1,164 

1,199 

1,203 

1,233 

1,249 

1,304 

1,316 

1,323 

1,325 

1,329 

1,359 

1,371 

1,376 

1,417 

1,454 

1,464 

1,489 

1,508 

1,531 

1,537 

1,549 

1,559

This well has been abandoned as dry.
TTAYT5S AND"] 

. KENNEDY. J REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP. 91

Another well in the same vicinity was drilled to a depth of 770 feet 

and abandoned.

In the southwest corner of the Bullock league a well drilled for 

the Almaden Oil Company to a depth of 1,400 feet gives the following 

section:

Log of Almaden ^oell in southivest corner of Bullock league, Jefferson

County, Tex.

[Elevation, 2T> feet.]

1

?,

a

4

5

«

7

8

9

10

11

1?,

18

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

?1

Character of strata.

Surface clay. ................................

Orange sand. ................................

Blue clay ---.--.-----...........................

Dark-gray sand. . ....... ___.____ __.._..._-

Blue clay.. ...................................

Clay and bark ...............................

Heavy dark-blue clay . . . ....................

Fine sand with wood .................... i ...

Clay ........................................

Fine gray sand .-...........................:

Clay ........................................

Sand with slight showing of oil .-........--..

Sandy clay ..................................

Fine gray sand ..............................

Sandy clay with broken shells ...........'....

Fine dark sand .---.---.......--....-..--.... ^

Fine gray sand ....^. ........................

Clay...... ............... ..... .............

Sand .........................................

Thickness.

Feet. 

10

65

100

25.

100

53

47

152

5

48

18

20

82

140

130

75

05

20

15

90

140

Prom 

Feet. 

0

10

75

175.

200

300

353

400

552

557

G05

623

643

725

865

995

1,070

1, 135

1,155

1,170

1,260

ToFeet. 

10

75

175

200

300

353

400

552

557

605

623

643

725

865

995

1,070

1,135

1,155

 1,170

1,260

' 1,400

This well has been abandoned as dry.

South of the Texas and New Orleans Railway (Southern Pacific), 

in sec. 11, International and Great Northern Railroad lands, the Gulf 

Coast Oil and Land Company has drilled a well about 1,500 feet in 

depth, which gives the following section.
OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

 Log of Gulf Coast Oil and Land Company well in sec. 11, International and 

Great Northern Railroad Company lands, Jefferson County, Tex.

[Elevation, 25 feet.]

1

2

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1?,

18

14

15

16

17

18

19

20 

21

22 

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31 

33

33

34

35

36

37

Character of strata.

Red clay ..L. ................................

Quicksand ............ ...._....

Alternate strata of sand and clay. ..._-.-. ...

Hard bine clay .................. .... i .....

Sand and clay ...............................

Shale .......................................

Bine clay .....----...---..................--.

Hardpan, traces of oil .......................

Sand and shale ..._.-.--......................

Sand rock ..................................

Red marl shale .-.---. ............. ..._--.

Sand rock ......................... ..........

Sand and shale ................. ............

Bhie clay with cypress logs ..................

Rock in thin layers with gravel ..............

Limestone and sandstone with traces of sulphur ......^ ...... .:...!.. ................

Hard blue clay ............. ---.....-.......

Rock in thin layers with sand and clay ......

Shells and gravel ............................

Blue clay with small lumps of limestone 

Hard blue clay and shell _.;.......-...

Blue and red clay mixed with shells and gravel . 

Thin rock, blue and red clay in layers ........

Shells and clay ..,._-------........-..........

Clay and shells .....--..---...--.....----....

Yellow sand. .....'...--.-....... ---------- -

Sharp, coarse sand . . . . ......................

Hard blue clay with limestone in hard lumps . 

Soft bine clay ...............................

Thin rock and gravel .-..--........-.---......

Sharp sand ....-....---............----...-.

Hard bine clay ..............................

Gravel and limestone ...---..-.....-.......--

Thickness.

Feet. 

20

30

70

50

1.10

30

50

40

40

1

30

1

68

40

120

80

50

70

10

80 

10

60 

70

60

10

50

30

20

40

20

50

20

20

20

10

20

16

From 0

Feet. 

0

20

50

120

.170

280

310

360

400

440

441

471

472

540

580

700

780

830

900

910 

990

1,000 

1,060

.1,130

1,190

1,200

1,250

1,280

1,300

1,340

1,360 

1,410

1,430

1,450

1,470

1,480

1,500

ToFeet. 

20

50

120

170

280

310

360

400

440

441

471

472

540

580

700

780

830

900

910

990 

1,000

1,060 

1,130

1,190

1,200

1,250

1,280

1,300

1,340

' 1,360

1,410 

1,430

1,450

1,470

1,480

1,500

1,516

This well was abandoned as dry.
IIAYES AND 

KENNEDYD] EEGION SUEEOUNDING SPINDLETOP. 93

On the Caswell tract in the immediate vicinity of Beaumont a well 

drilled to a depth of 1,518 feet gave the following:

Log of "Casivell well" on Caswell tract, Beaumont, Tex. 

[Elevation, 30 feet.]

1

9,

8

4

fi

fi

7

8

9

10

11

13

13

14

15

1P,

17

18

19

20

91

9,9,

oo

94

95

2fi

97

28

Character of strata.

Clay ........................................

White sand ..................................

Blue clay ...................................

Sand.........................................

Clay......... ..............................

Clay........................................

Rock showing oil. ............................

White qtiicksand with black specks .... .....

Blue clay ......................... : ..........

Sand .-........--.-..-..-..-.-...............

Sand, salt water at 930 feet .'..................

Sand .....-.--.. .-----.--.-..---.-.--.-.....

Three beds of limestone with 1 foot of oil and 

asphalt (?)........................-.-.----

Clay ....-.-.-,---.-----.----.---.-----------

Sand.........................................

Clay .- - . -- .

Thin bed of sandstone ...... ....^. ...........

Clay .............-..---..........-.-.--...-.

Hard red clay drying to light pink ...........

Thickness.

Feet. 

. 45

65

215

165

1851

i

5

1

128

20

40

20

60

20 ' 30

50

134

13

6

37

3

'32

. ' 7

104

2

1

' 17

112

From 

Feel. 

0

45

110

325

490

675*

676

681

. 682

810

830

870

890

950

970

1,000

1,050

1,184

1,197

1,203

1,240

1,243

1,275

1,282

1,386

1,388

1,389

1,406

To 

Feet. 

45

' 110

325

490

6754

676

681

682

810

830

870

890

950

970

1,000

1,050 .

1,184

1, 197

1,203

1 240

1,243

1,275

1,282

1,386

1,388

1,389

1,406

1,-518

This well was abaudoned on account of caving when setting the 

casing.

South of the above the Bayou City well was drilled on the eastern 

end of the Iowa Colony lands and east of the Beaumont and Port 

Arthur public road. This well has a depth of 2,009 feet. No traces 

whatever of oil have been recorded from the Bayou City well.
94 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 313.

Log of Bayou City loell, eastern side of loiva Colony lands, Jefferson County, Tex.

[Elevation, 25 feet.]

1

9,

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1?,

18

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

0R

26

27

28

29

80

81

8?,

83

34

85

36

87

88

89

40

Character of strata.

Red clay -----....--.-._...___-_._.---.------

Bed sand...... _..._______..___________.___....

Blue clay. - -___..-.-.-__.._..__._._.._...-.--

Sand........................... ............

Clay.......................................

Red sand..... .......... ... .

Blue clay .... ......

Sand........................... ............

Blue clay with hard shaly streaks. ............

Blue sand. ......................

White sand . . .......

Blue clay .,..-_ ...... ...

Greasy blue clay (called soapstone) ..

Hard sand .......

Blue clay same as No. 13 .......

Gray indurated sand

Blue clay .............

White sandstone ....

Indurated sand . 1 ......

Tough red clay.... ..-, .

Indurated sand. ...

Broken shells . . . . ...

Blue clay ............

Sand and clay mixed

Fine white sand. ... ...

Blue clay. ............ ...

Blue sand and small gravel

Shale....----..............-.,.

Brown oily clay ....................

Quicksand ...........

Coarse crystalline sand ......

Blue clay............ . ....

Clay and sand ........ . _

Gravel -.-... ......

White sand.... ....... ......

Blue clay ......._....... ... .

Rock ..........................

Sand with salt water ........................

Blue clay. . ........--. ...-....-.-------.....

White sand. . .....-.-........-..-.----......

Thickness.

Feet. 

18

23

17

20

13

2

8

1

128

15

11

11

39

15

9

16

10

10

5

4

17

1

27

13

25

66

55

31

1

4

24

41

55

35

188

409

924

51

180

From 

Feet. 

0

18

41

58

78

91

93

101

102

230

245

256

267

306

321

330

346

356

366

371

375

392

qnq

420

433

458

524

579

610

611

615

639

680

735

770

958

1,367

1,367^

1,460

1.511

To- ''

Feet. 

18

41

58

78

01

no

101

102

230

245

256

267

306

321

330

346

qKf'

366

371

q7rc

392

OQQ

420

400

458

KO/l

WQ

610

«IK;

639

680

 70 K

770

958

1,367

1, 367,

1,460

1,511

1.691
HAYES AND 

KENNEDYD ] EEGION SURBOUNDIFG SPINDLETOP. 95

Log of Bayou City well, eastern aide of Joioa colony lands, etc. Continued.

41

49.

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

5?-

53

54

55

Character of strata.

Bed clay. . ..-.....--.....-.-......---......--

Very fine white sand. . .......................

White clay and blue sand .....-..-----..-.-..

Sand with broken shells. . ..........-:........

Compact white sand. ...-......------...-.....

Sand and clay . . .............................

Coarse white sand with shells and wood, 

Mulinea balanus sp. , and fish bones ........

Fine gravel and shells and wood, shells same 

as No. 49-.....-..-.. -..--...-...-...----..-

Red clay .............-.......-...--.--..-..-

Blue clay with pockets of soft white sand ....

Thickness.

Feet. 

40

26

9

14

3

28

14

27

18

30

10

7

18

16

58

From 

Feet. 

1,691

1, 731

1,757

1,766

1,780

1,783

1,811

1,825

1,852

1,870

1, 900

1,910

1,917

1,935

1,951

ToFeet. 

1,731

1,757

1,766

1,780

1,783

1,811

1,825

1,852

1,870

1,900

1,910

1,917

1,935

1,951

2,009

Northwest of Spindletop the character of the beds underlying this 

portion of the field is well shown in the records of the Harby well on 

the Chaison tract, close to the Texas and New Orleans Railway line. 

This well has been drilled to a depth of 1,840 feet and the drill is still 

at work (June, 1902).

Log of Harby well, Jeff Chaison tract, Jefferson County, Tex. 

[Elevation, 20 feet.]

1

a

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Character of strata/

Clay........................................

Sand -.---......--........_.... ............ .

ciay'.....................:.;.................

Sand with shells and wood ...................

Clay ........................................

Clean white sand ........;..... ..... .

Clay .........................................

Sand .----___...--....__.__-__..._.---..__._.

Shale........................................

Blue clay.. ...................... .. ...... .

Rock.......... ......

Blue clay .,,,,.. _ ...........................

Thickness.

Feet. 

34

4

7

5

20

5

25

'68

14

46

2

26

From 

Feet. 

0

34

38

45

50

70

75

100

168

182

228

230

To 

Feet. 

34

38

45

50

70

75

100

168

182

228

230

256
96 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL 212. 

Log of Harley loell, Jeff Chaison tract, Jefferson County, Tex. Continued.

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

9,2

9,3

24

9,5

26

27

9,8

30 

31

32 

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

Character of strata.

Rock ........................................

Soft blue clay with log at 290 feet; yellow 

streaks and some shells .......-.---........

Yellow clay with log at 340 feet. .............

Sand ........................................

Blue clay. . ... ..^. ..........................

Hard rock. ..................................

Soft blue clay ......

Sand........................................

Blue clay . . ..................................

Sand........................................

Yellow clay .................................

Lignite .....................................

Sand ........................................

Clay .............. ......... . ..

Hard rock ............................

Soft blue clay ........... ................

Shale rock .................. .

Blue clay and shale, very hard in streaks. .... 

Fine white sand .............._. ......

Hard blue shale with thin layers of sand

Shale mixed with coarse sand; sand sharp 

with black and yellow specks .-..-...

White sand; upper 30 feet hard in streak, 

last 30 feet showing black specks. .

Blue clay ............................... .

Coarse sand ...........................

Blue clay with some shale ...................

Sand. . -....-----....-....... ......

Blue shale with shells . .-....-..--.....---..

Sand with indications of oil. .................

Blue shale. ................: .

Hard white rock. ........... .........

Soft blue clay and shells ....................

Sand ....................... . . ....

Soft blue clay, with yellowish sand and lignite and shells, indications of oil at 1,065-

1,071 ......-:-.............................

9

Rock. . ....... ^ ........ J ....................

Fine white sand ............ .....

Blue clay . . . ^ . ............................

Fine white sand .............................

Thickness.

. Feet. 

4

30

50

65

77

1

9

16

42

5

15

1

4

29

8

12

24

50 

18

19 

29

110

2

10

56

8

10

4

3

i

35f

10

199

i

SI46

3

From 

Feet. 

256

260

290

340

405

482

.483

492

508

550

555

570

571

575

604

612

624

648 

698

716 

735

764

874

876

886

942

950

960

964

967

967i

1,003

1,013

1,212

1,2124-

1,218

1,264

ToFeet. 

260

290

340

405

482

483

492

508

550

555

570

571

KVK

604

612

624

648

698 

716

735 

764

874

876

886

942

950

960

964

967

QR74-

1,003

1,013

1,212

1,2124

1,218

1,264

1.267
HAYB8 AND 

KENNEDYD ] REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP. 97 

Log of Harley well, Jeff Chaison tract, Jefferson County, Tex. Continued.

50

51

53

58

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61 

62

63

64 

65

66 

67

68

69

70

Character of strata.

Fine gray sand ...--..__-.-__...___...._______

Red and blue clay .................... ......

Fine white sand ............i. ................

Blue, red,- and brownish clay ................

Blue and red hard clay, with streaks of rock 

from a few inches to 2 feet, mostly limestones. Strong indications of oil between 

1 ,450 and 1 ,460 .............................

Blue clay with streaks of limestone from 2 

inches to 2 feet ............................

Red, blue, and brown clay with limestone 

rock; mostly rock ...........................

Light-blue clay ........................ .....

Limestones in thin layers with a few inches 

of mud between ............................

Fine white sand with blue clay and limestone.

Blue clay mixed with some limestone and 

sandstone ...................... ..........

Sandstone with thin deposits of clay .........

Blue clay with streaks of limestone arid pyrites .

Sandstone with small quartz crystals and 

black specks and indications of oil at 1,735..

Fine white sand with indications of oil at 1,761 . 

Blue and red clay and shale and mud ........

Limestone with some very dark-red and blue 

clay . . ... ..................................

Limestone. . ..................................

Limestone and clay .............

Thickness.

Feet. 

13

37

40

23

10

4

205'

15

9

2

24

12

8

31

5

38 

20 

31

41

2

3

From 

.Feat. 

1,267

1,280

1,817

1,357

1,380

1,390

1,394

1,599

1,614

1,623

1,625

1,649 

1,661

1,669

1,700

1,705 

1,743 

1,763

1,794

1,835

1,837

To 

Feet. 

1,280

1,317

1,357

1,380

1,390

1,394

1,599

1,614

1,623

1,625

1,649

1,661 

1,669

1,700

1,705

1,743 

1,763

1,794

1,835

1,837

1,840

In this well small seeps or pockets of petroleum were found at 

several depths between 805 and 1,761. Fairly strong indications of 

oil appeared between 1,450 and 1,460, and again between 1,743 and 

1,761. Salt water having a strong flow also appeared at 1,830 feet, 

and small flows of gas were found.

The Slaughter-Masterson well located on Lot 2 of the Veatch survey 

is one of the deepest wells in the field, having reached a depth of 

2,250 feet. From its location as well as depth it is one of the most 

important holes drilled in this section. The 'following log has been 

supplied by Mr. Andrews, manager of the company. Owing to the 

death of the driller who was in charge at the beginning, the log of 

the first 360 feet can not be given.

Bull. 212 03 7
98 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN [BULL. 212.

The well is about midway between the Harby well and the Jones 

Development Company's producing well on lot 44 of Gladys City, and 

the producing well of the Denver-Beaumont Company on lot No. 5 of 

Spindletop Heights. The Denver well flows at 1,108 feet. Comparison 

and correlation of these well records should afford a fair knowledge 

of the structure of that portion of the plain lying to the northwest of 

the producing field at Spindletop.

Log of Slaughter-Masterson ivell on lot % of Veatch survey. 

[Elevation, 25 feet.]

1

9,

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

19,

18

14

15

16

17

18

19

9,0

9,1

9,9,

9,3

94

25

9,6

9,7

9,8

99

SO

31

32

Character of strata.

Tough blue clay _ .............................

Alternate layers of gray clay and sandstone . .

Shelly rock ______. ...____.-_--_ ...... .........

Bowlders .-......--. ..........-.---.-.--...

Gray clay and sand .'........ -------- _......

Limestone ............^......^............^

Gray clay with sandstone. ...... .--..-----..

Hard sand; show of oil ................. ......

Gray clay ..................... ..........^...

Gray sand with show of oil and gas ..........

Coarse pebbly sand with sandstone and some 

gas -___._.__.__._... __..__...._._......___

Hard sandstone -.-----.......-.-----..-.....

Soft gray clay ...... ........................

Hard gray sandstone with marl ......

Gumbo (blue clay) ..........................

Soft gray sand . . . . ........... ... .

Soft blue clay showing oil -----------

White sand showing gas. ...--..--........

Blue clay with shells . -..-.....

Hard gray sandstone _. _._.___.__.____ . . .

Soft fine sand ............................. _

Shells........... ... _: ...

Clay with shells -_..--_.. ..,.-..-.. _.._-._. .

Shells with a little limestone ..................

Hard gray sand .............................

Blue clay with hard streaks and shells .-.---.

Hard sand ....................-.--.--..---'.-

Thickness.

Feet. 

360

40

20 

131

47

5

2

32

33

1

27

3

30

59

11

45

2

16

9

14

13

22

8

11

12

41

7

19

28

13

108

4

From 

Feet. 

0

360

400 

420

551

598

603

605

637

' 670

671

698

701

731

790

801

846

848

864

873

887

900

922

930

941

' 953

994

1,001

1,020

1,048

1,061

1,169

To 

Feet. 

360

400

420 

551

598

603

605

637

670

671

698

701

731

790

801

846

848

864

873

887

900

922

930

941

953

994

1,001

1,020

1,048

1,061

1,169

1,173
HAYBS AND") 

KENNEDY. J EEGION SUBKOUNDING SPINDLETOP. 99

Log of Slcmghter-Masterson ivell on lot 2 of Veatch survey Continued.

Character of strata. Thickness. From To 

Met.

Soft gray clay.-.-.....:..........-..........

Hard blue clay --------.-...._._.--..__..___.

Limestone with tliiii layers of clay...........

Clay:.......................................

Thin layers of limestone with some gas, hard 

in lower division ..........................

Gray sand showing oil and gas. ..............

Hard limestone __.._._,_._._._____._.._.____.

Hard clay............ ......................

Hard blue limestone.........................

Pebbly concrete.-----.--....................

Soft white lime with iron pellets.............

Coarse gray sand -.-.-.--........-..---......

Limestones interstratified with blue and red 

clays and sand with pyrites................

Conglomerate...............................

Clay with thin layers of limestone ...........

Very hard bed of limestone ____._.._......_..

Yellow sand...--.----...--.---..-...-.......

Soft limestone................................

Clay with wood and iron pyrites.............

Soft reddish clay ....'........................

Blue limestone with sand and pebbles........

Soft red clay.................................

White sandstone ............................

Limestone with pink pebbles --.--...........

Coarse gray sandstone with some lime in 

lower division.............................

Gray clay.....-.....-.-......-...-.--.......

Sandstone with liine.....-........--......_...

Tough red clay.. ..............................

Gray and pink limestone ....................

Blue clay and red clay.........:.............

Sandstone. ....-..-.-...... ---.--......--..-..

White limestone with iron pyrites ............

Limestone .........^........................

7

14' 

29

47

58

57

2

10

10

17

30

.1.5

21

.55

11

8

69

24

27

14

5

20

11

20

35

Feat. 

1,173 

1,180 

.1,194 

1,223

- 1,270 

1,328 

1,385 

1,387 

1,397 

1,398. 

1,400 

1,412

1,4.1.7

 1,552 

1,570 

1,600 

1,608 

1,6.1.8 

1,685 

1,665. 

1,680 

1,701 

1,756 

1,767

1,775

.1,844

1,868

1,895

1,909

1,914

1,934

1,945

1,997

Feet.- 

.1,180

1,194

 1,223

1,270

1,328

1,385

1,387

1,397

.1,398

1,400

1,412

1,417

1,552

1,570

1,600

1,608

1,618

1,635

1,665

1,680

 1,701 

1,756 

1,767 

1,775

1,844

1,868

1,895

1,909

1,914

1,934

1,945

1,997

2,032

Iii the same belt, along the northern side of tlie hill, are the. Treadway and Allyne wells, which have been drilled to depths exceeding 

1, 800 and 2,000 feet. In the Treadway the general series of sands, 

clays, and sandstones occurs, with occasional seeps of oil and proba-
100 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

bly gas, although none of the latter has been reported. A condensed 

log of the Tread way shows the following section:

Log of Treadivay loell, on lot 36, Gladys'City. 

[Elevation, 25 feet.]

1

2

3

4

5 

6

7

 8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 

17

18

Character of strata.

Blue and yellow clay and sand .....

Sand rock and shells .

Blue clay with shells and occasional thin 

layers of sandstone ................ .

Sandstone ......

Blue clay with indications of oil at 413 feet... 

-Coarse gray sand with gravel in last 18 feet . . 

Blue sand and shells .

Gray sandstone .....

Blue clay ....

Bkie sand .........

Sandstones, gray, with brown gravel .

Sand .........

Blue shale and clay . .

Soft white rock .....

Gray quicksand .................

Brown sandstone with gray and white sand 

Blue clay ...............

Strata of limestones, sands, and clays ........

Thickness.

Feet. 

269

22

102

14

25 

40 

21

22

10

64

30

 21

42

21

151

70

300

From 

Feat. 

0

269

291

393

407 

432

472

AQQ

f;i P;

FIOR;

589

fi1Q

640

682

703

854 

924

1,500

ToFeet.

269

9Q1

393

407

432

472 

4Q3

K-t K

KOK

KQQ

fi10

640

682

7AO

854

924

1,800

This well has been abandoned as dry at 2,250 feet.

The log of the Allyne shows a somewhat similar series of beds. 

However, in this well much more gravel appears to have been encountered than in any other well in this district the record of which is 

available.

Log of Allyne ivell, on lot %S, loiva Colony, Jefferson County, Tax. 

[Elevation, 22 feet.]

1

2

3 

4

Character of strata.

Clear fine gravel or coarse sand with strata of 

limestone ...............---- -------------

Very fine quicksand with artesian water. .... 

Wanting .........................

Thickness.

Feet.

800

50

32

118

From 

Feet. 

0

800

850

882

To^

Feet.

800

850

m

1.000
BEGIOtf SUKBOtJNDING SPINDLETOP. 101

Log of Allyne ivell, on lot 28, loiva Colony, Jefferson County, Tex. Continued.

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Character of strata.

Sand, sandstone with gravel and shells; salt 

water at 1 ,050 ........--....-.....-....-.--

Blue clay with occasional beds of gravel and 

sand ................... -_----_--.-_...----

Pinkish-colored limestone with clays interThin limestone beds with gravel, sand, and

Sand........................................

Blue, red, and chocolate-colored clay with 

thin streaks of rock. .'......................

Thickness.

 Feet.

75

470

180

30

145

55

60

From 

Feat. 

1,000

1,075

1,545

1,725

1,755

1,900

1,955

To 

Feet. 

1,075

1,545

1,725

1,755

1,900

1,955

' 2,015

' This well has been abandoned as dry.

On the eastern side of the field and in a position that might lie 

directly in the eastern extension of the Spindletop field is the United 

States well. This well has been drilled to a deptli of 2,075 feet and 

abandoned as dry. Oil seeps of considerable size occurred at various 

levels.

Log of United States well east of Spindletop, on Bullock league. 

[Elevation, 24 feet.]

1

2

8

4

5

6

7 

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

. Character of strata.

Clay and sand .............. ................

Sandstone ........... ____________ ..... ..-.

Clay -.....__.-.-.........____......._..._

Sandstone -....---.........

Hard blue clay ....................... ......

Rock with thin stratum of sand .

Sand with slight traces of oil at 500 feet.... ... 

Hard rock ...................

Record wanting ...........

Blue clay ..................

Sand and gravel with gas at 724.

Blue clay ...............

Blue sand with traces of oil at 860.

Blue clay with traces of oil ......... .

Sand .................... _ .... .

Blue clay with loose rock and traces of oil . . . .

Thickness.

Feet. 

180

66

4

10

114

107

49 

30

50

70

161

9

30

20

21

116

From 

Feet. 

0

180

246

250

260

' 374

 481 

530

560

610

680

841

850

880

900'

921

To 

Feet.

180

246

250

260

374

481

530 

560

'610

680

841

850

880

900

Q91

1,037
102 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BUM,.212. 

Log of United States well east of Spindletop, on Bullock, league Continued.

17 

18

19

90

91

9,9

OQ

94

25

96

97

98

29

80

31

89

83

34

35

Character of strata.

Gray sand with, indications of oil at 1,155 feetBine clay .... -_-_--__--_-__--.---_-_---_----

Sand with shells. .......... ...:..............

Hard rock ....... _'___ ..,.:.... ........ ......

Sand with shells. ..__-.--. ..................

Blue and red clays ..........................

Soft sand with indications of oil ........-.--

Sandstone and sand with oil in sand ..-.._-...

Red and blue clay with slight indications of 

oil -------.-------_.----------------.------

Soft mud _______.._____-____ -_-_----_-.----.

Sand ... ........................-.,-._.---.

Sand............................ ...........

Thickness.

Feet. 

199 

4

108

4

23

35

90

30

53

107

30

80

15

20

65

50

50

50

25

From 

Feet. 

1,037 

1,236

1,240

1,348

1,352

1,375

1,410

1,500

1,530

1,583

1,690

1,720

1,800

1, 815

.1,835

1,900

1,950

2,000

2,050

ToFeet. 

1,236 

1,240

1,348

1,352

1,375

1,410

1,500

1,530

1,583

1,690

- 1,720

1,800

1,815

1,835

1,900

1,950

2,000

2,050

.2, 075

West and south of Spindletop wells have been drilled to depths 

ranging from 1,200 to 2,400 feet. None of these records are available, 

but in general the deposits drilled through were similar in character 

to those found in the wells along the north and northwestern edges of 

this lower field. All these wells have been abandoned, with the exception of the Federal Crude. This latter well, which in June, 1902, 

reached a depth of 2,350 feet, passed through considerable quantities 

of gas between 2,000 and 2,100 feet. Between 2,20.0 and 2,350 the 

drill was in gray sandstone, with shells and pyrites, with considerable 

gas. These clays and sandstones may possibly be an extension of the 

clays and sandstones found at Rockland and westward along the 

Neches River to Corrigan, in Polk County, and form the floor on which 

the beds grouped as the Coastal Plain formations were laid down.

This well is the most important one drilling on the western side of 

the field. It is located in an almost direct line along the course of 

the Spindletop anticline and may be expected to decide the question 

as to the conditions under which the oil-bearing rocks occur in their 

westward extension.
IfAYES AND 

KENNEDY. REGION SURROUNDING SPINDLETOP. 103

LIST OF WELLS.

Dry and abandoned ivells in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 

[May 31,1903.]

No. 

on 

map.

1

9,

8

4

5

ft

7

8

9

10

11

1ft

18

14

15

10

17

18

19

30

81

82

SB

94

95

96

97

9,8

9.9

80

81

89

88

84

85

86

87

Name.

Harby .^.... ......:.........

Swartz .................. .^..

Alniaden ---.___._._-_--.---..

El Beaumont ......_---.---..

Temple-Beaumont ...........

Texas Western .......... ...

Texas and Pacific .........

Garrick .....................

Kiser-Kelly .................

Treadway ........'...........

West Texas .................

Warren ............... .

Chicago Crude ...............

Slaughter-Masterson ........

Beaumont and Los Angeles . .

Beaumont and El Paso ......

Beaumont and Pacific Slope .

Grace . .............. ........

Bryan Heard ................

Buffalo .....................

Federal Crude. ..............

Trenton Rock ..............

Southern Pacific -..-.-.......

Neches ......................

Spangler ....................

Roby .......................

Big Jumbo ..................

Stribling ....................

Gober No. i. ................

Location.

Jas. Chaison tract .................

J. D. Polk, Bullock league ..........

Henry Lewis, Bullock league, ......

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

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

Block 15, Bullock league ...........

Block 28, Bullock league ...........

Iowa Colony. ..i-_ ..................

Block 15, Veatch league ............

Block 6, Veatch league -..-.-...-...

Block 36, Veatch league ............

Block 31, Bullock league ...... .....

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

Block 21 , Veatch league ............

Block 2, Veatch league .............

Block 21 , Veatch league ............

Block 113, Veatch league. ..........

Block 111 , Veatch league ............

Block 132, Veatch league. ..........

James Ho we tract ..-.-..-- -.......

J. Douthet survey .................

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

.....do ..I..-..------..--.-.--.---.

Railroad right of way --...-.......

Block 9, Spindletop ................

Block 10, Spindletop ...............

Block 8, Spindletop ................

Block 7, Spindletop ................

Block 4.4, Spindletop ...............

Block 42. SmndletoD ..-...--.......

Depth.

Faet. 

800

1,518

1,460

1,900

2,300

1,400

1,600

'l,200

1,500

1,200

2,000

2,015

1,518

1,200

1,135

1,860

2, 41.4

1,527

1,200

2-, 160

2,250

1,200

1,280

1,400

2,400

1,500

1,200

1,500

1,185

2,000

1,510

:l . 840
104 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.312. 

Dry and abandoned ivells in region surrounding Spindletop pool Continued.

No. 

on 

map.

88

89

40

41

49

48

44

45

4fi

47 -'48

40

50

51

52

Name.

United States ____________ ._ _ _

Hebert. ..__.____.._. __.__...

McFaddin Oil and Gas ______

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

Island. _______________________

McCluer No. 1 .---..___-___-

McCluer No. 2 ..............

Madeline _ _ _ _ . _.__..____._._

»Gravier ._--.._.___ ________

Walker ......................

Decker __________ _ _ _ _ ______

Central

Location.

Block 31, W. Carrol league. .-_.._..

Smith Island ......._.__.__._______

Humphrey's league .... ___..___-__.

do

Block 103, Gladys. ........... ......

Stephenson league, Orange County _

D. Easley.. _-__-.-.-.. ._-.__-_-_.__

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

South half Stephenson league, Orange County. 

3 miles south of Lucas ._._.-...-.-_

Depth.

Feet. 

2,100

2,000

1,500

1,500

1,500

1,170

1,878

2,160

1,500

1,500

1,200

2,315

PORT ARTHUR-SABINE PASS DISTRICT.

This district includes an ill-defined region on the Gulf coast around 

and "between the two towns named and extending some distance into 

the Gulf. Although several test wells have been put down to moderate depths, no producing territory has yet been developed, and the 

chief promise in the district is afforded by the so-called "oil ponds" 

in the Gulf and the undoubted presence of oil in the mud at the 

mouth of the Sabine River.

OIL PONDS.

Situated a short distance offshore and within 3 miles west of the 

mouth of the Sabine are two small oval areas less than a mile in 

longer diameter, in which the water is always relatively smooth. The 

approximate size and location of these areas are shown on the accompanying map, fig. 4. This peculiarity of the water in these areas, 

but particularly the westernmost of the two, has been known to local 

pilots, fishermen, and others for many years. It is stated on reliable 

authority that no matter how hsavy the sea may be on surrounding 

portions of the Gulf, within these restricted areas it never breaks, and

this fact is constantly taken advantage of by coasting vessels, which 

find here a safe anchorage during storms. The commonly accepted 

explanation of this peculiarity, among sailors and others, is that oil
HA YES AND"! 

KENNEDY. J

POET AKTHUK-SABINE PASS DISTEICT. 105

coming from submarine springs spreads over the surface of the water 

for a short distance around the vents, and thus prevents the waves 

breaking. So widespread is this view that accounts of these "oil 

ponds" are common in the literature relating to the use of oil on the 

water during storms at sea. It does not appear, however, that any 

oil film has ever been observed on the surface of these portions of the 

Gulf, and the commonly accepted explanation merely rests on an 

inference from the observed effect of oil artificially applied.

Dr. W. B. Phillips n accepts the facts above stated, but offers another 

explanation, namely, that the quiet water is due not to oil, but to the 

presence upon the Gulf bottom of very fine mud containing a large 

amount of decayed organic matter which is stirred up by the waves

FIG. 4. Map of Sabine Pass, showing location of so-called oil ponds.

and produces the same effect as oil spread upon the surface. Quoting 

Dr. Phillips's words:

The true explanation of the so-called oil pond appears to be as follows: The bottom of the sea there is composed, for the most part, of a thick black mud in which 

are embedded various animal and vegetable remains. Under the incipient decomposition that is nearly always in progress in such material, siibstances of a more 

or less oily nature are formed. The absorption or segregation of oil by means of 

certain diatoms may also have contributed to the presence of oily substances in 

the ooze. When this mass becomes stirred up by wave action and diffuses itself 

through the water, rising even to the surface, the roughness of the water is affected

"Texas petroleum: Bull. Univ. Texas No. 5, July, 1900.
106 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.218.

in a manner comparable with the action of oil. The soundings in the so-called oil 

pond, according to Chart No. 203 of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, 

vary from 4 to 16 feet, while outside of the shallow water the depth increases to 

20 and 25 feet, the 5-fathom curve lying about a mile to the south. The oil-pond 

area is then a sort of terrace, the bottom of which is soft black mud and ooze. 

At one place on the chart a rocky bottom is marked, but this lies outside the area 

known as "the pond" and is between the present pond and the site of the old 

pond; - Waves beating upon a terrace laid in material which from its very nature 

is more or less oily, or contains substances which would act in a manner comparable with that of oil, would seem to present the true explanation of the calmness 

of the area under discussion.

It may be said in objection to this explanation that these areas of 

calm water do not appear to be intimately connected with any peculiarity in the topography of the Gulf bottom, or with the character of 

the material of which it is formed, or with the special abundance or 

peculiarity in the forms of animal or vegetable organisms living there. 

On the contrary, precisely the same conditions in all these respects 

characterize the Gulf coast for many miles, and if they are sufficient 

to produce calm watar at one or two points they should produce the 

same effect along the entire coast. .An essential feature which must 

be accounted for by any satisfactory explanation is the extremely 

local character of the quiet spots and their persistence for many years, 

practically unchanged, although it appears that the location of the 

western area was permanently shifted some distance to the east during the great storm of 1878.

Whether or not these areas of calm water are due to the presence 

of oil must for the present, therefore, remain an open question; but, 

at any rate, some other explanation than that offered by Dr. Phillips 

must be found. Although the presence of oil in these so-called oil 

ponds has not been proved, there is no question of its occurrence in 

the immediate vicinity. At various points along the west jetty at the 

mouth of the Sabine River oil globules may be obtained by stirring 

the mud to a depth of 6 to 10 feet. This locality was examined by 

Dr. Phillips, and again by his assistants, and he expresses the conclusion in the report above quoted that the oil there found was derived 

from the Beaumont field; that it had been carried down the Neches 

River;- or Hildebrands Bayou, and had accumulated in the angle 

between the west jetty and the shore, becoming finally entangled with 

the mud. The possibility of this origin for the oil at the mouth of 

the Sabine was thoroughly examined by the writers, and it is not 

believed possible that it could have been derived from such a source.

Anyone familiar with the behavior of oiLupon the surface of water 

will appreciate the difficulties of the explanation given by Dr. Phillips. 

Oil tends to spread out in a thin film, in which condition it is subject 

to rapid evaporation, and is thus quickly dissipated. Moreover^ being 

lighter than water, and haying the tendency, owing to its surface ten-
POET ARTHUR-SABINE PASS DISTRICT. 107

sion, of spreading in a tliin film, it could scarcely sink to the bottom 

and become entangled in mnd to the depth at which it is now found. 

Again, the oil is found only along the west jetty, whereas, if it had 

floated down the river it should be found in equal or greater quantities along the east jetty, owing to the direction of the prevailing winds 

and currents. Finally, while the chief attention has been attracted 

to it since the discovery of the Beaumont field, it is reported on good 

authority that the oil was observed while the jetties were being, constructed, many years before it could possibly have been derived from 

Beaumont.

The conclusion appears inevitable, therefore, that the oil is either 

indigenous in the mud forming the Gulf bottom, or, if derived from 

any extraneous source, that this source is the underlying beds. It is 

of course possible that it has been formed in place, through chemical 

or organic agencies, chiefly by living diatoms, as suggested by Dr. 

Phillips in the report above quoted. While he does not state his conclusion explicitly, he apparently inclines to the view that while the 

oil actually found is derived from the Beaumont field, oil. of similar 

character may be secreted by the diatoms living in the mud. In order 

to determine this point numerous samples of mud were collected at 

various places in the vicinity, from the surface, at different depths 

of water, and from a considerable depth below the surface. These 

were submitted for chemical and microscopical, study to Dr. Harold 

J. Turner, of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Turner's results are 

here given in full:

EXAMINATION OF MUD FROM GULF OF MKXT.CO. 

By H. J. TITKNKH.

^"In the plasma" of certain species of diatoms numerous minute 

globules of oil are contained. They are distributed irregularly 

through the body. In the genera Navicula and Pleurosigma the 

globules are relatively large, and in Navicula most numerous. Under 

the microscope the globules of oil in the body of the diatom strike the 

eye at once by their great refraction of the light. The fatty nature 

of the globule is shown by its immediately turning dark upon staining with osmic acid, as was first pointed out by Schultze/' Diatoms 

are plants, and build up their organic structure under the influence 

of light from carbon dioxide and water. Starch and sugar are not 

formed, and it may well be that the oil is the first product of assimilation. Both Liiders 6' and Pfit/errt have observed that the fatty oil is

«E. Pfltzer, Ban und Entwicklung der Bacillariaceen, in J. Hansteiii's Botanisclie AbhandInng, 1871, p. 38.

''Schnltze, Beweguug der Diatomen, p. 374. 

"Ltidevs, Beobachtung, n. s. w., p. 42. 

dPfltzev, Hanstein's Botaniscbe Abhandhmg, p. 34.
108 OIL FIELDS O¥ TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN.

accumulated especially at the time when the cells are existing under 

unfavorable conditions, as when they are contained in a basin of 

water in a room. When the water in the basin is renewed, and consequently the oxygen also, the soil is largely reabsorbed in the plasma 

of the diatom.

"In a recent investigation Kraemer and Spilker" have suggested 

that in the oil of diatoms petroleum may have its origin. They worked 

upon some material to which the name 'Seeschilck' (sea slime, ooze) 

has been applied. The material occurs in Uckermark, a subdivision 

of Prussia, north of Berlin. It underlies a peat bog and reaches the 

depth of more than 40 feet. To the hand it has a somewhat fatty feel. 

The mass contains 90 per cent water, which dries out slowly in the 

air. The material is rich in nitrogen, containing more than 3 per 

cent; and it is used both for fertilizing purposes and for the extraction of ammonia on a large scale. Under the microscope the ooze is 

seen to consist principally of diatoms, such, for example, as species of 

Navicula, Melosira, and Pleurosigma. Upon extracting the dried 

mass with hot benzine and crystallizing the material obtained from 

alcohol, a crystalline product melting at 75° C. is obtained. The 

residue, insoluble in alcohol, closely resembles paraffin oil obtained 

from certain petroleums.

"By treating the ooze with 5 per cent hydrochloric acid (by which 

operation about one-half of the weight is lost as hydrocarbons, 

organic acids, etc.) and drying the insoluble portion, there was 

obtained on the average 3.6 per cent of diatom wax which could 

hardly be distinguished from ozocerite. It had a black color, a fatty 

luster, an asphalt fracture, melted between 50° and 70° C., and contained 0.97 percent sulphur. Upon combustion it yielded 73.5 per 

cent carbon, 11.2 percent hydrogen, and some oxygen. By investigating various specimens of ozocerite Kraemer and Spilker found that 

the diatom wax had closely similar properties and they argue a common origin of the two. They suggest that the diatom is an agency in 

the formation of petroleum. The minute oil globules contained in 

the plasma of the diatom may be the origin of some petroleum.

"The region where is found the mud yielding the oil is on the margin of the Gulf of Mexico near Sabine Pass, immediately west of the 

west jetty and about 3,200 feet from its landward end, at the point 

marked 'F' on the accompanying map. The mud is thick and black. 

It appears to be composed of thoroughly macerated organic matter 

mixed with grains of silica. The shells form only a very small part 

of the whole. By stirring the mud to a depth of 3 to 4 feet abundant 

globules of oil, 1 to 4 mm. in diameter, rise to the surface and there 

break. It appears that the number of globules increases as the depth 

of the mud which is stirred becomes greater. The strata of mud

«Ber. Deutsch. chein. Gesell., vol. 32,1899, p. 2940.
POET AETHUE-SABINE PASS DISTEICT. 109

upon which rests the mat upon which the jetty is constructed yield 

the most oil. The oil is not equally distributed, but is more abundant at some points than at others, being most abundant at the edge 

of the mat. It is reported that the workmen observed oil in the mud 

at the time the jetty was constructed.

'' A sample of 2 cc. of this oil was collected under great difficulties, 

as the globules break on reaching the surface of the water. From 

it the oil was extracted with ether. Upon evaporation of the ether a 

thick black oil was obtained, possessing not a.disagreeable odor, and 

much thicker than crude Beaumont oil. An attempt was made to 

compare it wjth Beaumont oil by violently shaking a sample of the 

latter with mud and sea water at intervals for three days, distilling 

with steam for two hours, and extracting with ether. The residual 

oil still possessed its characteristic odor, though not so marked, and 

it was not as thick as the oil collected from the mud. It did not seem 

possible to identify other oil from the mud with the Beaumont oil.

"The various samples of mud were carefully examined for oil. 

Each sample was repeatedly extracted with redistilled ether. The 

extracts, after evaporation of the ether, yielded a very thin film of a 

greenish-yellow residue containing sulphur. A blank determination 

showed that the method was capable of extracting a globule of oil about 

3 mm. in diameter after it had been thoroughly worked into the mud. 

Two samples, Nos. 109 and 114, yielded trace of oil. The other samples were free of oil. The presence of sulphur is not unusual in darkcolored muds, arising as it does from the decomposition of organic 

material.

"The salt-water diatoms multiply very rapidly, and their shells 

would in time fill up the tropical seas were in not for their enemies, 

which devour them in enormous numbers. The region in the Gulf of 

Mexico, whence were obtained the samples of muds, is not especially 

favorable for the accumulation of diatoms, judging from the number 

of diatoms actually found in the mud. Many species of diatoms 

belonging to the various genera, namely Navicida, Pleurosigma, 

Rhoicosigma, Mellosira, and Coscinodisc-us, were found in the samples. The species of Navicida and Pleurosigma are the most numerous. Of the entire mass only a very small fraction consists of diatom 

shells. The mud consists largely of thoroughly macerated organic 

material mixed with grains of silica. A 10 per cent hydrochloric 

acid produced just a slight effervescence.

"The microscopical and chemical examination of the samples of 

mud gave .the following results:

No. 105. Collected 6 feet below the surface, which was covered by 4 feet of water 

at mean tide, on beach, at point marked "A" on map. Few whole 

diatom, shells; no living diatoms; no oil.

No. 106. Collected 30 feet below surface at same place as No. 105. Few pieces of 

broken shells. No Hying diatoms; no oil.
110 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN, [BUM,. 213.

No. 107. Collected 18 feet below surface and 17* feet below tide level, 011 beach,

at "B." Same as No. 106. 

No. 108. Collected 30 feet below, surface, at same place as No. 107. Same as No.

107. ' 

No. 109. Collected from surf ace, uncovered at low tide, west of west jetty, Sabine

Pass, about 600 feet from landward end, at ' ; C." This sample consists of two kinds of mud, one black, the other greenish-yellow in

color. In the dark-colored mud the shells were numerous. The 

. greenish-yellow mud was plentifully supplied with diatom shells and

contained living diatoms of the species Navicula and Pleurosigma.

The entire sample of 115 grams yielded a trace of .oil. The sample

was from mud showing oily film on surface. 

No. 110. Collected 5 feet below surface, in same place as No. 109.. Many shells;

no living diatoms; no oil. 

No. 111. Collected 6.8 feet below surface, exposed at extremely low tide, 200 feet

west of west jetty, 3,500 feet from its landward end, at "D." Few

shells; no diatoms; no oil. 

No. 112. Collected 6 feet below surface, which is covered at mean low tide, 300

feet west of west jetty, 5,500 feet from its landward end, at "E."

Same as No. 111. 

No. 114. Collected 4 feet below surface, covered by 2 feat of water, at mean low

tide, west of west jetty, 3,200 feet from its landward end, at ",F."

Shells no more numerous than in No. 111. 100 grams of mud yielded

a trace of oil. . No. 115. Collected 10 feet below the surface, which is covered by a few inches of

water at low tide,. 250 feet east of east jetty, 50 feet from edge of

marsh, at " Gr." Few whole shells; no living diatoms; no oil. 

No. 116. Collected at surface, same-place as No. 115. Few shells; living diatoms

present; no oil. 

No. 117. Collected 2 feet below surface covered by 9£ feet of water, 6,000 feet

west of west jetty, at " H." No living diatoms; some shells; no oil.

"Diatom shells are found in all the samples, but they are not abundant in a single one. They are, however, more abundant in samples 

Nos. 109 and 116 than in any of the others. Both of these samples 

were collected from the surface of the mud, while all the others were 

collected from below it. In each of the samples collected from 2 to 8 

feet below the surface, i. e.j Nos. Ill, 112,. 114, 115, and 117, a 'few 

shells are found. The shells are least abundant in samples Nos. 106, 

107, and 108, which were collected from 18 to 30 feet below the surface 

along the shore.

"Living diatoms were found in the two samples taken at the surface, Nos. 109 and 116, but they were absent from all the samples 

which had been collected below the surface of the mud. The compact nature of the mud, which prevents free circulation of water 

and consequent renewal of the oxygen, is inimical to the existence of 

the diatoms. 

"The samples of mud were free of oil, except samples Nos. 109 and 

114. The latter is the mud from which the oil globules rise when 

stirred, and the occurrence of the oil in No. 109 is doubtless to be 

attributed to the same cause as will account for that in No. 114. The
POET AETHUE-SABINE PASS DISTEICT. Ill

samples of mud which were collected 2 and 9 feet below the surface 

were free of Ihdng diatoms. The quantity of shells contained in the 

mud was small in comparison with the total contents of the mud.

'' With these facts before us it does not seem possible to explain the 

occurrence of the oil in the black mud as arising from the action of 

diatoms. It can not be attributed to the segregation of oil. by living 

diatoms, because of their entire absence from the mud; nor can it 

have its origin in diatoms buried in the mud in the past, because of 

the small number of shells present; and, lastly, as regards its contents 

of diatoms, the mud from which the oil rises is not different from the 

mud at various places near by, which show no traces of oil."

The results of this investigation by Dr. Turner, while not absolutely 

conclusive, indicate that some other source for this oil must be sought 

than the diatoms. Since^ as shown above, it is entirely improbable 

that the oil was derived from. Beaumont by floating upon the surface 

of the water, the only other source assignable is from the underlying 

strata. It does not necessarily follow, even if this is the case, that 

this region is underlain by a commercial deposit of petroleum, but the 

indications are sufficiently favorable to warrant thorough exploration 

by means 'of the drill. The most favorable indications are afforded 

within the region lying betAveen the quarantine station and the 

outer end of the we'st jetty and thence westward for a quarter of a 

mile.

It is a fact which may be worthy of note that this locality is intersected by a straight line passing through the Vinton and Sulphur districts in Louisiana, both of which, as will be described later, show 

favorable indications of oil. The relations of these several localities 

are shown on the map, PI. VII (p. 144).

SEA WAX.

In connection with the so-called oil ponds may be mentioned a 

peculiar substance called sea Avax, which is frequently found along 

the Gulf beach from the Sabine to Corpus Christ:!. This sea Avax is 

reported to have been found in cakes as large as 6 or 8 feet in. length 

and an inch or tAvo in thickness. The chemical composition of this 

material has been determined by Dr. A. L. Wate, of Tulane University, his results being given in full by Dr. Phillips in the report above 

cited. This sea Avax is undoubtedly a petroleum residuum or. an 

asphaltum. The cakes have traces of concentric structure, as though 

the material had spread out in all directions from the source of supply 

at the center, Avhere it is slightly thicker than elseAvhere. The source 

of this material is not known, and it may have nothing Avhatever to 

do with-the oil ponds, but its presence is at least suggestive and points 

to the existence of springs of liquid bitumen somewhere in the Gulf, 

and to that extent supports the theory that the oil ponds are actually
112 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

due to the escape at these points of petroleum from the underlying 

'beds.

WELL RECORDS.

Some prospecting has been done in this district, but thus far no 

producing territory has been developed, although traces of oil have 

been found. All the wells thus far drilled have been relatively shallow, and they have not exhausted the possibilities even in their immediate vicinity. Owing to the southeastward dip of the Coastal Plain 

formations the oil-bearing horizons must be sought at considerably 

greater depth in this district than at Beaumont.

Two wells have been drilled on Hildebrands Bayou, on the Grange 

league, one at Nederland, one at Port Arthur, and three at Sabine 

Pass, all of which have been abandoned. The sections shown by 

these wells are more uniform than is usually the case in the Coastal 

Plain formations. The following may be taken as typical:

Log of Port Arthur Oil Company's well, 2\ miles ivest of Port Arthur. 

[Elevation, about 25 feet.]

1

?,

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1?,

13

14

15

16

Character of strata.

Blue surface clay

Wet blue sand. ........__.............. ......

Dry white sand.. ..... ... ...

Blue clay

Dry sand. .. ...... ............ ...... ..... .......

Blue clay . . .............................. ......

Whitish-yellow wet sand ..-........--.,.....

Dry sand ......................................

Hard bine clay ............. .................

Sand with a little oil. ...... ....--.-.-.-,--...

Bluish wet sand .............................

Wet sand ----.-...-----.--..-..... .... ...__..

Sand and clay ......-....'....................

Conglomerate of sand, mud, and clay ........

Thickness.

Feet.

87

22

182

40

70

40

25

30

227

H

53|

148

45

30

119

140

From 

Feet. 

0

87

109

291

331

401

441

466

496

723

7244-

778

926

971

1-, 001

1,120

ToFeet. 

87

109

291

331

401

441

466

496

723

7244-

778

926

971

1,001

1,120

1,260

At Sabine Pass four wells have been drilled within a radius of 5 

mij.es. In general the. section shown by these wells consists of alternate beds of blue clay and sand, the heavy blue clays predominating. 

Three were drilled in prospecting for petroleum and the fourth for 

the purpose of supplying water to the hotel at Sabine Pass. The 

following section may be taken as typical of the four:
l-IAYKS AND 

KENNKDYD ] SOUB LAKE DISTRICT. 113

Log of Texas Oil Company's well on the B. F. Howard league, Jefferson County,

Tax., 3 miles ivest of Sabine Pass.

[Elevation, about 15 feet.]

1

9,

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1?.

Character of strata.

Blue clay with asphalt, ......................

Bhie and yellow clay with oil at bottom ._....

Sand...........--.--......---..-.....--.-.-.

Blue clay. .--........-...........------.--...

Blue clay . . ..,.......-..,.........---....-.--.

Blue clay and sand .....-........-_-......-..

Thickness.

Feet. 

170

130

4.30

33

236

2

38

17

2

77

155

96

From 

Feet. 

0

170

300

730

763

999

1,001

.1, 039

1 , 056

1,058

1,185

1,890

ToFeet. 

170

300

730

763

999

1,001

1,039

1,056

1,058

1, 135

1,390

1,4.86

Petroleum in small quantities showed in the sand No. 12, and it is 

claimed there was enough gas to lift the casing a few inches. The 

sand was very fine and flowed easily. It filled the well .casing in a 

few hour's to a height of 300 feet.

In the Germ an-American Oil Company's well the sand No. 12 of 

above .section was underlain by yellow clay and gravel to a depth, of 

60 feet. In the Coast Ridge well Avood was found in the sand No. 10 

at a depth of 1,120 feet. The hotel well gave abundance of salt water 

at 1,061 feet.

The limestone and sandstones so prevalent in the upper portion of 

the section in the Beaumont district do not appear in any of these 

wells. It may be inferred from this either that the sandstones have 

a dip sufficiently steep to carry them below the bottom of these wells, 

or that they thin out toward the southeast and are replaced by unconsoliclated sands. The differences in the sections at Beaumont and 

Sabine are probably due to both of these causes.

SOUR LAKE DISTRICT.

LOCATION AND HISTOEY.

This district is located in Hardin County, about 8 miles north of 

the Southern Pacific Railroad station Sour Lake, and about 20 miles 

a little north of west from Beaumont. The .occurrence of oil and 

asphalt- in this district has been known since the earliest settlement 

of the country. The first published account is in Wall's work on 

the asphalt deposits of Trinidad. At several points the surface of 

the ground is covered with asphaltuin, evidently a residuum from 

petroleum, which in small quantities still reaches the surface. Considerable quantities of inflammable gas also reach the surface along 

with the oil and with the sulphur water which supplies the lake.

Bull. 212 03 8
114 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

Practically nothing was done looking to the development of this 

district until 1893, when the prospecting for oil then in progress at 

Beaumont induced several partiesHo prospect this field, without, however, discovering any commercial deposits of oil. In 1895 the Savage 

Brothers drilled several small wells Avhich gave so much promise that 

in the following year W. B. Sharp put down a well for the Trinity 

Lubricating Company, of Dallas. This company also commenced the 

erection of a small refinery, but the well not producing sufficient oil 

and there being no prospect of purchasing any from other sources, 

the work was abandoned.

In 1898 a Galveston company, known as the Gulf Coast Refining 

Company, with a capital of $25,000, was formed for the purpose of

FIG. 5. Index map showing location of Sour Lake and Saratoga oil pools.

operating in the Sour Lake district. A refinery having a daily 

capacity of 100 barrels was erected and a contract entered into with 

the Savage Brothers by which they were to supply the crude petroleum at the rate of not less than 100 barrels daily. A 2-inch pipe line 

a half mile in length was laid to connect the wells with the refinery. 

It was the intention of the company to manufacture lubricating oil 

onby. After about 500 barrels of crude oil had been produced and 

shipped in that condition, chiefly for experimental work, the Savage 

Brothers defaulted in their contract and the works of the company, 

including a completed refinery, were abandoned. The Savage and 

Sharp wells were drilled only to a depth of about 250 feet, and, 

although they yielded small quantities of petroleum, were not considered successful or sufficiently promising to warrant further pros-
HAYES AND 

KENNEDYD ] SOUR LAKE DISTRICT. 115

pecting. With the discovery of the Beaumont oil pool in 1901 there 

was renewed activity in prospecting in the Sour Lake district.. Ten 

companies have put down wells in this district, of which three have 

been successful in obtaining petroleum in commercial quantities. 

The Sour Lake district, as shown on the map (fig. 5), includes an oval 

area measuring about 6 miles in length and 4 to 5 miles in width.

9 Scale 

Harnmond Not 1000 o 1000

Hammond No2

Derrick

 

I ' ' S

G*ffe/N0 l j^> e|_j 

~

..n "-" '

+ Old well _^ ^

.+0ldwell ^r fr =s

. « :=: .ft _=r

Old well Atlantic and Pacific v 

 Jf \ NO I =B: ' ~ 

 Sour Lake Hotel =E -V j^

Great Western © 

Sour Lake Oil Co» ^^=2=^ °DerrJch

Old Refinery

Coast Ridge

Derrick

Fro. G.-^Mup of Sour Luke district.

The general course of its longer axis is approximately southwest and 

northeast. This territory has been as yet Arery imperfectly explored, 

but from indications afforded by the wells thus far drilled it is altogether probable that the productive territory will be greatly restricted 

and found to form a pool similar in form and extent to the Spindletop pool. The limits given on the accompanying map are very 

largely hypothetical.
116 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

WELL RECORDS.

The first deep well drilled in this field was the Guffey No. 1, located 

on the Stephen Jackson league, about 2,000 feet north of the hotel 

and lake. This well was drilled to a depth of 1,400 feet, and yields 

the following section:

Log of Guffey toell No. 1, Sour Lake, Hardin County; Tex. 

[Elevation, 90 feet.]

1

9,

X

4

R

6

7

8

9

10

11

19.

13

14

15

Character of strata.

Yellow sand. ................................

Oil in clay ....--....-....._..... ...........

Clay ........................................

Sand

Shale....................... ..............

Oil sand _....--....-........_................

Shale ....................."...................

Rock. ......

Rock, shale, and gumbo .--..-....---........

Oil sand. ..................... ...:. ........

Ghimbo ______:_.___._____.___ ..............

Oil sand and gas .- ___----_.. _:_.___._.___.__

Sand and gas .................................

Third gas sand ........ .....^..... ...........

Sand and oil-....-- .----.-.-...- ._ . .

Thickness.

Feet. 

40

10

100

125

4

21

330

35

125

20

6

6

2

40

36

From 

Feet. 

0

40

50

150

275

279

300

630

665

790

810

816

822

824

864

To 

Feet. 

40

50

150

275

279

300

630

665

790

810

816

822

824

864

900

The log is not complete, the well having reached a depth of 1,400 

feet.

This well encountered considerable quantities of oil at various 

horizons, notably at 1,100, 1,250, and 1,400 feet, where drilling was 

stopped. Small quantities of salt water were also encountered at 

various levels, and at 822 feet gas was met with in such quantities 

as to blo\v out the drill and a large quantity of sand, mud, rock, and 

water, which seriously delayed the drilling operations. This well 

has a strong flow of oil from the fine sand at a depth of 1,400 feet.

Twenty-five hundred feet southeast of this well, and close to the 

location of one of the old Savage wells, the Atlantic and Pacific Oil 

Company has drilled two wells about 700 feet in depth which have 

developed a strong flow of oil. Several oil-bearing horizons were 

found in the drilling, some of which are doubtless of commercial 

importance.

The following logs of the Atlantic and Pacific well No. 2 and of the 

Sour Lake Springs Company well No. 1 were supplied by the driller. 

Mr. N. Sinclair. These logs are interesting and valuable from the
HAYES AND"! 

KENNEDY. J

SOUE LAKE DISTEIOT. 117

fact that both, have been drilled near the center of this field and 

almost directly between the Guffey No. 1 and Sour Lake Oil Company's well No. 1.

Condensed log of Atlantic and Pacific ivell No. 2 . 

[Elevation, 100 feet.]

1

2

R

4

5

6

Character of strata.

Hard clay with, beds of stones at intervals of

Hard clay ..................... ^.....^......

Principally gumbo clay and hard limestone 

streaks about 5 feet thick ..................

Blue clay and gumbo with some hard strata

Streaks of oil sand and streaks of hard clay 

between. ..................................

Thickness.

Feet. 

170

280

11.0

40

80

' 45

From 

F<iat.. 

1

170

450

560

600

680

To 

Feet. 

170

450

560

600

680

725

Log of the Sour Lake Springs Company's well No. 1.

1

a

8

4

5

6

7

8

9

Character of strata.

Coarse sand. ................................

Clay and stones -...-....-.--..... .--..--.-.

Sand..-.---......... .------....----...---.--

Hard clay, gumbo strata of stones and gravel 

with gas and some oil ...:.....--..........

Hard sandstone with good show of oil and 

gas; 8-inch casing on hard streak; oil from 

which would produce about 100 barrels per 

day (estimated) ...........................

Blue clay and gumbo. . ......................

Oil sand and conglomerate rock of all kinds 

from the above depth. Well flowed out all 

the water and commenced flowing oil

Thickness.

Feet. 

90

50

20

140

256

1.4

44

16

50

From 

Feet. 

1

90

140

160

300

556

570

614

630

ToFeet. 

90

140

160

300

556

570

614

630

680

This well choked at 630 feet, and although cleaned out and deepened 

to 680 feet does not now flow.

The Sour Lake Oil Company's well is located about 1,800 feet southeast of the Atlantic and Pacific Company's well. This well is 1,500 

feet in depth, and during the course of the drilling hot sulphur water 

was encountered at several levels, the strongest flow being between 

900 and 960 feet. At 960 feet an oil-bearing horizon was encountered, 

and another one was found at 1,460 feet. Rock was drilled through
118 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

between 900 and 1,000 feet and between 1,400 and 1,490 feet, the 

strata comprising a series of rock beds with seams of clay and bowlders. This well does not flow, but will supply a considerable quantity 

of oil under the pump.

These are the only wells in the Sour Lake field showing oil in commercial quantities. A number of others have been drilled to depths 

between 1,000 and 2,000 feet and abandoned. About three-quarters 

of a mile northwest of the Guffey well the Hammond, Oil Companydrilled two wells, No. l.to a depth of 1,860 and the .No. 2 to a depth 

of 1,000 feet. Neither of these wells found oil of any kind and both 

finished in clay. In the same region, on the Bridges survey, the 

Empire State Coal, Oil, and Iron Company abandoned its well at 

1,284 feet in a blue clay. About 4 miles southeast of the Sour Lake 

wells the Byrd syndicate found small seeps of oil at 1,370, 1,500, and 

1,620 feet, and developed a strong artesian water flow at 1,900 feet, 

causing an abandonment of this well. Not more than 1,000 feet south 

of east from the Sour Lake Oil Company the Coast Ridge Oil Company abandoned its well in a heavy sand at 600 feet, and on the 

southeast corner of the William Young league the Gold Thread Oil 

Company has suspended operations in a heavy blue clay at 450 feet.

The Great Western Company is located not more than 300 feet north 

of the Sour Lake Oil Company's well, and the well has been abandoned at a depth of about 600 feet. In drilling, heavy beds of a gray 

quicksand were encountered, together with strong flows of hot sulphur 

water. This water is stated to have a temperature of 100° F. when 

issuing from the casing.

GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE.

The Sour Lake district, as shown on the geologic map, PL I, is 

located on the outcrop of the Village Creek sands. No fossils have 

been obtained from any of the wells thus far drilled, and it is therefore impossible to make definite statements regarding the geologic 

horizon of the oil-bearing sands. It appears probable, however, that 

the principal productive horizon is the same as that at the Spindletop 

pool, although the character of the beds is different. Not enough 

drilling lias yet been done in this district to determine its limits or 

its structure except in a very general way. The indications point 

very strongly to an anticlinal or dome structure, similar to that of the 

Spindletop pool. The deformation appears to be less abrupt in this 

case, and it has influenced the surface contours only to a very slight 

extent. There is, however, a slight elevation of the surface, but the 

plain is here less perfectly preserved than at Beaumont, and the 

presence of considerable timbered areas conceals to a large extent 

the surface elevation.

On the whole the indications may be regarded as fairly favorable
SARATOGA DISTRICT. 119

for the development of a productive pool in this district. Since the 

oil-bearing beds consist of fine, unconsolidated sand, instead of porous 

dolomite, as at Spindletop, the free flow of the latter pool need not be 

expected, but more or less difficulty will be experienced from the 

choking of the casing by sand. Some device for straining the oil as 

it enters the casing will doubtless be necessary. The chief unfavorable feature of the district is the abundance of salt water encountered 

in several of the wells at various depths. Salt water may be expected 

beneath the oil in all the pools of this Coastal Plain region, and it 

will probably in every case invade the oil-bearing stratum as the oil 

is exhausted. Oil need not be looked for, however, in any bed at a 

lower level than it is found saturated with salt water. If it is found 

in a well which has previously passed through a salt-water horizon 

the two must be separated by an impervious stratum. In other words, 

wherever there is free circulation the oil will always be found above 

the salt water.

SARATOGA DISTRICT.

LOCATION AND HISTORY.

This district is also located in Hardiii County, about 12 miles nearly 

north of Sour Lake. The surface rocks are the Columbia beds, generally soft sands, but containing also indurated sandstones, which 

outcrop in the vicinity of the hotel. This region is generally heavily 

timbered, and its surface forms a much less perfect plain than that 

underlain by the Beaumont clays, farther south. Hence if the district contains a dome-like elevation it can not be readily detected. 

The details of the topography are erosional rather than constructional.

The surface indications are here similar to those at Sour Lake, viz, 

oil springs giving rise to local accumulations of petroleum residuum 

or asphalt, and the escape of inflammable gases, associated with sulphur waters.

On the strength of these surface indications the Savage brothers 

in 1896 put down a well to a depth of about 250 feet, and obtained a 

small flow of oil, associated with water and gas. Although this well 

was abandoned as unsuccessful after collecting a few barrels of oil, it 

is still flowing small quantities of oil and water. A short time after 

this a second well was begun by W. P. Conroy, about half a mile 

south of the Savage well, at a locality where oil appears at the surface 

in several shallow holes, associated with sulphur water. After reaching a depth of about 120 feet the tools became stuck, and the well was 

abandoned.

WELL RECORDS.

Shortly after the development of the Beaumont field the prospecting 

in the district was renewed. The Saratoga Oil and Pipe Line Com-
120 OIL -FIELDS OF .TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

pany located a well known as the Hooks No. 1 on the J. F. Oliver 

tract of the Maria.Ximenes league 2 on accompanying map, fig. 5, 

p. 114. This well gives the following section:

Log of Hoolcs well No. 1, Saratoga, Hardin County, Tex. 

[Elevation, 100 feet.]

Character of strata. Thickness. From 

Faat.

1 .Sand.......'.................................

2 Sand, oil, and water...........................

3 Hard blue and white clay..-....-_. ____-.---.

4 Sand and oil..............---...---...-.-_-..

5 White clay..__._...._____._____.______.---..

6 Soft blue clay ............-..-.--..---..---..

7 Bock..---------.---..-------.----.---.-----.

8 Sand or soft rock......---.------.-.-- ------

9 Rock, with gas at 325 __---.---.-.--._------..

10 Hard rock. ...........:............^.........

11 Gumbo -------------.-...._--.-----.---.---.

12 Sand rock....._.....___._-___._______.__---..

13 Blue clay and shale __.._-.-.-.._______._-.---.

14 Sand cement; small streams of oil, first after 

325. Oil shows in all formations to this 

depth ................--------.-.----------.

15 Gravel, becoming coarser and changing from 

white to black toward bottom, and gumbo .

16 Mostly gumbo, with small layers of very hard 

material, but no oil ........................

17 Blue clay.. .................^................

18 Sandstone, with oil of golden color: rock becomes softer and gradually turns to sand...

19 Sand; oil flows between 478 and 488 ....-..-..

20 Sandstone and blue clay in thin layers ..--*.-..

21 Blue clay; water from 475 and oil from 500 

feet, but not in large quantities. No gas 

below 500 feet -........----.----.------.---.

22 Hard clay or soft rock ____..-_._--...-------.

23 Hard rock................"..............:....

24 Streaks of clay and rock _______-_----._----..

25 Very hard rock, with soms oil.... 1----------

26 Clay ...._......--....--..---...------.-----

27 Sand rock, with oil --....---..----...----.----

28 Blue clay, with bowlders ...-..-....---'.----

29 Lime rock, ___....._------------.-----------

30 Blue clay ...................................

95

32

53

r» 

i

40

9

2

8

15

45

4

6

4

42

15

12

8

78

2

27

8

101

3

7

0

78

173

205

258

265

305

308

316

325

327

335

350

355

378

429 

' 474

478

484

488

530 

545 

557 

565 

643 

645 

672 

680 

781 

 784
HAVES ANI 

KENNEDY. 3AEATOGA DISTEIOT. 121

Log of Hooks well No'. 1, Saratoga, Hardin County, Tex. Continued.

31

3?.

33

34

35

3ft

37

38

39

40

41

4?,

43

44

45

46

Character of strata.

Lime rock, with gas under rock _.._.._.._.._-

Blue clay _---_--...--._......_.._.__.......__

Hard shale with oil. .........................

Hard shale '.----...--..........-...--..-.......

Shale and bowlders. .........................

Clay........................................

Hard rock. ..................................

Soft blue clay ...............................

Hard linie rock. .............................

Solid rock. . .................................

Soft blue shale . . . .-. .........................

Limestone .............. ....................

Shale and loose rock ..................... ...

Hard rock. -......----.......-....-......_....

Oil, sand, loose rock, and shells ..i. ..........

Bock to bottom not penetrated. ..............

Thickness.

Feet,. 

3

46

30

22

8

8

5

1

12

7

3

29

From 

Feet. 

791

794

840

870

' 892

900

908

915

920

921

933

940

943

960

965

994

ToFeet. 

794

840

870

892

900

908

915

920

921

933

940

943

960

965

994

995

'As will be observed from the above log, this well encountered oilbearing beds at frequent intervals almost from the surface. Some of 

these undoubtedly contain oil in sufficient quantity to be of commercial importance. The last bed passed through consists of soft sand, 

with hard rock above and below. A 44-inch strainer is used to keep 

the sand from flowing in and choking the well. When first closed off 

the gage shows a pressure of 83 pounds, which gradually rises to 127 

pounds, where it remains stationary. The flow of oil is intermittent, 

and is estimated at about 500 barrels daily.

The same company has another well drilling Hooks No. 2 about 

half a mile south of well No. 1 and within a short distance of the old 

Conroy well. In this Avell, No. 2, the gas pressure is much heavier 

than in No. 1, and one blowout has already taken place. A failshowing of oil was encountered at a depth of 600 feet, accompanied by 

much gas.

The Libbie well is located about 3 miles to the west of the two 

Hooks wells, in the Pine Islands Bayou flats. To a depth of something over 700 feet it has shown no indications of oil.

About 1£ miles southeast of the Hooks No. 2 is the Texas Geyser 

well. No log is obtainable, but it is reported to have reached a depth 

of 1,700 feet without finding any indications of oil.

The four wells above noted are not sufficient to define the limits of 

the Saratoga oil pool, and the limits given on the accompanying map
122 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

are largely hypothetical. The limits will, however, probably fall 

somewhere within those given. Also nothing can be stated regarding 

the structure of the field, except that in all probability it is similar to 

that in other parts of this region which are better known.

The indications are that a highly productive pool will be developed, 

in which the conditions will be very similar -to those in the Sour Lake 

district.

HIGH ISLAND DISTRICT. 

LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY.

This district is located about midway between Sabiue Pass and 

Galveston, on the Gulf shore. .The so-called island is a small elevated 

area entirely surrounded by the coast marsh. As shown on the accompanying map (fig. 7), its outline is nearly circular except for an 

embaj^ment. on its southern margin. It is about 1£ miles in diameter 

and contains somewhat over 2,000 acres. The surface of the island 

is slightly undulating and its highest portion has an elevation of 48 

feet above tide. At the base of the rather abrupt slopes around the 

eastern and northern portions of the island is a belt of firm ground 

called the "second bench," whose surface is only a few feet above the 

surrounding marsh.

High Island has for many years been noted as a summer resort, and 

its mineral waters have considerable local reputation. No fresh 

water occurs on the island and the supplies for drinking purposes are 

derived from the rainfall. No fewer than twelve wells, distributed 

over the island and around its base, were drilled some years ago in an 

unsuccessful attempt to obtain a supply of fresh water. These wells 

vary in depth from 120 to 350 feet. The materials encountered consist of clay, sand, and fine gravel, with logs of cypress wood and in 

one case a few inches of limestone, ab 275 feet in well No. 4. Either 

rock, salt or strong brine was found at the following depths: In No. 4 

at 260 feet, in No. 7 at 203 feet, in No. 8 at 142 feet, in No. 9 at 193 

feet, in No. 10 at 170 feet, in No. 11 at 193 feet, and in No. 12 at 165 

feet. These wells are located in the central and southwestern portions 

of the island. In the northeastern portion the wells are shallower, 

and instead of striking brine or salt, found sulphur water, with large 

quantities of hydrogen-sulphide gas. Sulphur is deposited by the 

decomposition of escaping gas, sometimes in considerable abundance.

Several of these wells still have a strong artesian flow of salt water 

with a temperature somewhat above 100° F.

At various points about the margin of the island are salt springs, 

which give rise to the trembling marshes. The water contains much 

calcium carbonate in solution, which is precipitated by evaporation 

about the spring vents and forms a crust over the surface of low
HA YES AND") 

KENNEDY. J

HIGH ISLAND DISTRICT. 123

mounds, being held together by the coarse marsh grasses. Much 

inflammable gas escapes with the water of these springs.

PIG. 7. Sketch contour map of High Island.
124 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [Bur,L.212.

. WELL RECORDS. '.

Oil prospectors were attracted to High. Island by the similarity of 

its surface conditions to those at Spindletop, especially-the sulphur 

and gas springs, and some drilling has already been done.

Four companies owning land or having leases on the island combined their interests and put down a well in common. This is called 

the Big Four No. 1, located near'the Smith mineral springs. When 

the well had reached a depth of 610 feet, the bit with a section of the 

drill rod was lost, and the well.was abandoned. A new well, Big Four 

No. 2, was located in the immediate vicinity.

The first well, gave the following section.:

Log of Big Four well at Higli, Island, Chambers County, Tex. 

[Elevation, 40 feet.]

Character of strata. Thickness. From ToFeet. Feet.

1 Yellow clay ..................................

2 Sand........................................

3 Blue clay........-...--....._....-.-.---.....

4 Clay, sand, and shells. Fresh water at 180 

	feet........................................

5 Conglomerate rock .__.___________._._._____.

6 Sulphur and clay ....'_...........----....-...

7 Hard siliceous rock ...........................

8 Quicksand and salt water....................

9 Siliceous rock. -._----------......-..-.........

10 Brown clay ...........;..-........--.-..-.....

11 SiliceoxTS rock....-......--.........-----.-....

12 Clay .._...__,-_-----.---..------------.---..

13 Siliceous rock.............. .... ...-.--.-......

14. Clay __._._____...__....__....----.---..

15 Siliceous rock.................................

16 Clay ..........-.I-----.-------.-----------.

17 Siliceous rock _._.__.._.,__.. ______-.___...._.

18 Oil sand..:...--.:..-.--.-...-....-.-...---..

20

20

60

4

23

4

50

5

44

4

55

4

36

3

91

2

4

0

20

40

100 

180 

1-84 

207 

211 

261 

266 

310 

314 

369 

373 

409 

412 

503 

505

Feet.

20

40

100

180

184

207

. 211

261

266

310

314

369

373

409

412

503

505

509

Between 509 and 610 feet in depth, where the well was abandoned, 

is a series of sands and limestones, with much gypsum. The limestone is reported to contain many cavities lined with calcite crystals.

The Big Four well No. 2 at last reports had been drilled to a depth 

of over 1,000 feet, and after passing the sands and limestones found 

in Well No. 1, between 500 and 600 feet, continued in limestone 01' 

dolomite and gypsum to the bottom. A small quantity of oil was
KISEE HILL DISTRICT. 125

found at a depth of 504 feet, but no other indication of oil to the 

depth thus far reached.

The J. M. Guffey Petroleum Company is drilling four wells on High 

Island, and the Bolivar and High Island Oil Company has a derrick 

erected, but has as yet (June, 1902) done no drilling.

GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE.

Too little is known regarding the stratigraphy and structure of 

High Island to make definite statements. It is probable that the first 

20 to 30 feet of yellow clay should be correlated with the Beaumont 

clays, which division may also include a portion of the underlying 

sands and clays. Below these beds are sands and gravels to a depth 

of somewhat over 100 feet, which, may be the equivalents of the 

Columbia and Lafayette. These gravels are followed by sands, clays, 

and salt in the southwestern portion of the island, and by clays with 

limestone and gypsum in the northeastern portion.

That the underground structure of the island is anticlinal, or domeshaped, may be safely inferred from analogy with other districts in 

the coastal region. The data at present available are not, however, 

sufficient to determine the extent of the dome or the direction of 

its axes.

KISER HILL DISTRICT.

This district is located immediately west of the Brazos River, near 

the town of Columbia, and about 12 miles southeast of .Damon Mound. 

Kiser Hill has an elevation of from 25 to 30 feet above the level of 

the river at Columbia, and from 60 to 65 feet above sea level. The 

surface is underlain by brown sand or sandy loam, probably for the 

most part river alluvium. The surface of the hill differs slightly 

froni that of the surrounding region, containing much more clay. 

The limits of this district are not yet determined, since, only a single 

well has been drilled. This is the Equitable Mining Company's well, 

which has reached a depth of only 600 feet. At a depth of 360 feet 

a small quantity Of petroleum was obtained from a bed of sand. At 

600 feet a strong flow of gas was encountered, with sufficient pressure 1 

to blow out the drilling tools from the well. Great quantities of 

water and sand, with a small amount of petroleum, were brought out 

by the gas. The flow of gas was controlled after much difficulty and 

cased off. It is the intention to drill this well deeper, and the prospects appear to be favorable for obtaining oil in commercial quantities.

MINOR TEXAS DISTRICTS.

At several other localities in the Gulf Coastal Plain of Texas prospecting for oil has been carried on to some extent. In some cases the 

location of the wells was determined by certain supposed surface
126 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.213.

indications, such as the presence of sulphur or salt-water springs, the 

escape of inflammable gas, or the topographic configuration of the 

surface. In other cases no such surface indications were present, 

and the wells were located apparently at random on the prairie.

BIG HILL, JEFFERSON COUNTY.

Big Hill is located about midway between Beaumont and High 

Island. It has an elevation containing several thousand acres, rising 

in a gentle swell above the" surrounding level prairie. It has a somewhat irregularly crescentic outline. One well has been drilled on the 

slope of the hill at its eastern extremity. A detailed log of this well 

is not available, but it is known that at a depth of 350 feet rock was 

encountered which continued to a depth of 1,400 feet, where drilling 

was discontinued. This rock, which is remarkably uniform, throughout its 1,050 feet, is a light-gray crystalline dolomite." The rock is 

massive, but contains parallel seams which may represent bedding 

planes. These have an inclination of about 7°, indicating a decided 

dip in the beds. Since the angle of dip is obtained from cores, its 

direction can not be determined, but it is assumed to be toward the 

east, with the surface slope on which the well is located. The dolomite 

contains much gypsum, and in places is cavei'nous. A few small 

pockets of oil were found, but for the most part the rock removed in 

the form of cores was entirely free from any stain or other indication 

of oil.

While it can not be stated definitely from data at present available, 

it appears probable that this locality is upon a dome similar to those 

at Spindletop and High Island. A well at Winnie, only a few miles 

to the west, found no rock whatever to a depth of 1,600 feet.

DAYTON HILL.

In the vicinity of Dayton, in Liberty County, there is a considerable area having an elevation of 90 to 100 feet above sea level and 

25 to 30 feet above the level of the surrounding plain. This is generally known as Dayton Hill. It extends westward from the Trinity 

about 10 miles and has an approximate width of 6 miles. Considerable quantities of gas occur at various localities throughout this whole 

district, chiefly in small springs and shallow wells. Up to the present 

time, however, no oil of commercial importance has been found. Two 

companies are prospecting in this field. The Taylor-Dayton Company 

is drilling on the northern side of the district and the J. M. Guffey 

Petroleum Company has put down one well on the southern side. 

The Taylor-Dayton well, located a short distance from the town of 

Dayton, is 1,200 feet in depth. Limestone was encountered at 600 

feet, and continued to a depth of 800 feet, where rock salt was encountered, and the latter continued to the bottom of the well. The Guffey
HAYE8 AND 

KENNEDYD ] MINOR TEXAS DISTRICTS. 127

well reached a depth of 1,900 feet, but no record of the strata passed 

through is available.

BARBER HILL.

About 16 miles to the southwest of the Dayton Hill is another elevated region, known as Barber Hill. This is in Chambers County. 

Some prospecting is being done at this locality, and apppearances are 

reported to be favorable, but nothing definite is known regarding it.

DAVIS HILL.

This is an elevation located about 20 miles north of Dayton. Considerable quantities of sulphur water and inflammable gas are reported 

as occurring, but no prospecting or drilling has yet been done. The 

surface formations of this locality are mostly sands and soft sandstones.

BRYAN HEIGHTS.

Small quantities of petroleum have been found in the district 

known as Bryan Heights, near Velasco, in Brazoria County, in association with great volumes of gas. This is one of the Texas localities 

recorded by Peckham in the Tenth Census Report as producing 

asphaltum, although not in commercial quantities. As a result of 

recent drilling a very large amount of gas has been encountered. 

When the gas was first struck its .pressure was sufficient to lift the 

12-inch casing in the well and destroy the derrick. The gas is largely 

hydrogen sulphide, and flowed at the rate of about 6,000,000 cubic feet 

daily. Attempts to shut it off failed and the well was abandoned. A 

new well is now being drilled near by.

BIG HILL, MATAGORDA COUNTY.

Another locality of a similar nature occurs at Big Hill, in Matagorda County, about 10 miles east of Bay City. Small quantities of 

petroleum have been found, and at a depth of 900 feet the gas became 

unmanageable and blew out the well tools. This well has been 

abandoned and a new one commenced. The well flows about 5,000,000 

cub°ic feet of gas, chiefly hydrogen sulphide, daily. No attempts are 

being made to utilize the gas from either of these wells.

! 

JENNINGS DISTRICT.

LOCATION AND DEVELOPMENT.

This district, fig. 8, is confined chiefly to the narrow strip of country lying between the Bayou Nezpique and the Bayou de Cannes, in 

Acadia Parish, La., and while probably not more than a mile in width,
128 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

extends in a southwest-northeast direction for a distance of about 3 

miles. The Jennings Oil Company's well No. 1 is located in sec. 46, 

T. 2 W., R. 9 S., and most of the drilling has been confined to that 

and the adjoining section 47. Wells are in course of drilling toward 

the southwest along the supposed line of the anticline in. sees. 42 and 

63 in the same township and range, No. 63 being a watered section of 

the older French method of surveys. Another well, that of the Home 

Oil and Development Company, has been drilled in sec. 44, T. 3 W., 

R. 9 S., about a mile and a half east of Jennings. Some oil has been 

reported from this well, but whether in commercial quantities has not 

been determined. In sec. 1, T. 3 W., R. 10 S., the Union Oil and 

Development Company has commenced to drill, and the Soiithern Oil 

Company's Avells Nos. 1 and 2 are located in the lower grounds, near 

the confluence of the two bayous, in sees. 33 and 34, T. 2 W., R. 9 S. 

Wells Nos. 3 and 4 of this company are located near the Jennings 

No. 1.

PIG. 8. Map of Jennings oil field. For list of wells see top of p. 130.

Although no logs of these wells have thus far been obtained with 

any degree of defmiteness, the statements made by Mr. Heywood, of 

the Jennings-Heywood syndicate, one of the earliest drillers in this 

field, appear to show that the Jennings field is also situated upon the 

crest, or nearly so, of a deeply buried anticline.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. V

 Wells producing

® Wells abandoned

O Wells drillin

INDEX MAP, SHOWING LOCATION OF LOUISIANA OIL DISTRICTS.
JENNINGS DISTRICT. 129

OIL SAND.

The oil-bearing bed in this district is an unconsolidated coarsegrained sand. It lies at a depth of 1,800 feet in the Jennings No. 1 

and 1,635 in the Southern No. 1. In the Southern No. 3 the sand is 

found at 1,850 feet, and in the same company's well No. 4 it occurs at 

1,840 feet. In the Prairie Maniou well, half a mile to the southeast 

of the Jennings No. 1, a bed supposed to be the oil-bearing sand 

appears at a depth of 2,200 feet. In the Southern No. 2 an oil sand 

was found'at a little over 2,000 feet. This, from the location of the 

well, is in all probability the same bed as found in the Prairie Maniou 

well. The thickness of the oil-bearing sand is not known, but it is 

at least 50 feet, since it has been penetrated to that depth in the Jennings .No. 1. No well has as yet passed entirely through to the underlying beds. In the Jennings No. 1, Home Oil and Development 

Company's well, and in the Southern Company's wells Nos. 2, 3, and 

4, the sand has proved to be oil bearing, .but in the Prairie Maniou it 

is dry. The Pelican well No. 1, in sec. 63, T. 2 S., R..9 W., is also 

dry, and these two wells have been abandoned. The Crowley Oil 

Company is drilling a well in close proximity to .the Prairie Mamou, 

and claims to have reached a depth of 1,700 feet. The Home Oil and 

Development Company's well is over 1,700 feet in depth.

Considerable quantities of petroleum have been found in the Southern Oil Company's wells Nos. 3 and 4. The same company's well No. 

2 supplies a fair pumping quantity, and the Jennings No. 1 flows 

somewhat spasmodically. These, with the small quantity already 

mentioned from the Home Company's well, are the only producing 

wells in the field at the present time (June, 1902).

More or less gas accompanies these oils, but this has no such pressure as that found at Spindletop or at several other places in the 

Texas field. A considerable flow of gas occurred in the Pelican No. 

2, but this is the only strong flow recorded.

These wells are about the same in size as those at Spindletop. The 

Jennings No. 1 is a 4-inch well, and the Southern No. 3 has been 

brought in as a 6-inch well.

Arrangements are being made to bring this oil into market, and 

already a 6-inch pipe line is being laid from the field to connect with 

the Southern Pacific Railroad at Jennings. Some efforts are being 

made to utilize the bayous Nezpique and de Cannes for barge purposes.

In some respects the petroleum produced in this field is of a better 

grade than the Spindletop oil. It is much freer from sulphur and will 

offer less difficulties in refining, although the proportion of illuminants will not be greater than either the Beaumont or Sour Lake oils.

Bull. 212 03 9
130 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

WELLS IN THE JENNINGS DISTRICT.

List of ibells in Jennings district, June. 1902. 

[For locatipns see corresponding numbers on map, fig. 8.]

1. Gusher Oil Co.

2. Southern Oil Co. No. 3.

3. Jennings No. 1.

4. Jennings No. 2.

5. Prairie Mamou Oil Co.

6. Crowley Oil Co.

7. Jennings No. 3.

8. Pelican Oil Co.

9. Home Oil Co.

I'O. Southern Oil Co. No. 1.

11. Southern Oil Co. No. 2.

12. Union Oil and Development Co.

ANSE LA BUTTE DISTRICT.

The next most important of the Louisiana petroleum districts is 

that at Anse la Butte, about 40 miles east of Jennings, on Bayou Vermilion in St. Martins Parish, about 8 miles north of Lafayette.

Three wells have already been drilled in this district, passing 

through clays, sands, and gravels, with some beds of limestones of 

varying thickness. In the Pioneer well, of which the record has 

already been given (p. 63), the first rock found occurred at 174 feet. 

Limestone is found in the Lucas well between 100 and 108 feet, and 

in the Anse la Butte well No. 2 rock appears between 225 and 226 feet.

This is the locality described by Harris as near Breaux Bridge, in 

referring to the occurrence of natural gas in Louisiana. a

The section of the Lucas well is as follows:

Log of Lucas well at Ans'e la Butte, St. Martins Parish, Lei.

[Elevation, 50 feet.]

1

9,

3

4

5-

6

7

8

9

10

11

1 9,

Character of strata.

Stratified lirue rock. . ........................

Oil-bearing clay with bands of gravel, sand,

Soft lime rock ....................... -..---.

Oil-bearing clay mixed with gravel. .........

Salt water (rock salt doubtful) ...............

Oil-bearing clay with gravel .-..-----.-----..

Hard green clay ....-..-...-...-...-....--...

Water-bearing sand, no oil- ..................

Hard green clay ...........---.---.--.--'.-...

Sand and muck ..-..:..-...'-....-.----...-...

Thickness.

Feet. 

100

8

140

4

32

8

64

11.

33

88

22

13

From 

Feet. 

0

100

108

248

252

284

292

356

367

400

488

510

ToFeet. 

10C

108

248

25$

284

29S

35C

367

400

488

51C

523

"Geological Survey of Louisiana, 1899, p. 138.
HACKBERRY ISLAND, 131

Small quantities of hydrocarbon gas reach the surface at numerous 

points in the neighborhood, but these do not appear to have much 

commercial value. They appear from the well records,to be simply 

shallow pockets, probably derived from the decomposing vegetable 

matter in the surface clays or immediately underlying sands.

Small quantities of petroleum, are found at various depths in all of 

these wells, generally associated with sand and gravel. In the 

Pioneer well the oil was found at depths of 439 and 650 feet associated 

with rock. At 285 feet and at 1,260 feet the oil-bearing beds were 

sands and gravels. In the Lucas well the petroleum occurs in clays, 

gravels, and sands between 108 and 248 feet. The second occurrence 

was between 252 and 284 feet, the third between 292 and 356 feet, 

while between 356 and 367 feet oil occurred accompanied with a strong 

artesian flow of water. The Anse la Butte Oil and Mineral Company's well No. 2 was drilled to a depth of 801 feet, finishing in a bed 

of sand and gravel. In this well oil-bearing sands are found between 

226 and 228 feet, and again between 265 and 268 feet.

Salt water and salt are generally found accompanying these oilbearing beds. In the Pioneer well a strong flow of salt water accompanied the oil found at 1,260 feet, and in the Lucas well salt water 

was present between 284 and 292 feet, and between 356 and 367 feet 

the oil was accompanied with a strong flow of water.

In the Anse la Butte well 179 feet of rock salt is reported between 

391 and 570 feet, and between 578 and 790 feet the drill passed 

through 212 feet of salt.

None of the wells in this district has as yet produced oil or gas for 

market. There appears to be a large amount of -oil in the underlying 

beds at several horizons, but no pool has yet been found where it has 

accumulated in sufficient quantity to be of commercial importance. 

It is probable, however, that further prospecting may reveal the presence of such a pool.

HACKBERRY ISLAND.

This so-called island, like High Island in Texas, is an elevated 

area entirely surrounded by coast marsh. It is located in Canieron 

Parish, 33 miles southwest of Lake Charles, on the south side of Black 

Bayou, between Black Lake and Calcasieu Lake. It has an area of 

about 8,000 acres and reaches an elevation of 35 feet. The surface 

of the island is composed of yellow and black loam. During dry seasons the soil becomes hard and cracks to a considerable depth, like 

the "hog-wallow clays" of the prairie regions. Gas occurs in all the 

numerous shallow wells on the island, and the water in several springs 

is somewhat sulphurous.

Only one well is being drilled in this region and it shows a section 

made up of,sands, clays, and gravels to a depth of 908 feet, followed 

by limestones, sandstones, and clays.
132 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

Log of the Louisiana and Texas Oil Company's ivell'at Hackberry Island,

Louisiana.

[Elevation, 35 feet.]

1

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23

24 

25 

26 

27' 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32

Character of strata.

Clay, sand, and gravel. ................

Blue clay .... ......... ....

Sand...... . . ....... ...... .

Clay ..................................

Packed sand ......... ... ............

Soft blue clay .........................

Sand ........ ...........................

Blue clay ................... ......

Coarse sand .... ........ . .

Blue clay with fine sand ........._.....

Coarse sand and gravel -......: .......

Hard linie rock and shells ............

Tough blue clay and lignite -..-.-......

Liine rock ..... .........

Blue clay ............... . . ....

Rock .................... .........

Blue clay ....^ ........................

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

Sandy clays ........ ....................

Rock.. ........ .. ..... ....

 Sand .................................

Soft rock ...... .... ... ...

Alternate layers of sand, clay, and rock, 

with hard blue limestone coated with 

yellow crystals, changingto sandstone 

with pyrites .........................

Sand .....--.......---. ... ...........

Hard rock. . ...........................

Sand ..................................

Rock.... ........ . ......'........:....

Clay ......:...........................

Lignite. . ..............................

Rock ..---...-.....---.-.-.....---.....

Clay ..................................

Rock ... . . ...--.-..----.----.-..-----

Thickness.

Ft. 

138 

156 

45 

6 

24 

40 

127. 

20 

36 

283 

30 

5 

207

31 

1 

101 

36

51

11 

5

35 

9 

0 

13 

1 

19 

7 

3 

3 

2

in.

10 

4 

6

1 

9

7

5

4

2 

5 

6 

3

6 

11 

11 

6 

9

8

7 

8

1 

3

7 

5

From 

Ft. in. 

0 0 

138 10 

295 2 

340 8 

346 ~ 8 

370 9 

411 6 

539 1 

559 1 

595 6 

878 10 

908 10 

914 

1,121 5 

1,121 11 

1,153 2 

1,154 2 

1,255 8 

1,292 7 

. 1,344 6 

1,345 

1,356 9

1,361 9 

1,397 5 

1,407 

1,407 8 

1,420 8 

1,421 9 

1,441 

1,448 

1,451 7 

1,455

ToFt. in.

138 10 

295 2 

340 8 

346 8 

370 9 

411 6 

539 1 

539 1 

595 6 

878 10 

908 10 

914 

1,121 5 

1,121 11 

1,153 2 

1,154 2 

1,255 8 

1,292 7 

1,344 6 

1,345 

1,356 9 

1,361 9

1,397 5

1,407 - 

1,407 8 

1,420 8 

1,421 9 

1,441 

1,448 

1,451 7 

1,455 

1,457
'SULPHUR DISTRICT. 133

A small quantity of oil is reported from this well at a depth of 1,460 

feet. Gas was found at several depths, but no record was kept of its 

occurrences. The test can not be regarded as complete until the well 

has reached a depth of 2,500 feet, unless rock salt or strong brine is 

found at a shallower depth.

SULPHUR DISTRICT.

Tills district was probably the first to be prospected for petroleum 

in any portion of the Coastal Plain field. The oozing of petroleum 

and escape of gas from sulphur springs in a small marsh first attracted 

attention about the year 1868, and the Louisiana Oil Company was 

formed for the purpose of drilling for oil. A well put down in sec. 

29, T. 9 S., R. 10 W., gives the following section:

Log of Louisiana Oil Company's ivell at Sulpliur, La.

Feet.

1. Blue clay, with layers of sand -..-...-....-.........'.-..-.-...-..-....... 160

2. Sand................................................................. A. . 173

3. Clay rock, " soapstone "......-....-.....................-..........-..... 10

4. Blue limestone, fissured................. . .......................... '.... 40

5. Gray limestone........................................................... 60

6. Pure crystalline sulphur...... ........ ........................ ........... 100

7. Gypsum, with sulphur.......................................... . ....... 137

8..Sulplmr ................................................................ 10

9. Gypsum, grayish blue..... .................^.......................... 540

Some petroleum was found in this well to a depth of 380 feet, but in 

too small quantities to be commercially valuable. The incidental discovery of heavy beds of native sulphur led to the formation of a company to develop this mineral, and numerous wells were drilled for this 

purpose, the method of mining finally adopted being to melt the 

sulphur by means of superheated steam and pump it out in that condition. In all the wells put down for this purpose small quantities 

of oil were found from the surface down to a depth of 357 feet, and in 

one well drilled within the last few years the petroleum is reported to 

have spouted 65 feet above the casing. This well still continues to 

flow small quantities of a heavy black oil.

This thickness ascribed to the sulphur bed does not appear to agree 

with the records of the well drilled about 1892 or 1893. At that time 

a test well was put down by the Diamond Prospecting Company, 

in which the sulphur was first found at 436 feet, below which it was 

found to alternate with beds of limestone down to 603 feet, the limit 

of the boring. The well was drilled for the American Sulphur Company and is located near the boiler house.
134 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN, [nui^.212.

Log of well drilled for American Sulphur Company at Sulphur, La. 

[Drilled by Diamond Prospecting Company, with Sullivan diamond drill, size N.]

1

9,

a

4

5

6

7

8

0

10

11

1?.

18

14

15

16

17

18

10

20

9,1

9,9

00

94

9,5

9fi

97

9,8

99

80

Character of strata.

Clay'............. . .. .... ...

Quicksand ...... _.!..__. ......... ............

-do

Sand and gravel ....... . . . . .........._--.-.

White water shale, -.-...........-....- ......

White clay and sand. ........................

Spar (limestone) .............................

Sand .........................................

Sulplrar. ............... ^..... ..............

Sulphur ......................................

Sulphur. .___.__._._____.._.....-------- -----

Black limestone and sulphur. . . . . ...........

Mixed limestone and sulphur ....... ........

Sulphur -.......................---.-...-----.

Thickness.

Feet. 

167

134*

26*

17

1

4

5

25

19

1

28

8

.3

6

5

2

 1

16

24

5

2

16

4

10

3

8

2

31

6

23

From 

 Feet. 

0

167

301*

328

345

346

350

355

380

399

4.00

428

436

439

445

450

452

453

469

493

498

500

516

520

530

533

541

543

574

580

To 

Feet.

167

30H

328

345

346

350

355

380

399

. 400

428

436

439

445

450

452

453

469

493

498

500

516

520

530

533

541

543

574

580

603

From the records of wells drilled in this district the underground 

contours appear to resemble those at Spindletop, and the structure 

may be considered as a flattened dome, sloping somewhat gently from 

the crest toward the south and more abruptly toward the northwest. 

So far as developments have gone the sulphur has been proved to 

cover an area of approximately 30 acres, though its limits are not fully 

determined.

The American Sulphur Company owns the lands for several miles 

around these mines, and no prospecting has been done in this vicinity
HAVES ANDT 

KENNEDY. J MINOR LOUISIANA DISTRICTS. 135

except by the sulphur company itself, and that entirely with reference 

to the sulphur deposits. The company is now enlarging its plant, 

preparatory to mining sulphur on a larger scale than heretofore. No 

attention has been given to the occurrence of petroleum, and although 

oil is the fuel used at the mines, it is shipped from Beaumont. The 

prospects for the development of a productive oil pool at this point 

are very nattering.

In sec. 28, T. 9 S., R. 10 W., about a mile from the sulphur mine, 

Messrs. Mayo & Mendelsohn have% drilled a well to the depth of 450 

feet. This well, which was put down with a hand drill, showed only 

a heavy bed of sand until gravel was encountered, when the work 

was abandoned.

MINOR LOUISIANA DISTRICTS. 

VINTON.

This point is about 15 miles southwest of Sulphur. Four wells have 

been attempted, but only one has succeeded in reaching any considerable depth. At 440 feet a heavy bed of coarse gravel is encountered 

which can not be penetrated with the rotary drill, since the pebbles 

are from 1 to 3 inches in diameter and can not be lifted by the return 

water current. The Stribling well, drilled partly by the rotary 

process and partly with standard rig, is claimed to have reached 

a depth of 1,000 feet. The log of only a portion of this well has been 

obtained, giving the following section:

Log of portion of T. C: Stribling ivell at Vinton, La. 

[Elevation, 20 feet.]

1

2

3

4

5

fi

7

Character of 'strata.

Large gravel - - - --------------- ----------- '

Thickness.

Feet. 

20

10

270

50

75

20

9

From 

Feet. 

0

20

30

300

350

425

445

To 

Feet. 

20

30

300

350

425

445

454

The gravel bed between 400 and 500 feet yields a strong artesian 

flow of black sulphur water. Indications of oil are observed immediately under the 20 feet of surface clay, and -at a.depth of 800 feet. 

While the indications thus far afforded are not particularly encouraging, it can not be said that the possibilities of developing an oil pool 

are exhausted, and they would appear sufficient to warrant the drilling of a test well to a depth of at least 2,000 feet.
136 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

The Sharp well, drilled on the edge of the marshy lands bordering 

the Sabine River, about 4 miles north of these wells at Vinton, was 

also abandoned in gravel at a depth of nearly 500 feet.

SPRING HILL.

-. A-well drilled for the Spring Hill Oil Company in the NE. i of SW. 

% sec. 12, T. 6, R. 4, to a depth of 1,200 feet, found a small quantity 

of oil in a sand, which may possibly prove a fairly good pumping well. 

This oil has been cased off and the well is now being drilled deeper.

WELSH.

The Welsh Oil. and Development Company has drilled two wells 

in sec. 28, T. 9 S., R. 5 W. In the first well petroleum was found at 

1,050 feet, but not in large quantities. The well was deepened to 

1,500 feet without finding any more oil, and in bringing back the 

casing to try to develop the 1,050-foot oil sand the well caved in and 

was lost. In well No. 2 at the date of visit the drill had reached a 

depth of 700 feet. 

LAKE CHARLES.

Considerable drilling has been carried on in the neighborhood of 

Lake Charles, but so far without commercial success. The Watkins 

well No. ], of the Gulf Oil and Mineral Company, near the center of 

sec. 16, T. 10 S., R. 8 W., has been drilled to a depth of 2,400 feet 

without finding petroleum. A condensed log of this well shows the 

following section:

Log of Watkins ivell No. 1, at Lake Charles, La. 

[Elevation, 22 feet.]

1

?-

3

4

5

6

7

8

Character of strata.

Sand and gravel..-., --.. - -.. .--.,..- .-.

Sand and gravel ----- - ..-".----- -----------

Sand..-;.-..-..-.---,.....----..-.---,.....-.

Clay........................................

Sand, clay, and shale __.__.__._..____.___ _...

Thickness.

Feet. 

400

44

106

40

10

8

42

1,750

From 

Feet. 

0

400

444

550

590

COO

608

650

ToFeet. 

400

444

550

590

600

608

650

2,400

In the same region the Texas, Louisiana and National Company is 

drilling at Hoo-Hoo Park, in see. 13, T. 9 S., R. 8 W. This well has 

reached a depth of 951 feet..
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. VI

SAND GUSHER AT WELSH, LA.
MINOR LOUISIANA DISTRICTS. 137 

OTHER LOCALITIES.

The Forward Reduction Oil Company is drilling a number of wells 

in the lower Louisiana coast country. The wells of this company are 

located in sec. 25, T. 8 S., R. 7 W., in sec. 18, T. 9 S., R. 10 W., where 

the company has three wells, and in sec. 9, T. 10 S., R. 11 W. This 

last well is south of Edgerly. The well in sec. 25, T. 8 S., R. 7 W., 

is reported to have a depth of 2,100 feet, and the presence of oil is 

claimed in an 8-inch sand at 1,100 feet, in another 10-inch sand at 

1,314 feet a.nd again at 1,725 feet. These oil sands are reported to be 

overlain with a thin capping of rock.

The Pelican Oil Company well No. 1 is being drilled in sec. 22, T. 

10 S., R. 10 W. When visited this boring had a depth of about 800 

feet. At 509 feet a small seep of oil was passed through.

In the Foster well, in Sabine Parish, small qiiantities of petroleum 

were met with at the depths of 75, 340, and 630 feet.

The Louisiana field contains many small seeps of petroleum and 

escapes of gas of which no record has been kept." The structure of the 

country, together with the great quantity of vegetable remains inclosed 

in the clays, tends to produce an abundance of gas and probably 

petroleum, if these could be brought into a condition to be utilized.

Throughout this portion of the coast country gas escapes in great 

abundance, and small quantities of petroleum are of frequent occurrence in the drilling of wells for water purposes. While these small 

quantities form in the aggregate a considerable quantity of petroleum, 

owing to its generally disseminated condition it is not possible to 

collect it and it is therefore of no commercial value.

THE GULF COASTAL PLAIN OIL.

ORIGIN OF PETROLEUM. 

CLASSIFICATION OF THEORIES.

The origin of petroleum is one of the most obscure problems by 

which geologists are confronted. Numerous widely different theories 

have been advanced and advocated by geologists and chemists during 

the last fifty years, but as yet there is none which can be regarded 

as generally accepted and of universal applicability. In the present 

connection any full discussion of these theories is manifestly out of 

place, and only a bare outline of the more important ones will be 

given. It should be stated, however, that numerous facts have come 

to light in the development of the Coastal Plain field which have a 

very direct bearing upon theories of the origin of the oil. These have 

in part been given in the preceding pages, but will be stated more 

explicitly in this and the following sections.

The theories may be divided into three main groups: (1) Those 

which attempt to explain the origin of oil by inorganic agencies, (2)
138 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

those which ascribe it to an organic origin, and (3) those which 

involve both inorganic and organic agencies.

THEORIES OF INORGANIC ORIGIN.

In 1866 Berthelot suggested that water containing carbonic acid or 

an earthy carbonate coming in contact with metallic sodium or 

potassium at a high temperature might produce both liquid and 

gaseous hydrocarbons such as are found in various oil fields. In 1877 

Mendeljeff published his theory, which remains the most plausible of 

all the inorganic theories thus far proposed. Stated briefly, it is that 

water percolating downward through fissures in the earth's crust 

comes in contact, under conditions of high temperature and great 

pressure, with metallic carbides; that a chemical reaction takes place, 

with the formation of metallic oxides and saturated hydrocarbons, 

and that the latter ascend and impregnate the porous beds of sedimentary rocks in which they are now found.

Various modifications of the theories.of Berthelot and Mendeljeff 

have been suggested by other chemists, but these contain the essentials of all the purely inorganic theories which merit consideration.

The fact is unquestioned that hydrocarbons similar to or identical 

with some of the constituents of natural petroleum may be produced 

in the laboratory by the action of inorganic substances, but no geologic or other evidence that these reactions actually take place in the 

earth's crust has been discovered. The conclusion must therefore 

be that while the inorganic theory is attractive it is not proved.

*

THEORIES OF ORGANIC ORIGIN.

These theories may be again divided into two groups: (a) That petroleum is indigenous to the rocks in which it is found, and (&) that it is 

the product of natural distillation.

The first of these theories was advocated by Sterry Hunt, who 

asserted that all petroleum was formed in limestone by the decomposition of the animal remains which it originally contained. It was 

also advocated by Lesley and Whitney.

The theory was further amplified by Orton, who extended it to the 

petroleum found in the shale and sandstone in the Appalachian field 

as well as that found in limestone. According to Orton,ff petroleum 

results from the primary decomposition of organic matter, and was 

formed when the rocks containing it were themselves formed.

A modification of this theory has recently been advanced, namely, 

that the oil, instead of being the product of decomposition of 

organic matter, is secreted by living organisms of a low order, such 

as diatoms, and therefore exists as such as an original constituent of 

the rock in which it is found. The presence of oil associated with

a Ann. Kept. Geol. Survey Ohio, 1890, p. 85.
ORIGIN OF PETROLEUM. 139

diatoms in the mud at Sabine Pass is regarded by Dr. Phillips as furnishing some degree of support to this theory.

. The majority of geologists have held to the second theory, namely, 

that petroleum is derived from the organic matter disseminated 

through great masses of carbonaceous shales by the process of slow 

natural distillation at relatively low temperatures, and that it has 

subsequently migrated through the strata to the reservoirs in which 

it is found. In proof it is pointed out that these carbonaceous shales 

yield by artificial distillation a large quantity of hydrocarbons, both 

gaseous and liquid, which are indistinguishable from those found in' 

nature; but the possibility of natural distillation at a temperature 

sufficiently low to leave the inclosing rocks entirely unchanged has 

not been proved, nor have the residues of carbon which would result 

from such distillation been found in the rocks.

Again, there is much diversity of opinion among those who hold to 

the organic origin of petroleum as to whether its source is in animal 

or vegetable remains. Peckham believes that petroleum may be 

derived from both animal and vegetable matter, but that the source 

of the organic matter determines the character of the oil, that with a 

paraffin base (e. g., Pennsylvania) being derived from plant remains, 

and that with an asphalt base (e. g., California) being derived from 

animal remains. 

THEORIES OF COMBINED ORGANIC AND INORGANIC ORIGIN.

Among the theories which fall in the third group may be mentioned 

that proposed by 0. C. D. Rossffl in 1891. It is that petroleum is 

produced by the action of volcanic or solfataric gases containing 

sulphurous acid and hydrogen sulphide upon limestone, with the formation of gypsum and free sulphur. The reactions given undoubtedly take place in the laboratory, and they may also take place in 

certain localities in nature; On the other hand, Hopkins & proposed 

a theory, which has been elaborated and modified somewhat by other 

chemists, according to which the gypsum is the original material and 

the limestone is secondary. The essential features of this theory are 

that gypsum, calcium sulphate, in the presence of decomposing 

organic matter which gives off carbonic acid, is reduced, with the formation of limestone, calcium carbonate, free sulphur, and hydrocarbons. This reaction has not been exactly reproduced in the 

laboratory, but neither can the conditions which must prevail at 

great depths in the earth be exactly reproduced.

It will be observed that the theories of this group are intermediate 

between those of the first two classes. The original materials are in 

part organic (limestone and vegetable or animal matter) and in part 

inorganic (volcanic gases and gypsum).

« Chemical News, Vol. LXIV, 1891.

6 Report on the Geology of Louisiana, 1869.
140 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 213.

CONCLUSION.

This great diversity of views regarding the origin of petroleum is 

equaled by the diversity in character of the petroleum itself and in 

the geologic conditions under which it is found. In fact, it is probable that the final theory will include most of those outlined above, 

and will recognize the fact that this substance which is so widely distributed in nature may be the product of widely different processes 

acting upon a great diversity of materials. Thus the hydrocarbons 

which have been observed in certain volcanic rocks and in gases 

given off from volcanic vents may be entirely inorganic, resulting 

from'the reaction between water and heated metallic carbides. The 

oil of the Appalachian field may be derived from the slow distillation 

of plant remains disseminated through the underlying shales, and 

that of the Trenton limestone of the Lima field from animal remains 

originally contained in the rocks in which it is now found. Finally, 

the oil of the Gulf Coastal Plain is probably derived, in part at least, 

from the action of decomposing organic matter, both animal and 

vegetable, but chiefly the latter, upon gypsum.

ACCUMULATION OF THE OIL. 

CONDITIONS FOR ACCUMULATION.

Hydrocarbons of the petroleum type are among the most widely distributed substances in nature. They are found associated with almost 

all classes of rocks, both crystalline and sedimentary, from the oldest 

to the youngest. While these hydrocarbons are very widely distributed they are, however, usually in small quantities, and accumulations sufficiently large to be of commercial importance are restricted 

by certain well-defined conditions to a relatively small portion of the 

earth's surface. In many regions it is comparatively easy for the 

geologist, by an examination of surface conditions, to state definitely 

and with certaintj^ that no oil in commercial quantities will be found. 

In other large regions he can state that oil may be found, and can 

point oat in some cases the most favorable localities, but he can not 

predict the actual occurrence of an oil pool in advance of drilling.

The essential conditions for the accumulation of oil are (1) a sufficient supply of oil derived from any of the sources above described, 

(2) a porous reservoir rock in which it may be stored, and (3) an 

impervious cap rock which will prevent its escape. Conditions which 

favor its accumulation but are not always essential are (4) gentle 

undulations of the strata forming anticlinal arches or domes, (5) the 

complete saturation of the rocks with water and its slow circulation 

under hydrostatic head or convection due to differences of temperature.

THE OIL SUPPLY.

This is of course the first and most essential condition, for without 

it no accumulation could take place however favorable other condi-
ACCUMULATION OF OIL. . 141

tions might be. Of all the conditions enumerated above, this is probably the one which prevails over the largest areas. Wherever there 

are heavy deposits of sedimentary rocks, some of the beds generally 

contain organic material, either animal or vegetable, from which an 

abundant supply of hydrocarbons might be derived, and at some 

time in the history of such beds conditions have generally been favorable for its conversion into petroleum. This is notably true of the 

many thousand feet of strata constituting the Cretaceous and Tertiary formations on the Gulf Coastal Plain.

THE RESERVOIR ROCK.

All granular rocks which enter into the composition of the earth's 

crust are to some extent permeable to liquids. This porosity, the 

vacant space between the rock particles, varies from less than onehalf of 1 per cent in rocks like granite to 8 or 10 per cent in ordinary 

compact, fine-grained sandstones, and 25 per cent or even more in 

coarse gravel or cavernous limestone and dolomite. The porosity of 

a rock depends upon the shape of the grains, their uniformity in size, 

and the amount of cementing material. It is wholly independent 

of the size of the grains. Hence a fine-grained sand may have as 

great capacity for holding oil as a coarse gravel. The term '' oil pool" is 

in common use in most oil fields and is a convenient one, but is liable 

to lead to misapprehension. An oil pool is simply a restricted portion 

of any porous bed which is saturated with oil. It is limited both vertically and horizontally by some impervious barrier which prevents 

the escape of the oil. It does not generally contain any large fissures 

or caverns, the oil being contained in the minute spaces between the 

constituent grains of the bed. In exceptional cases, such as the 

Spindletop pool, where the reservoir rock is a limestone or dolomite, 

there are cavities of appreciable size, probably to be measured in 

inches and possibly in feet, in which the oil is stored as well as in the 

minute spaces between the constituent grains of the rock.

The character of the reservoir rock does not determine the character of the oil, but does determine its behavior when the pool is 

tapped by the drill. When the rock is a firm, fine-grained sandstone, 

it yields its oil slowly, even when under great pressure, and the yield 

continues for.a long time, steadily decreasing, however, as the supply 

is drawn from increasing distances. A cavernous dolomite, on the 

other hand, offers little resistance to the passage of the oil toward the 

well, and the flow from such a rock is consequently rapid and short 

lived. When the oil is held in an unconsolidated sand, the latter 

flows toward the exit along with the oil and quickly chokes the well 

unless held back by some straining device.

THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.

Since petroleum has a lower specific gravity than water, it always 

tends to rise when the two liquids are associated in the rocks, and
142 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULK212.

if not stopped by some impervious barrier would continue until it 

reached the surface and then be dissipated. An essential condition of any large accumulation is therefore an impervious stratum 

which shall check this upward course of the oil and restrain it in a 

porous reservoir rock below.. Such impervious strata usually consist 

of fine clay, clay shale, or muddy limestone. If the bed is perfectly 

continuous, a few feet in thickness of clay or clay shale is sufficient 

to prevent any leakage from the underlying porous beds even under 

great pressure. In the Spindletop pool the cover is formed by a considerable thickness of alternating clay beds and limestones, the 

lowermost of which is the so-called "cap rock."

ANTICLINAL STRUCTURE.

When oil, whatever its origin, occurs in a porous bed along with 

water, it tends to rise toward the surface and continues to rise until 

it reaches the surface or meets some obstruction. If the obstruction 

is a perfectly horizontal stratum of impervious material, the progress 

of the oil is checked, but it does not accumulate in large bodies. If, 

on the other hand, the impervious stratum is inclined, the oil continues to move upward along its under side until it meets a downward 

bend in the bed which it can not pass. The oil is thus trapped in the 

fold or anticline, and if the impervious bed is continuous over the 

crest it continues to accumulate and an oil pool is formed. The 

Appalachian field is characterized by low folds, which have a general 

northeast-southwest trend, parallel with .the large folds of the Appalachian Mountains, and these folds have been of the highest importance in the accumulation of oil in that field. In the Gulf Coastal 

Plain no structures are found which at all resemble the anticlines of 

the Appalachian field. The latter are undoubtedly due to horizontal 

compression of the earth's crust, but the Coastal Plain does not 

appear ever to have been subjected to such compression, and consequently the long regular parallel folds are wanting. The circular or 

elliptical domes which have been described as occurring at Spindletop, Dainon Mound, and elsewhere are structures of a wholly 

different class, and could scarcely have been produced by horizontal 

compression. Although these domes are not strictly comparable with 

the anticlines of the Appalachian field, they are equally efficient in 

furnishing the structural conditions favorable for the accumulation. 

of oil.

SATURATION OF THE ROCKS AND CIRCULATION OF THE SATURATING

FLUID.

Sedimentary rocks below the immediate surface are generally saturated with water, either fresh or saline. In: some cases, particularly 

in the Appalachian field, the rocks are dry, and under these conditions, even when sufficiently porous, they are not readily traversed
ACCUMULATION OF OIL. 143

by oil. This condition, however, is probably very rarely present in 

the thoroughly saturated beds underlying the Coastal Plain.

In almost every deep well which has been drilled in the Coastal 

Plain small quantities of oil have been found, generally at several 

horizons. While this is not sufficiently abundant to be of value, it 

indicates the extremely wide distribution of .the oil through these 

formations and the enormous aggregate which they must contain. If 

these beds were regular in thickness and character, like those underlying the Appalachian field, and were similarly folded, the oil would 

travel to the crests of the anticlines and accumulate in long, narrow 

pools. The beds of this region, however, are most irregular. No two 

well sections, even if closely adjoining, exactly correspond. In Ohio 

alone the Berea sandstone extends over 15,000 square miles with 

scarcely any variation in thickness and composition. In the Coastal 

Plain, on the other hand, no single bed can be traced without material 

modification over 100 square miles. The underlying formations are 

composed of a vast number of overlapping lenses and the stratigraphic 

relations are therefore exceedingly complex. The conditions are 

unfavorable for the transfer of oil from place to place, and the result 

is that the most of it has remained disseminated through the.beds. 

The Coastal Plain formations have a general southeastward dip of a 

few feet to the mile, but this has apparently not been sufficient to 

enable the oil to overcome the obstacles occasioned by the irregularity 

in the character of the bed. Under these conditions some agency in 

addition to mere difference in specific gravity between the oil and 

water was required for the segregation of the oil. This was found in 

the circulation of the water contained in th£ beds. The agency of 

circulating waters in the accumulation, not only of the oil in the 

Coastal Plain pools, but also of the associated sulphur, dolomite, and 

salt, has recently been suggested by Hill."

The hypothesis is as follows: The oil and salt pocketk of the Texas Coastal Plain 

are probably not indigenous to the strata in which they are found, but are the 

resultant products of columns of hot saline waters which have ascended, under 

hydrostatic pressure, at points along lines of structural weakness, through thousands of feet of shale, sand, and marine littoral sediments of the Coastal Plain 

section, through which oil and sand are disseminated in more or. less minute 

quantities. The oil, with sulphxir, may have been floated upward on these waters, 

and the salt and dolomite may have been crystallized from the saturated solution.

The channels of these ascending waters may have been in places of structural 

weakness, such as fissures, which probably at one time continued to the surface, 

but may have been sealed by the deposition of the later overlapping strata now 

capping the oil pools.

Many facts may be adduced in support of this hypothesis, although 

it must be admitted that it presents some serious difficulties. The 

mode of accumulation of the enormous masses of rock salt which 

occur in the Louisiana Salt Islands, in Damon Mound,,in High Island,

"Robert T. Hill, The Beauinont oil field, with notes on the other oil fields of the Texas region: 

Jour. Franklin lust., 1902. . .
144 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN.

and also in Spindletop, has never been satisfactorily explained. For 

a variety of reasons it does not seem possible that they can be the result 

of evaporation of sea water in natural salt pans, which is supposed to 

be the origin of most deposits of rock salt. It may therefore be 

necessary to refer their origin to supersaturated solutions coming from 

the lower strata through fissures opened along a fault line. If such 

fissures were open to the surface, as Hill suggests, any petroleum 

brought up from the lower beds by the ascending waters would 

escape. If the vent were subsequently sealed, up by the deposition 

of impervious beds, the fissure might remain open and afford a means 

for the oil to be collected and brought up by the. slow ciz'culation of 

water under the influence of convection currents. It is suggested, 

as a possible explanation of the difference between Spindletop and 

Sour Lake on the one hand and Damon Mound and the Louisiana 

Salt Islands on the other, that the former vents were effectually 

sealed up after the salt had been deposited, while the latter have always 

remained open; the oil, which subsequently followed the same course 

taken by the salt solution, was in the former checked before" reaching the surface, while in the latter it reached the surface and practically all escaped.

STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS.

It is suggested above that the location of the oil pools in the Gulf 

Coastal Plain is determined by certain structural features, namely, 

dislocations of the strata in the form either of faults or of anticlinal 

flexures. A study of the distribution of the localities at which gas, oil, 

and salt are known to occur in the Coastal Plain affords some support 

to this theory and also suggests the districts where prospecting may 

be carried on with the best chances of success. It will be observed 

from the accompanying map (PI. VII) that the known deposits of these 

associated substances occur along northeast-southwest lines. Five 

such lines of deposits are shown, all but one being determined by 

at least three points. The westernmost line contains Saratoga, Bayton, and Damon; the second contains Sour Lake, Barber Hill, Kiser 

Hill or Columbia, and Big Hill, Matagorda County; the third contains Spindletop, Big Hill, Jefferson County, High Island, and probably Bryan Heights; the fourth contains Sulphur, Vinton, and Sabine 

Pass; and the fifth, Spring Hill and Hackberry. Other points in 

Louisiana do not appear to observe this linear arrangement, although 

further investigation of this region may extend the system to include 

these as well as the famous Salt Islands.

It is of interest to note that these lines are almost exactly parallel 

to the most prominent structural feature in the entire Texas region, 

namely, the Balcones fault, which has been described by Hill as passing through the center of the State. Further confirmation of the significance of these lines is afforded by the work of Veatch in the salines
BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. VII 

92' _Welsh 

"harlos ; '

IJBarpar JHJU_ _|_ '' y> ' i- \CSXlMlisvme/-Bfcr-l \\v* , - A^ , f ( aincix:ii^r / -fe^mi, V / 

4HS // i ^Sabin

PP:TROLEUM FIELDS «,

OF THE ;

TEXAS AND LOUISIANA GULF COASTAL PLAIN

Scale

Salt and saltlicks Supposedlines of flexures

JULIUS BIEN &CO.LITH.N.Y
ACCUMULATION OF OIL. 145

of northern Louisiana/' He has shown that these saline springs are 

associated with dome-shaped uplifts and that they fall naturally into 

a, linear arrangement, the axes being parallel with those of the Gulf 

Coastal Plain and probably continuations of the same.

The lines shown on the map may be considered as coinciding with 

the main structural axes of the region, which are actual or potential 

lines of dislocation, either by folding or by fracture. The date of 

initial movement on these axes can not be fixed exactly, but it must 

be as far back as the Miocene, since the thickness of Miocene formations is affected by the doming which has taken place at various 

points. The movement has been continued through the late Tertiary 

and into the present, since it affects the most recent deposits of the 

region, excepting perhaps the present river alluvium. The initial 

movement may even date back to Cretaceous time, and some evidence 

in the northern Louisiana salines points to such a conclusion.

The character of the movement can not be determined with certainty, and it doubtless includes both flexing and faulting. Its most 

striking characteristic appears to be the. concentration of differential 

effect at certain points which form the mounds of uplift, of which 

Spindletop may be regarded as the type. It may be, however, that 

these local uplifts are purely secondary and are not due to the same 

cause which produced the axial movements; in other words, that the 

lines of weakness which give rise to the main structural axes merely 

afford the necessary favorable conditions for the development of these 

secondary structures.

It will be noted from the descriptions given on previous pages that 

the various domes differ widely in amount of elevation. This is 

shown by a comparison of Sour Lake and Spindletop with High Island 

and Damon Mound. The former elevations are much less conspicuous than the latter, which have passed beyond the point where they 

are adapted to form oil reservoirs. It is quite possible, therefore, 

that there are other elevations even less conspicuous than Spindletop, 

or perhaps not at all- apparent at the surface, which may be equally 

well adapted for oil reservoirs. Such structures might easily escape 

notice if no elevation had taken place upon them since the deposition 

of the recent clays.

If such inconspicuous or entirely obscured structures do exist, as 

seems probable, they will almost certainly occur along the lines indicated on the accompanying map, and along these lines, therefore, 

are the best places for conducting systematic prospecting in the Gulf 

Coastal Plain. It should be fully understood in advance that the 

chances of finding oil by drilling at any particular point along these 

lines are small, but they are much larger than the chances of finding 

it by drilling at random anywhere on the Coastal Plain.

a The stilines of north Louisiana, by A. C. Voatcli: Geological Survey of Louisiana, Report 

for 1902.

Bull. 212 03 10
146 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE TEXAS-LOUISIANA

OIL.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. 

COLOR AND ODOR.

: When flowing from the well or first received into the tank the 

Beaumont .petroleum is a dark reddish-brown fluid, carrying a large 

quantity of hydrogen sulphide in solution. It has a very strong, disagreeably pungent, sulphurous odor, attacking the mucous membranes 

of the nose and causing the eyes to smart. The Sour Lake oil and 

the Saratoga and Jennings oils are somewhat darker and heavier, 

and, owing to the smaller quantity of gas which they contain, have 

a less disagreeable odor. The small quantity of oil flowing from the 

Equitable Mining Company's well at Columbia is also of a very dark 

color.

Upon exposure to the air these oils gradually lose a large proportion of their contained gases and become somewhat thicker and 

darker. They do not, however, lose their peculiar odor. Kast and 

Lagai attribute the odor of petroleum to the presence of unsaturated 

hydrocarbons, while Mabery and Smith appear to think it is due to a 

mixture of bad-smelling compounds, but do not say what may be 

the cause, although they found unsaturated hydrocarbons in their 

experiments with the Ohio oils/* Richardson b also found considerable 

quantities of unsaturated hydrocarbons in the Beaumont oils.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY.

The specific gravity of the Beaumont petroleum ranges from 0.904 

to 0.925, or 25.4° B. to 21.5° B. Three determinations of the Sour Lake 

oil gave it-specific gravities of 0.945, 0.958, and 0.963, or 18° B. to 15° B. 

The Saratoga oil has a specific gravity of 0.945, or 18° B.

A comparison of the specific gravities of the petroleum from various 

districts of the Coastal Plain field with those of other well-known 

fields shows the former to be much heavier than any of the petroleums 

which contain a notable proportion of illuminants. They are, however, in this respect similar to the California oils. Some of the Mexican oils are also heavier.

Specific gravity of petroleum from various fields.

Pennsylvania c..................................................... 0.801-0.817

Ohio (Lima field) c ................................................ .816- .860

Kansas*-..........--..........-................................... .835-1.000

West Virginia c...........--...-.....-..............-....-........_ .841- .873

Canada (Petroliafield) «...............:............................ .858

Russia (Baku field) c............ __..___..__.___._.._.._.....________ . 859- . 871

a Am. Chem. Jour., Vol. XVI, p. 88.

''Jour. Soc. Chem. Industry, Vol. XX, p. 693.

a Redwood, Petroleum and its Products, 1886, Vol. I, p. 178. .

rfHaworth, Mineral Resources of Kansas, 1897, p. 51.
HA YES AND 

KENNEDY. PHYSICAL PROPEBTIES OF THE OIL. 147

Mexico*........................:....:...........................- .874- .970

Beaumont''......... _..-.__..._-__._-------.:-------..--.--.:------- .904- .925

Wyoming"......................... ................................ .913- ,945

California «._................................... .................... .920- .983

Saratoga (Hooks No. !)<«..........-.._.......................'...... .937

Sour Lake ....................................-..........-.'....-.. .945- .963

Brazoria County, Tex. rf .......................:..................... . 965

Borneo "............^.............................................. .965 .

FLASH AND BUKNING POINT.

A roughly approximate ratio exists between the specific gravity of 

any petroleum- and its flashing point, and as a general rule a low 

specific gravity accompanies a low flashing point, and while the 

burning point of an oil is usually from 10° to 15° higher than the 

flashing point, this is not always the case. An oil having a high 

flashing point always has a high burning point, but, on the other hand, 

a high burning point may be accompanied by a low flashing point.

The flashing test of an oil is made for the purpose of determining 

the lowest temperature at which it gives off an inflammable vapor, 

and is the most important test which can be applied to any petroleum, 

since it is to the inflammable vapor evolved at ordinary temperatures 

that most of the accidents are due: This point is quite independent 

of the burning point and depends altogether upon the character and 

amount of the volatile constituents, while the burning point depends 

upon the character and composition of the oil as a whole.

The presence of the lighter hydrocarbons lowers the flashing point, 

since these volatilize more readily than the heavier hydrocarbons. 

The effect of benzine in varying proportions in lowering the flashing 

point, as determined by Wilson/is shown in the following table:

Effect of mixture of benzine on flashing point.

Oil alone .................................................'.

Mixed with 

Flashing 

point.

°1*\

118

112

103

96

83

' 107

70

Burning 

point.

°./'\ 

135

129

123

116

102

133

105

"Redwood, Petroleum and its Products, 1886, Vol. I, p. 178.

''Jour. Soc. Clieni. Industry, Vol. XX, p. 691. et soq.

c Watts, Oil and gas: Bull. Cal. State Mining Bureau No. 1U, p. 20-i.

d Worrell, analyst, Texas Mineral Survey.

« Jour. Soe. Cheru. Industry, Vol. XIX, p. 122.

/ Crewe, Practical Treatise on Petroleum, 1887, p. 859.
148 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN.

Very few tests of the Coastal Plain oils have been made with the 

view of determining either their flashing point or their burning point, 

and the few made show very discordant results. The differences are 

probably due, in part at least, to the different length of time during 

which the various samples had been exposed to the air, with consequent evaporation of the more volatile constituents.

Flashing point and burning point of Beaumont oil.

Determined by 

Ledoux a . ................................................

Richardson & ...... .....................................

Emery . ..... ...................... ..

Denton " ............. .-----.----.---.-.-.-.--............

Oliphant d ................................'.................

Flashing 

point.

°F. 

165

110

110

142

180

Burning 

point.

°F.

180

181

200

a Trails. Am. Inst. Min. Eng., Vol. XXXI, p. 370, 

6 Jour. Soc. Chem. Industry, Vol. XX, p. 691.

c Report to Export Oil and Pipe Line Co. 

<* Mineral Resources U. S. 1890, p. 580.

It appears from the above that in the use of this oil in its crude 

state no danger need be apprehended from fire due to the generation 

of inflammable gases if its temperature is kept below 110° F., and that 

by the gradual escape of the lighter hydrocarbons the temperature at 

which dangerous gases are given off rises in a comparatively short 

time to 180°, or even higher. This conclusion is amply confirmed by 

a series of experiments made by Professor Denton to determine this 

point.

VISCOSITY.

The physical character of petroleum is more or less affected by 

low temperatures. Some experiments made with the Saratoga oil 

show that prolonged cold has but a slight effect upon it. A test tube 

filled with the crude oil was submerged in the freezing tank of the 

Austin Ice Factory for sixteen hours. The temperature of the tank at 

the time of immersion was 22° F., and at the close of the experiment 

the temperature had risen to 26° F. Another test tube was surrounded by a freezing mixture so as to reduce the temperature of the 

oil to 10° F., and it was kept at this for half an hour. In both cases 

the oil showed only a slight thickening and did not run as freely as at 

ordinary temperatures. Other experiments made by Ledoux, Emery, 

and Denton have shown that the Beaumont oil remains liquid at 10° F.

The viscosity of the Beaumont oil, according to the Pennsylvania 

Railroad standard, is 77 seconds, as compared with 42 seconds for the 

Pennsylvania and 37 seconds for the Noble, Ohio, oils.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES.

Our information regarding the chemical properties of the TexasLouisiana oils is derived chiefly from the work of Messrs. Thiel,
HAYES AND"! 

KKNNEDY. J CHEMICAL PKOPEKTIES OF THE OIL. 149

Mabery, and Richardson, whose results and conclusions are given 

below. The properties investigated include ultimate composition, 

volatility, products of fractional distillation, viscosity of residues, 

specific gravity, and refractive index of distillates. For the purpose 

of comparison, determinations of the same Droperties in oils from other 

fields are also inserted.

COMPOSITION.

The ultimate chemical composition of the Beaumont and Soiii; Lake 

oils as compared with oils from other fields is given below.

Ultimate composition of various oils.

c. ........... _._.'.._._._!____

H.

S. .........................

O.N... ............. ........

Loss on treatment with excess of H.jSO4 ..............

Beaumont.

« 85. 03 

12.30 

1.75 

.92

39

'' 84. 60 

10. 90 

1.63

' 2. 87

Sour 

Lake."

.85. 96 

13.97

'Pennsylvania."

86.10 

18. 90 

. 06

21.00

Ohio."

85 

13.80 

.60 

.60

30

California."

84 

-. 12. 70 

.40 

2.09

n Jour. Soc. Cheni. Industry, Vol. XX, p. 161 et seq. 

i» Report of the Liquid Fuel Board, United States Navy, 1902, p. 69. 

. c Salathe, Bull. Cal. State Mining Bureau No. 19, p. 207.

The sulphur content of the Beaumont petroleum is high and it also 

carries a large amount of. hydrogen-sulphide gas in solution. This 

gas largely escapes on standing, and is more completely expelled if air 

or steam is blown through the oil. After such treatment Richardson 

found the oil to contain 1.75 per cent of sulphur. Mabery found 2.16 

per cent; Denton found 1.63 per cent; 0. H. Palm found the Higgins 

oil to contain 2.4 per cent of sulphur, and A. M. Smoot found the oil 

from the Lucas well to contain 2.04 per cent.

According to Mabery," the Ohio oils have 0.50 per cent of sulphur, 

while the Canadian oils contain, according to the same authority, 

0.98 per cent. Orton and Lord 6 found 0.553 per cent in the Trenton 

limestone oils. ,,

The condition in which this sulphur exists in the petroleum is an 

important question from the technological standpoint, since it Avill 

determine the methods to be adopted for its removal. Considerable 

light is thrown on the question by experiments in the fractional 

filtration of this oil, carried on by Dr. D.. T. Day, and described at 

the Petroleum Congress in Paris in 1900.

The oil from which the hydrogen sulphide had been removed by a 

current of air was passed through a filter made by packing kaolin in 

a glass tube 19 inches in length. The oil entered the bottom of the

« Am. Chem. Jour. 1891,Vol. XIII, p. 234.

b Eighth Ann. Kept. U. S Geol. Survey, Part II, 1889, p. 625.
150 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

tube under a head of 56 inches and passed through very slowly, onty 

5 cubic centimeters having passed in the first twenty-four hours.

The color, odor, specific gravity, and sulphur content of the several 

fractions obtained in this manner are given below.

Filtration products from Beaimiont oil. a

Crude oil .....

Third fraction ......

Fourth fraction ....

Fifth fraction ......

Seventh fraction ....

Eighth fraction. ....

Amount 

inc.c.

21

8

22

10

22

13

20

' Color.

Deep brown ....

Water white . .

Pale lemon. ....

Deep leinon . . .

Amber fluorescent. 

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

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

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

Specific 

gravity25C.

0.914

. 8755

.8986

.9038

.9068

.9104

. 9115

. 9115

Sulphur.

Per cent.

1.75

.80

.91

1.04

Remarks.

Eank odor.

Sweet odor.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

« Jour. Soc. Chern. Industry, Vol. XXI, p. 817.

On standing for a month or more the denser fractions, and especially the second, deposited beautifully regular crystals of sulphur. 

These could only have been derived either from the decomposition of 

sulphur compounds while passing through the filter or from sulphur 

existing as such dissolved in the oil. The latter appears the more 

probable, although further investigation is required to settle the question definitely.

VOLATILITY.

The volatility of the Beaumont petroleum as compared with oils 

from Noble County, Ohio, and the Pennsylvania pipe line is shown 

by Richardson to be as follows:

Relative volatility of Beaumont oil.

110° C., 230° F., 7 hours. .....

162° C. , 325° F. , 7 hours ......

205° C. , 400° F. , 7 hours .......

To constant weight: 

105° C., 221° F., 42 hours.

162° C., 325° F., 70 hours.

205° C., 400° F., 49 hoursSour

Lake.

Per cent.

35

Beaumont 

No. 1.

Per cent. 

19.19

31.31

57.57

48

"64

74

Beaumont

No. 2.

Per cent.

20

27

49

48

57

' 74

Noble 

County, 

Ohio.

Per cent.

41.2

43

59

48.7

61

75

Pennsylvania pipe 

lines.

Per cent.

47.3

58

68

58

^71.8

84

"Forty-nine hours. b Forty-two hours.
HAYJtS AND 

KENNEDYD ] CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE OIL. 151

The distillation as carried on in Engler's flasks gave the following 

results:

Distillation of Beaumont oil.

150°-850° C. p. cent 

800°-350° C. p. cent

350°-400° C. p. cent

Loss on acid treatment, 

pei- cent ...............

(150°-300°C. fraction) 

150°-260° per cent. .

Loss on acid treatment, 

per cent ...-..---......

Percentage of acid used .

Sour 

Lake.

f 6.6

1 ''12.7 

2.6

Beaumont.

110

2 5

| 40 

.20

25

10

30

8 

7

Ohio.

85

23

21 

21

27

5

2.5

Pennsylvania.

SO'

21

41 

14

j 23

( 99

1.8

2

California. <i

...... 7.6

14. 2 33. 8 

'5.2 .6

« Bulletin California State Mining Bureau No. 19, p. 203. 

b Cracking begins. Residue in Sour Lake oil, 78.1 per cent.

The percentage, specific gravity, and refractive index of the fvactional distillates from the Beaumont oil, as determined by Richardson, 

are as follows:

Fractional distillates.

Do--.... .--.--...----.

DO. .......... ..:......

Do---........-.----...

Do-.....:---....-.....

Do-.-...........- ....

20 millimeters pressure .... 

Do..-......--....--...-.-.-

DO..................,....:

Fractions.

°F.

300-401 

401-441 

441-480 

480-520 

520-559 

559-602 

392-464 

464-536 

530-608

°C"1

149-245 

205-227 

227-249 

249-271 

. 271-293 

293-317 

200-240 

240-280 

280-320

Distilled.

Per cent. 

1

8.4 

4.4 

10.8 

10.8 

13.1 

13 

8.8 

10.6

Specific 

gravity 

20 C.

0.8114

. 8408 

.8569 

. 8705 

. .8863 

. 9009 

.9184 

.9349 

.9429

Refractive 

index 2(i C.

1.459 

1.461 

1.467 

1.476 

1.485 

1.492 

1.505 

1.514 

1.521

Residue slow flow at 70° F.
152 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.818.

The viscosity of the residues from the open-dish evaporation of the 

Beaumont oil is as follows:

Viscosity of residues of Beauniont oil.

7 hours at 305° C., 400° F ............................................. Quick flow.

49 hours at 205° C., 400° F __. _'_ __....--,._._.--...................... Solid.

Penetration, 8°-10°.

A similar but softer pitch made by boiling the crude oil for twenty 

hours in an open dish had the following properties compared with a 

D grade residue or paving asphalt from Los Angeles oil:

Character of residues of Beaumont and California oils.

Specific gravity. ..... ....................................

Bitumen soluble in 88° naphtha _---.-.-_.;.--.--....-._--.

Beaumont.

78° 

.9943

78.3

84.3

8.7

California.

78°

.9964

74.4

81.6

15

Richardson has called attention to the peculiar conditions under 

'which the sulphur exists in the Beaumont petroleums and the probability of the presence of free sulphur which might account for the 

variability in character of the product obtained on varying the conditions under which the oil is heated, the amount of hard residue reaching in some cases to no more than 10 per cent and under other 

conditions to as much as 35 per cent.

Distilled in vacuo at a point where boiling ceased to go on without 

cracking, one of the samples from Beaumont gave distillates better 

suited for examinations as to the character of the hydrocarbons which 

make up the oil than those from the Engler flasks. Comparisons of 

the distillates from Corsicana, Sour Lake, and California oils show 

that the Beaumont petroleum is more closely related, as would be 

expected, to the Sour Lake than to the other oils.

Specific gravity of fractions boiling between 100°-175° C.

Sour Lake .--.-.-...--.............. .'.....--.:............

California ....--..................'........:...............

100° -150°.

0. 8637

- . 8693

.7932

.9195

150°-175°.

0. 8863

.9056

.8187

.9547
HAYES AND 

KENNEDY. CHEMICAL PKOPEKTIES OF THE OIL. 153

The specific gravity and refractive index of the Beaumont distillates 

as compared with those from the Ohio and Pennsylvania oils are 

shown as follows:

Character of distillates.

Below 150° .............

150° to 300°.. ..........

300° to 350°.. .......... 

350° to 400°.... ........

After acid treatment: 

150° to 300°..... ....

Beaumont.

Specific 

gravity.

(«) 

0. 8749 

.9089 

.9182

. 8704

Eefractive index.

(«) 

1.473 

1.501

1.508

1.473

Ohio.

Specific 

gravity.

0. 7297 

.8014 

1.8404 

. 8643

. 8006

Refractive index.

1.412 

.1.442 

1.468 

1.481

1.443

Pennsylvania.

Specific 

gravity.

0. 7188 

.7984 

.8338 

Paraffin.

.7791

Refractive index.

1.415 

1.437 

1.4.62 

1.470

1.438

« Amount too small.

The residue after distillation of the Beaumont oil, amounting to 9.9 

per cent of the original oil, was evaporated in an open dish to 6 per 

cent. It \vas then a brittle pitch which had the following properties:

Properties of residue after distillation of Beaumont oil. 

Specific gravity -.--... ...............................-..:..--.--.. 1.0454

Color -.._._--....-.-...._._.__....-__.._..._....-._..-_-_.....-._ Black.

Imster ............................................................ Shiny.

Structure .......................................................... Massive.

Fracture ...... ..................................................... Conchoidal.

Hardness-penetration...................... ............ ............ 15°.

Soluble in CS^, ............................................per cent.. 99.8

Organic insoluble --....................-.-.....--....-.--......-.. 0.1

Mineral matter..................................................... 0.1

100

Soluble in 88° naphtha __--......__-..._-_.....-... ...'................... 60

This is per cent of total bitumen -. -......--....----....--.....----.....-.. 60.1

Soluble in 62° naphtha .i............................................. ..^. 64.8

This is per cent of total bitumen ......................................... 64.9

Bitumen yields on ignition 

Fixed carbon ...............................................per cent.. 21.13

Volatile hydrocarbon ..-.---.--...._-....----...--....-.-..-.......-. 78.0

CONSTITUTION.

The chemical constitution of the Texas petroleum has not yet been 

thoroughly investigated, but Richardson and Wallace in the article 

quoted above" reach the conclusion that it contains a large proportion of unsaturated hydrocarbons, which are removed by treatment 

with an excess of strong sulphuric acid and washing soda. It also

«Jour. Soc. Chem. Industry, Vol. XX, 1901, p. C03.
154 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [suLL.212;

contains members of a hydrocai^bon. series CnH2n-2,° which, although 

saturated, are readily attacked by cold nitric acid. Similar compounds are found in Russian and Californian oils and in Trinidad 

asphalt.

Mabery and Buck a have also investigated the constitution of the 

Beaumont oil and conclude that fractions distilling between 150° C. 

^and 300° C. contain hydrocarbons of the series CnH2n-2 and CnH211 -4.

ASSOCIATED HYDROCARBONS.

NATURAL GAS.

Throughout the whole of the Gulf Coastal Plain wherever any oil 

has been found, it is always accompanied by considerable quantities 

of natural gas; indeed, this form of hydrocarbon is more widely distributed than the oil, and at several localities it is found unaccompanied by oil. Among the most remarkable of these gas wells are 

those at Bryan Heights, Brazoria County, and Big Hill, Matagorda 

County. The gas horizon was struck at 900 to 1,000 feet and the 

initial pressure was sufficient to blow out tools and casing and wreck 

the derrick. The flow from each of these wells was estimated from 

5,000,000 to 6,000,000 cubic feet per day. All efforts to control the 

flow of gas have proved unsuccessful and they have been abandoned.

The composition of the gas has not been carefully investigated, but 

it is known to contain, in addition to the light hydrocarbons of ordinary natural gas, a large proportion of sulphureted hydrogen. 

Hence, while the gas is inflammable and may be used with advantage 

under boilers standing in the open, and is so used extensively on 

Spindletop, it is not suitable for domestic use or where the products 

of combustion would be objectionable. It is highly probable that this 

gas will be utilized in future for developing heat in such industrial 

processes as burning brick, evaporating salt, etc. It is as yet a wholly 

undeveloped industry, being entirely overshadowed by the production and marketing of the oil.

WELL PHENOMENA. 

WELL PRESSURE.

At numerous points in the Coastal Plain oil field, but particularly 

at the Spindletop pool, the oil issues from its reservoir under great 

pressure, producing the familiar phenomenon of gushing. Just how 

great the pressure lias been in the Spindletop wells is not known, but 

it certainly varies between wide limits. In some wells it has shown 

almost explosive violence, blowing out casing and breaking heavy 

cast-iron valves. .This maximum pressure has never been even

 b Jour. Ain. Chern. Soc., Vol. XXII, 1900, pp. 553-556.
WELL PEESSUEE. 155

approximately measured. Some closed pressures of 500 pounds and 

over per square inch have been reported, but these are not well 

vouched for. The reliable measurements vary from 79 to 350 pounds. 

The following are the most trustworthy measurements which have 

been made of closed pressure:

Measurements of closed pressure of oil wells in Gulf Coastal Plain field.

Pounds. 

American Oil and Refining Company....................................... 79

Texas Oil and Pipe Line ...................................\............... 112

Trans-Mississippi --..-...--.--.-....---..-. -----......--..--_.'-..----..-.--. 300

Yellow Pine.....-.------...--.----.-...... .^ ............................. 340

San Jacinto No. 1....................................-.--....-..-...._.--.. 350

The Hooks well at Saratoga showed a steady closed pressure of 127 

pounds.

Cause of pressure. Two theories have been employed in explaining the pressure which causes oil and gas to gush, namely, the hydrostatic theory and the gas-expansion theory.

In accordance with the first of these theories, the gas, oil, and water 

are arranged in the subterranean reservoir in the order of their specific 

gravities, the gas being on top and the water at the bottom. The 

water is assumed to saturate the porous stratum continuously from 

beneath the oil reservoir to the outcrop and to transmit the pressure 

due to the greater elevation of the outcrop to the overlying oil. A 

close correspondence was found by Orton between the closed pressure 

of wells in the Trenton field of Ohio and Indiana and the weight of a 

column of water equal to the difference in elevation between the well 

head and the Trenton outcrop. Even in this region, however, which 

is the one commonly cited in support of this theory, it does-not explain 

certain cases of exceptionally high and low pressures. In the TexasLouisiana field the theory fails to explain the extreme range in pressure observed in different parts of the same pool, and, further, it is 

inconsistent with the behavior of the wells when flowing.

It appears highly probable that the pressure in the oil reservoir is 

due largely to the expansive force of the associated gas. When the 

oil rock is penetrated by the drill it is usually, though not always,. 

necessary to remove the water from the casing by bailing. When the 

pressure is thus relieved there is first a rush of gas, followed by a 

stream of oil, which is expelled with great violence. The oil, however, 

never flows in a steady stream, like the water from an artesian well, 

but by a series of jets or pulsations. These may be relatively slow, 

each flow of oil lasting for several minutes, followed by an equal or 

longer period of quiescence, in which'only gas escapes; or they may 

be rapid, several pulsations occurring within a single minute. The 

rapidity of the pulsations appears to depend, among other things, upon
156 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

the depth to which the well is drilled into the oil rock; and their 

rapidity, and consequently the yield of the well, is generally increased 

by deeper boring. It is also probably influenced by the character of 

the oil rock, the more porous rock yielding its contained oil more 

rapidly than that which is relatively compact. In addition to this 

longer period, the stream of oil generally shows a very rapid pulsation, 

similar to that observed in a jet of mingled water and steam when 

a boiler is blown off.

A common method of raising oil in wells which do not flow is to 

carry air under high pressure to the bottom of the well by means of 

a small pipe within the casing. When the air is turned on and 

accumulates sufficient pressure to lift the column of oil in the casing, 

the oil is expelled in a pulsating stream exactly similar to a natural 

gusher. In one case, however, the expansive force of artificially compressed air is the expelling force, and in the other case it is the expansive force of the naturally compressed gas which is associated with 

the oil in the rock reservoir.

In addition to the expansive force of the gas, there is also probably 

some hydrostatic pressure in this field, but its influence in producing 

the phenomena of a gusher must be relatively insignificant. Quite 

generally throughout the Coastal Plain region an artesian water flow 

is obtained at depths ranging from 600 to 1,'500 feet, but this has only 

a very moderate head. This is seen in the 1,400-foot artesian well at 

the Beaumont court-house, where the head is only a few inches above 

the surface. The existence of a slight hydrostatic pressure in the 

Spindletop pool is shown in the invasion of some wells by salt water 

as the overlying gas and oil are removed. This will doubtless continue until the pool is exhausted, although the head may not be sufficient to bring the salt water to the surface.

If the pressure to which the gushing in the Spindletop and other 

Coastal Plain pools is due is chiefly the expansive force of gas, it follows that this force will expel only a part of the oil, and the remainder 

will necessarily be won by pumping or by supplying the place of the 

natural gas by compressed air. If the oil and gas were arranged in 

the order of their specific gravities and sharply separated by a plane 

surface, the gas, being at the top, would naturally be first tapped and 

would escape without lifting the oil. It would force the oil out only 

from such wells as did not tap the reservoir in its higher portions, 

but lower down where the oil reached entirely to the cover, by exerting a downward pressure on the oil. The conditions theoretically 

existing in an oil pool are shown in the accompanying sketch (fig. 9). 

The well A taps the top of the reservoir and yields only gas; the well 

B, on the side of the reservoir, penetrates only oil-bearing rock and 

the oil is forced out by the downward pressure of the overlying gasj 

the well C penetrates the reservoir rock below the lower limit of the
HA YES AND"] 

KENNEDY. J UTILIZATION OF THE OIL. 157

oil, and hence yields only water which may or may not flow at the 

surface.

These simple theoretical conditions are, however, seldom, if ever, 

realized in nature. It is evident that the oil and gas in the TexasLouisiana pools are not sharply separated by a plane surface. Some 

of the wells on Spindletop, it is true, have yielded only gas, and certain portions of the reservoir must therefore contain only that form 

of hydrocarbon, as shown on the diagram; but these gas wells are not 

all shallower than, some which have yielded oil, and hence the two 

substances are not separated by a horizontal plane. It is probable 

that under the pressure existing in the oil reservoir the liquid hydrocarbons absorb a very large volume of the gaseous compounds, and

FIG. 9. Theoretical relations of gas, oil, and water in the reservoir rock.

it may be that the expansion of this absorbed gas is the principal 

agent in causing the oil to gush.

UTILIZATION OF THE GULF COAST PETROLEUM. 

ILLUMINATING OIL.

The three chief purposes for which petroleum is used are, in the 

order of profit to the producer, for illuminants, for lubricants, and for 

fuel. Concerning the adaptability of the Gulf Coast oil for the first 

two purposes, there is much diversity of opinion, and sufficient investigation has not yet been given to the subject to yield definite conclusions. The general consensus of opinion appears to be, however, 

that the petroleum is not adapted to the production of illuminating 

oil by any refining process at present known. This is not due chiefly 

to the presence of sulphur compounds, for methods have been devised 

for removing the sulphur economically, but to the chemical constitution of the distillates themselves. Being what are known as unsaturated hydrocarbons, they have a high specific gravity and burn with 

a smoky flame. This 'difficulty can not at present be overcome except 

by very expensive processes of refining, Avhich are not practicable in 

competition with the cheap illuminating oils from other petroleums.
158 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL. 212.

FUEL. 

THEORETICAL, VALUE.

The value of any fuel depends upon several considerations. Commercially, upon its location and capability of successfully competing 

with the other fuels that may be brought into the same market. These 

conditions are largely governed by the cost of production, length of 

haul, and cost of transportation and handling. Under certain conditions it may be possible for an inferior fuel to successfully compete 

with and even supplant a much higher grade fuel. Thus wood has 

been enabled in many localities to compete successfully with coal. 

Under similar conditions coal has been enabled to meet the inroads 

of gaseous or liquid fuel in its various forms.

Technically, fuels are graded by the work they will perform. This 

is determined either theoretically from the chemical composition or 

by practical tests, and the results obtained by these two methods 

often vary widely. It is a well-known fact that many, if not all, coals 

have a calculated theoretical calorific value much greater than they 

really possess, as shown in their ordinary use or even as measured 

by a calorimeter.

In the testing of fuels the heat value as determined by their chemical composition is the best method yet devised, at least for comparison of new and untried fuels. By this means their relative value as 

compared with other Avell-known fuels may be determined and some 

idea be gained as to their approximate commercial Aralues. By calculating the theoretical heating power various uncertain quantities 

are eliminated, such as style of and condition of grates, method of 

setting and form of boiler, draft, and a number of other conditions 

which can not be rendered uniform. In the testing of liquid fuel 

there are the questions of the size and style of burner, quantity of 

steam or air, or both, admitted to fire box, and a number of other 

practical conditions, all of which have a direct effect on the result 

and greatly complicate the problem.

The theoretical value of any fuel depends upon its constituents and 

upon their mode of arrangement. Carbon and hydrogen are considered the essential heat producers. The other constituents being generally present in small quantities are usually disregarded, with the 

exception of sulphur and ash. Sulphur is generally considered as a 

deleterious constituent of any fuel, not only on account of its low 

heat power, but also on account of the readiness with Avhich it combines with the metals in the furnace. Where fuel is intended for 

metallurgical purposes it is required to be as free from sulphur and 

sulphurous compounds as possible.

The ultimate calorific value of Beaumont petroleum as determined 

by Redwood is .19388 B. T. U., and as determined by Professor Den-
HAYES AND 

KENNEDYD ] . USE OF THE OIL AS FUEL. " 159

ton with oxygen calorimeter is 19060 B. T. U., giving a mean of 19224 

B. T. U. The calorific value of Pennsylvania and Ohio crude petroleum is about 20200 B. T. U., and that of Baku, Russia, crude about 

19500. It Avill thus be seen that the calorific value of the Beaumont 

petroleum compares favorably with that of the best liquid fuels in 

use.

SAFETY.

Liquid fuel, however, requires other qualifications than merely highheating values. It must be safe for transportation, handling, and for 

storage. Very few petroleums as they come from the well have these 

qualifications. All contain a greater or less percentage of naphtha or 

some of the lighter hydrocarbons which have a tendency to reduce 

the flash point and make the oil easily inflammable. Consequently a 

liquid fuel to be safe should not contain any of these light inflammable oils, nor should it contain, naphtha. According to Oliphant, fuel 

oils should have a gravity of between 20° and 25° B (sp. gr. 0.9333 to 

0.9032) and a flash test of from 240° to 270° F. The Astatka, or fuel 

oils of the Russian fields, have a specific gravity of 21° B (0.928) and a 

flash point of about 284° F., while those of the Eastern Archipelago 

have a specific gravity of 0.970 and a high flash point.

The effect of a mixture of the lighter oils with the petroleums is the 

tendency to create an inflammable vapor in connection with their storage, which, mixed with air, becomes highly explosive. It has been 

found that a mixture of only 2 per cent of air with this vapor makes 

an explosive mixture, and that upon dilution to 4 per cent or over the 

mixture is harmless, although still inflammable.

The few tests of the Beaumont oils have shown them to contain a 

small quantity of light oil, and to have a flash point correspondingly 

low. The flash point as determined ranges between 110° to 180° F. for 

Beaumont and 244° F. for the oils from the Sour Lake shallow wells.

These oils, however, appear to be very slow in the generation of 

inflammable gases. Two tanks in the Beaumont fields have already 

been struck by lightning without any explosion or eA^en serious fire 

taking place, and Professor Denton, in a series of experiments, shows 

that the Beaumont oil does not give rise to an inflammable vapor 

until heated to above 142° F. For complete safety, however, these 

oils should be distilled so as to remove enough of the lighter constituents to bring the flash point up to about 240°, although they have 

been and are now being utilized with apparently perfect safety for fuel 

purposes in their crude condition.

The introduction of. earthen and practically open tanks, allowing 

the lighter products to escape by a process of natural distillation, may 

be expected to bring them within the safety limits as to flash point 

without further treatment.
160 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [Bin.L.212. 

PRACTICAL TESTS IN STEAM RAISING. .

The most thorough practical experiments, with the view of testing the 

full value of the Beaumont petroleum, have been made by Prof. James 

E. Denton, of the Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N. J. 

These tests were made in the plant of the West Side Hygeia Ice Company, of New York. From the data thus obtained it appears that this 

petroleum has an evaporative power of 15.29 to 15.55 pounds of water 

per pound of oil used. Of the steam generated 3.1 to 4.8 per cent-was 

used by the burner in spraying the oil. There was thus left available 

for use the steam from 14.74 to 15.16 pounds of water per pound of 

oil used. Buckwheat anthracite coal used under the same boilers 

evaporated from 8.75 to 9.17 pounds of water per pound of fuel. Inother words, Professor Denton has demonstrated that in boilers well 

proportioned and carefully handled 78.5 percent of the entire calorific 

value of the oil was made effective. In ordinary practice, without the 

use of special precautions to guard against waste, 13 pounds of water 

should be evaporated by 1 pound of Beaumont petroleum, as compared with 6 to 6.5 pounds of water evaporated by the bituminous 

coals of Indian Territory, 8.7 pounds by Pittsburg coal, and 9 by Pennsylvania anthracite.

COMPARATIVE FUEL VALUE OF COAL AND BEAUMONT PETROLEUM.

The relative fuel value of petroleum and various standard coals 

may be obtained by comparing the amount of water evaporated by 

one pound of the various fuels. Taking 13 pounds as the amount 

evaporated by 1 pound of Beaumont petroleum under ordinary conditions, and 6.5 pounds as the amount evaporated by Southwestern

13 bituminous coal under similar conditions, the ratio - is 2. If a bet- fa, o

ter grade of coal is used, the ratio will be smaller. Thus, with Pitts13 burg coal, which evaporates-8.7 pounds of water, the ratio would 8.7

would be 1.5.

The average specific gravity of Beaumont petroleum is about .921, 

so that it weighs 7.68 pounds to the gallon, or about 322 pounds to the 

barrel of 42 gallons.

Taking the first ratio, 2, obtained above from the comparison of 

the evaporation by Beaumont petroleum and southwestern bituminous coal, it will be seen that 1,000 pounds of petroleum is required 

to do the work of 1 ton of coal of 2,000 pounds; or, since 1,000pounds 

is equivalent to 3.1 barrels, 1 ton of Southwestern bituminous coal 

may be regarded as having the same fuel value as 3.1 barrels of 

petroleum. The following table gives the value of Beaumont petroleum for steam-raising purposes compared witli two standard gTfldfiS 

of coal at prices varying from $1 to $7 per ton.
HAYBS AND"! 

KENNEDY. J USE OF THE OIL AS FUEL. 161

Comparative fuel value of coal and Beaumont petroleum.

Price of Southwestern 

coal per ton 

of 2,000 

pounds.

$1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

6.00

7.00

Number of 

barrels of 

Beaumont 

petroleum 

to eqxial 

1 ton of 

coal.

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

Price of 

Beaumont 

petroleum 

per barrel 

. to equal 

cost of 1 

ton of 

Southwestern coal.

$0.32

.40

.49

.57

.65

.80

.97

1:13

1.29

1.45

1.61

1.94

2.22

Price of 

ordinary 

Pittsburg 

coal per 

ton of 2,000 

pounds.

$1.00

1.25

1.50

 1.75

2.00

2.50

3.00

3. 25

4.00

4.50

5.00

6.00

7.00

Number of 

barrels of 

Beaumont 

petroleum 

to equal 

1 ton of 

Pittsburg 

coal.

4.31

4.31

4.31

.4.31.

. 4.31

" 4.31

4.31

4.31

4.31

4.31

4.31

4.31

4.31

Price of 

Beaumont 

petroleum 

per barrel 

to equal 

cost of 1 

ton of 

Pittsburg 

coal.

$0.23

.30

..85

.41

' .47

.58

.-70

.83

.93

1.0.5

1.16

1.39

1.62

It should be noted, however, that the conditions under which coal 

and petroleum are used in ordinary practice favor the obtaining of a 

larger per cent of the theoretical fuel value in the petroleum than in 

the coal. Also a deduction of at least 10 per cent should ordinarily 

be.made from the fuel cost of petroleum on account of economy in 

handling the liquid fuel as compared with coal. Additional benefits 

connected with the use of petroleum are cleanliness, heathfulness, 

and absence of smoke, which, however, can not easily be estimated 

in a money equivalent.

It has been urged that the extremely disagreeable odor of the Beaumont oil will militate against its use as a fuel and that in densely 

settled districts its use will not be permissible. It may be positively 

stated, however, that when the burners are in good, clean working 

order no odor whatever can be detected from the burning oil, and 

when it is used in locomotives the absence of dirt and cinders is the 

only noticeable feature.

LOCOMOTIVE TESTS.

As a locomotive fuel, petroleum has many additional advantages 

over coal. Among the more important of these are the perfect control under which it is held and its quick response to the great variations in demand made upon the boiler. Also in the narrow limits of

Bull. 212 03 11
162 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. I.BULL..212.

a locomotive firebox the combustion is much more complete with 

petroleum than with coal, and a correspondingly larger proportion of 

the theoretical fuel value is utilized. This may amount to as much 

as 30 per cent added to the efficiency of the boiler. A further great 

advantage in locomotive use is that it weighs only 67 per cent as much 

as coal having the same heating capacity.

Practical tests of Beaumont petroleum have been made by the 

Southern Pacific Railroad and the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. Both of these roads had already had experience with California 

petroleum, and were therefore in a position to carry out their experiments in a practical way. According to Mr. Stillmau, of the Southern 

Pacific road, the specific gravity of the oil used was 0.9594 (16° B). 

It had a flash point of 240° F. and fire test of 290° F. The results of 

= the test on this road, as compared with coal, are shown in the follow- 

 ing table:

Comparative test of petroleum and coal for locomotive fuel.

Miles run ___.---.._-_--...----__.._.___-._....__.___..__...

Average steam pressure ......-...........-.............;...-

Gallons of oil burned ........ ... ........... ..............'..

Pounds of fuel bumed ........................... '. ..........

Miles run per ton. . . ........ ...... ............... ....... ....

Amount of the two fuels doing the same work. ..... . . . . ....

Petroleum.

224

133

6,609

755

6,040

74.14

«3.1

Coal.

224

130

5,980

8,043

55.72

61

a Barrels of 42 gallons. 6 Ton of 2,000 pounds.

From this test it appears that with petroleum at 30 cents per barrel, 

which is somewhat above the market price prevailing at the time the 

test was made, coal should be worth only 93 cents per ton; or, stated 

in another form, with coal at $3 per ton, petroleum should be worth 

97 cents per barrel.

METHODS OF BURNING THE OIL.

Of the numerous styles of oil burners on the market, practically all 

consist of various modifications of the sprayer. Some of the earlier 

styles were of a different pattern, but these have been abandoned. 

The burners now in use all.work on the principle of spraying or, as 

some claim, vaporizing the oil by the use of steam or air under considerable pressure, working somewhat on the style of a Bunsen 

burner. When steam is used it should be taken from the highest 

part of the boiler and should be dry. It need not be superheated as 

was at one time considered necessary.

When working properly the flame is a clear white with an intense
0. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. VIII

VERTICAL SECTION THROUGH 

CENTER OF BURNER.

HORIZONTAL SECTION THROUGHCENTER OF BURNER.

WILLIAMS BURNER.
HA YES AND"] 

KENNEDY. J METHODS OF BUHNINC4 THE OIL. 163

heat, and as the fuel is completely consumed no smoke issues from the 

chimney. When perfect combustion is interrupted by a too rapid 

feed of oil or an insufficient supply of air, an intensely black smoke 

pours from the stack in great volumes, covering everything it touches 

with a black, greasy soot. Under these conditions the flame becomes 

a dull red, the oil is not consumed, and, although more fuel is used, 

less work is performed. When steam is used in excess the smoke is 

white and watery owing to the condensation of the steam. Under 

these conditions the fire usually goes out.

In making his experiment Professor Denton used the Williams 

burner. His arrangements for burning, the oil probably represent the

JjL OIL TO BURNERS

. FIG. 10. Boiler furnace with oil-burning equipment.

best practice yet devised, and, with his modifications of the boiler 

furnace, are shown in figs. 10 and 11.

Four ducts of hollow tile (F, fig. 11) 10 by 6 inches were laid in the 

ash pit, extending nearly to the bridge wall, and the ash-pit door openings closed by brickwork around the outer ends of the tile.

The forward bearer of the grate bars (N, fig. 11) was dropped, about 

half of the forward set of bars removed, and a course of fire brick 

(O, fig. 11) laid with fire clay over the whole upper surface of the 

grates, so that air entering through the tile could flow back along the 

outside of the latter, and then around and up between the front end
164 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

of the grate bars through an area a. little greater than that of the 

aggregate cross section of the tiles.

A checkerwork (P, fig. 11) of about 50 loose fire brick was built 

over the grates, the space back of the bridge was filled with ashes 

(R, fig. 11) flush with the top of the bridge wall, and a single-course 

floor (Q, fig. 11) of fire brick laid over the ashes.

An iron bar (a, fig. 10) was bridged across the middle of the firedoor. opening, and the remainder of the latter closed with fire brick 

(V, figs. 10 and 4) flared on the inside, a small opening (L, fig. 10) 

being left for applying the torch to the burners. Into the iron bar 

across each door was screwed the burner (K, fig, 11).

Oil enters the burner vertically through the opening (b, PL VIII) 

under control of the cock (c, PI. VIII), regulated by the handle (d, PL 

VIII, A and B.}

FIG. 11. Boiler furnace arranged for burning oil.

Steam enters the opening (e, PL VIII, A and B} and flows through 

the conical opening (f), regulated by the hand wheel (g), to meet the 

oil as the latter falls between the vertical flanges (h, B).

A third opening (i,'^L and B} in the burner draws air from the 

back of the furnace through a fire-brick duct built on top of the 

grate and connecting with the bottom- side of the latter at its rear, 

while the front end communicates with the iron pipe (M, fig. 10) connected to both burners.

A mixture of steam, oil, and heated air .is therefore blown out of 

the burner, and this is joined by the main current of air flowing up 

around the front end of the grate bars, somewhat heated by its jmssage

along the under side of the grate.

The oil was stored in an iron tank (A, fig. 10), 7 feet in diameter 

by 5 feet deep, sunk in the ground, into which the oil is emptied
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

BABBITT SYNDICATE EARTHEN OIL RESERVOIR
STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION. 165

through the pipe (C, fig. 10). The top of the tank was closed, ventilation being afforded ~by the pipe (Y, fig. 10).

A steam pump (B, fig. 10) drew oil from the tank through the 

strainer (U, fig. 10) to the burners under .a head of about 10 feet.

The pump was run constantry and delivered a surplus, which flowed 

back to the tank through the pipe (T, fig. 10).

The oil was provided with a device" (D, fig. 10) having a piston 

connecting by a chain with a cock (S, fig. 10), which automatically 

opened when the boiler was not under steam pressure, so that the 

standpipe would be emptied of oil bj7 the latter flowing to the storage 

tank,

The steam exhaust of the pump passed through the tank by the 

pipe (Z', fig. 30) and thence to the atmosphere. Thereby high cold 

test oil is kept sufficiently fluid in cold weather to flow freely into the 

strainer, but is not sensibly heated to the touch when it arrives at 

the burner.

The air entered the ash-pit tiles under the natural draft of the 

chimney, 70 feet high by 42 inches square, connecting to the boiler 

tested by a 40-inch flue about 30 feet long.

STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION.

During the earlier days of the Beaumont field the companies owning wells were seriously handicapped by the want of 'means of taking 

care of the oil or sending it to market. The immense quantity produced was unexpected and no one was prepared to handle it. The 

companies had no tankage, and consequently, although drilling was 

carried on, and even stimulated beyond all reason, the wells, as soon 

as determined to be flowing wells, were closed until such times as the 

owners could make arrangements to dispose of the oil.

The railroad companies were not in a position to furnish cars, and 

for months looked upon the fields as a sort of freak that would soon 

die, and they considered themselves hardly justified in the purchase 

of new cars to supply the demand. These roads delayed action until 

several of the larger and wealthier companies commenced purchasing 

individual cars and shipping in that way. These companies own over 

1,000 cars, and the railroads are now supplying nearly enough additional cars to meet the demand.

Pipe lines were laid to the coast at Port Arthur and Sabine Pass, 

and shipments by water were made from these ports. At present 

there are four pipe lines to Port Arthur, two to Sabine Pass, and one 

to Beaumont to connect with the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. The water shipments are mostly coastwise to New Orleans, 

Mobile, Philadelphia, and other coast harbors. Considerable quantities are also shipped to European ports by the Shell Transport and

a There is a safety device required by Western insurance rules.
166 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

Trading Company, which has two steam tank ships of 60,000 barrels 

capacity in the trade regularly.

The tankage in the field to the middle of 1902 amounted to about 

seven and a half million barrels, of which about four and a half 

million barrels were steel and nearly two million barrels earthen tanks. 

There are a few small wooden tanks scattered throughout the field, but 

these are used mostly as measuring tanks and not to any great extent 

for storage purposes.

Considerable interest is being taken in the construction of earthen 

tanks in this field, since, if satisfactory, these can be constructed at a 

much less cost than the steel structures. Some of these earthen tanks 

have nothing done to them beyond excavating to the required depth; 

others are lined with timber, and while some of them are open, others 

are covered with a light board roof. -

The capacity of the steel tanks ranges from 10,000 to 55,000 barrels, 

while the earthen tanks range from 25,000 to 350,000 barrels.

For fire'protection the steel tanks are surrounded by a moat and 

embankment, giving a storage capacity equal to the full content of 

the tank.

METHODS AND COST OF WELL DRILLING. 

ROTARY METHOD.

The rotary method of drilling is the one used almost 'exclusively in 

the Gulf Coastal Plain oil fields. This appears to be a modification 

of the Fauvelle system, invented in 1845, and used for some time in 

several of the European oil fields. It is unquestionably the most 

rapid and economical method where the formations to be penetrated 

are for the most part unconsolidated. The vast amount of drilling 

done in this field since the spring of 1901 and the keen competition 

among the drillers has brought the method and machinery to a high 

state of efficiency.

'The rotary is so entirely different from the old-fashioned cable rig 

and churn drill that it has been thought desirable to insert a brief 

account of the machinery and method.

MACHINERY AND OPERATION.

There are three styles of rotary drill in the field, differing slightly 

in details, but all working 011 the same principle. The form in most 

common use, the Chapman patent, has been taken for illustration. 

A general view of the derrick with machinery in place is shown in 

fig. 12, the rotary in PL X, A, and the hoisting and operating machinery in PI. X, B*.

The method consists essentially in rotating a vertical drill rod, 

through which a continuous stream of water is forced downward. 

The drill rod is supported by a cable passing from a hoisting drum
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. X

A. CHAPMAN ROTARY DRILL.

S. HOISTING AND OPERATING MACHINERY.
METHODS OF DRILLING. 167

over a pully at the top of the derrick and thence by block and fall to 

a swivel attached to the top of the drill rod, the descent of the latter 

being controlled by the driller by means of a feeding device. The 

lower end of the drill rod is supplied with one of several forms of bit, 

adopted to the kind of material being drilled. The material loosened 

by the rotating bit is carried upward to the surface by the water 

ascending on the outside. This ascending current of water keeps the 

hole clean and allows the drill rod to turn freely. It is essential that 

the flow of water should be continuous, and a drilling outfit is always 

supplied with two force pumps in order to avoid any danger of stopping the now. If the well has passed through a pervious stratum, 

such as a bed of loose sand, the ascending water is liable to pass into 

that stratum instead of returning to the surface. This quickly results 

in the clogging of the hole, and in order to prevent it the water which 

is pumped in is mixed with a large amount of fine clay. f>y this 

means the outlets through porous beds are sealed up, the nnconsolidated material forming the Avails of the hole is prevented from caving, 

and the water returns unimpeded to the surface.

The forms of bits most commonly used are shown in PL XI, A, B, C. 

The fish-tail bit (A) is adapted to soft materials, such as sand and 

clay. The core barrel bit (B) is better adapted for harder materials, 

such as very compact clay, indurated sand, etc. Where rock is 

encountered the ordinary bits make very slow progress, and the drilling is greatly facilitated by the use of the adamantine, or shot, drill, 

the cutting being done by a quantity of steel shot which revolve under 

the rim of the tube (C). Some drillers, in passing through hard 

rock, rig up a regular churn drill, the cable passing over a pulley at 

the top of the derrick and thence down to the engine fly wheel, where 

a turn around the crank pin gives the required lifting-and-droppiug 

motion to the drill.

AVhen everything is ready to begin operations a length of rod with 

the bit attached is made fast to the water swivel and lifted into the 

derrick. The bit and lower end of the rod are passed through the 

rotary far enough to allow the jaws to be-brought together and clamped 

so as to hold the drill rod and rotate it. The driller starts the engine 

and sets the pump in motion. As soon as the water flows freely he 

slackens the friction and allows the drill to descend.

The force of. water, which varies from. 40 pounds to 75 or 80 pounds, 

passing through the rod finds its way as jets through two holes, one 

on either side of the fish-tail bit, and washes the freshly loosened sand 

up to the surface through the space between the drill rod and the 

wall of the well. As the work progresses the driller lowers the rod 

slowly, holding it stationary or letting it descend, according to the 

character of the material through which the bit is working. From 

this time on the whole responsibility rests upon the judgment of the 

driller. The drilling crew generally consists of four men the driller,
168 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.212.

two derrick men, and the fireman ;with a corresponding night shift, 

as the work proceeds night and day.

Fro. 12. Derrick with machinery in place.

The work progresses rapidly at first, but becomes slower as the drill 

goes downward. Great care is required to keep the drill in motion
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 212 PL. XI

A. FISH-TAIL BIT.

S. CORE-BARREL BIT.

C. ADAMANTINE OR SHORT DRILL.
HKE?NEDY°] COST OF DRILLING. 169

and a sufficient supply of water passing through, as a stoppage for a 

short time often "sticks" the work, and considerable time is lost, as 

the rods and often the casing already in place have to be withdrawn 

from the well.

In starting a well, arrangements are generally made for the insertion 

of a 12-inch casing to begin with, and in boring for this size the drill 

rods are generally made of 6-inch casing with a 13^-inch bit. This 

sized bit is used to allow the collars at the joints of the 12-inch casing 

to slide past without damaging the wall of the Avell. The length of 

12-inch casing used varies from 500 to 800 feet, depending largely 

upon the nature of the ground and the skill of the driller. The hole 

is generally left open until the whole depth calculated for one string 

of casing has been drilled. This generally extends until a hard stratum is met with, upon which the casing to this depth may stand. 

When the depth has been reached, the drill is withdrawn and the 

casing set.

Following the 12-inch casing the hole is next drilled for an 8-inch 

or 9-inch casing. In either case a 10|-inch bit is used. This 9-inch 

casing has in several of the Spindletop wells been placed in the oil 

sand. After setting the 9-inch casing the drilling proceeds downward with a 6-inch casing. Occasionally a still further reduction 'to 

a 4-inch or even 2-inch becomes necessary.

COST OF DRILLING.

The drilling of the well is usually carried on by contract. Some 

few of the companies own their own outfits and drill on the company's 

account. During the earlier period of the history of the field several 

of the companies bought drilling outfits and erected the derricks. 

When new companies were rapidly springing up, it was usual to find 

the companies investing money in drilling machinery, and the alluring sentence that the work had actually been begun on the company's 

hoL : ings "by the ei-ection of a derrick" appears in many of'the prospecuises issued at that time. This was chiefly for the purpose of 

inducing people to buy stock. At that time it was also the rule of the 

company to provide the casing, the contractor finding the tools and 

doing the work. Later the contractor was generally required to furnish everything and turn over the well to the company upon its completion. The contract in proved territory usually calls for a specified 

depth, or a good flowing well if found at a less depth.

Prices vary in accordance with the conditions of the contract, but 

from $4 to $4.50 per foot may be considered as a fair average of prices 

at Beaumont after the early excitement had subsided, the contractor 

furnishing all machinery, tools, labor, etc., necessary to drill the well. 

The company usually reserved the right to accept or reject the work 

upon completion.

The average time required to drill a well in. any of the oil fields
170 OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA COASTAL PLAIN. [BULL.215}.

when no accident occurs is about two months. Several wells on 

Spindletop have been drilled in less than one month, but the greater 

number of them have occupied between two and three months. The 

work is often kept up night and day, though most of the contractors 

are content to keep the pumps at work all night without attempting 

to drill. "

FINISHING THE WELL.

When the well approaches completion, the drill rods are withdrawn 

and a gate valve fitted to the casing in such a way as to permit of a 

rapid closing of the well if desired. When the valve is in position, 

the bit is again lowered and the work proceeds until the oil sands 

have been reached and penetrated to a sufficient depth to insure a 

flow in the well. The drilling tools are then withdrawn, the water 

bailed, and the well allowed to flow. AVhen a sufficient time has 

elapsed to allow of the well cleaning itself of all loose pieces of rock 

or gravel, the valve is closed and the well shut in. None of these 

wells has been torpedoed. This method of inducing a flow was tried 

in one case on Spindletop and the only result was a ruined well.

Considerable danger accompanies the flowing and closing of a new 

well on account of the poisonous nature of the gas accompanying the 

oil flow. This gas contains a large proportion of hydrogen sulphide 

and its poisonous qualities are intensified by its being saturated with 

petroleum vapor. Petroleum vapor has the effect of rendering persons inhaling it- unconscious, and if one remains under its influence 

for any length of time death ensues. The combination of the hydrogen sulphide and petroleum vapor issuing from the wells is such as to 

render death almost instantaneous. Few fatal accidents of this kind 

have taken place at Spindletop, however, but often drillers and others 

have been overcome and but for timely assistance would have been 

killed. The only deaths resulting so far from this cause connected 

with a well is that of the Palestine and Beaumont well, when three 

men lost their lives. Owing to an accident the drill rods got fast in 

the well and when the oil flow came it could not be closed on account 

of the -rods being in the valve. To remedy this these men went into 

the derrick and attempted to unscrew the.rod, but were overpowered 

by this mixture of gas and vapor and killed before assistance could 

reach them. One of the Higgins Oil Companj^'s tank men was killed 

by the same cause when on the roof of a tank.
INDEX.

Page. 

Anse la Butte, La., well record at.......... 03

wells at .............................. 130-131

Arcadia Parish, La., geologic section in.... 64

geology of.............................. 62

Asphalt, early reference to occurrence of.. 12

in Sour Lake district................... 113

Austin County, Tex., geology of........... 32

Barber Hill, prospecting at ................ 127

Bayous, coast, character of................. 29

'Beaumont, Tex., geologic section at....... 61

geology of region....................... 32

Beaumont clays, deposition of............. 67

described............................... 27-29

occurrence of....................... 20,45,125

Beaumont district, Tex., described ....... 68-104

Big Hill, Jefferson County, Tex., well at... 126 

Big Hill, Matagorda County, Tex., geology

Of............................... 41

well at.................................. 127

Bitumen, early reference to occurrence of. 12 

Brazoria County, Tex., geology of.... 32,35-39,65

Brazos River, geologic sections on ......... 32-42

geology of region....................... 29

Bryan Heights, Tex., well at............... 127

Burkeville, Tex., geologic section at....... 57

Burkeville beds, synonym............... 22, note

Calcasieu Parish, La., geologic section in.. 64 

Calhoun County, Tex., well record in...... 34,35

Cameron County, Tex., dunes in........... 16

geology of....."......................... 17

prospecting for petroleum in........... 19

Cedar Bayou, Well record on............... 4G

Chambers County, Tex., well record in.... 61

Chicoleet, North, geologic section on ...... 31

Chocolate Bayou, geologic section on...... 32

Coastal Plain, Gulf. See Gulf Coastal Plain. 

Colniesneil, Tex., geologic sections at...... 56

Colorado County, Tex., geology of......... 32

Colorado River, geologic sections on....... 32-42

Columbia, Tex., well record near.......... 40

Columbia sands, described................. 26

deposition and erosion of .............. 66,67

occurrence of ...... 11,17,20,56-58,65,119,125

Cooks Mountain beds, occurrence of....... 20

Corpus Christi, geology at.................. IS

Cretaceous rocks, in eastern division of

Gulf Coastal Plain........... 20,23,24

Cypress, occurrence of...................... 15

Darnon Mound, geology of................. 65

well records at.......................... 35-39

Davis Hill, Tex., conditions at............. 127

Dayton Hill, Tex., well at.................. 126

well record at.......................... 46-47

Desert, of Texas............................ 16

Dewitt County, Tex., geologic section in .. 31 

Diatoms, possible source of petroleum... 108-111,

13& 

Drainage of the region ..................... 14-15

Dunes, on Gulf Coastal Plain............... 16

Duval County, Tex., geology of............ 17

prospecting for petroleum in........... 19

Edgerly, La., well near ....i............... 137

Eocene rocks, in eastern division of Gulf

Coastal Plain ................ 20,23,24

in Newton County, Tex ................ 53

in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 87 

Fayette clays, occurrence of................ 29

Fayette sands, defined ..................... 21

I occurrence of........................... 20

I 21, 31,32,42,43,49-51,54,55,57 

Flash point, discflssed................ 147-148,159-

Fleming beds, synonym ................ 22, note.

Forests, occurrence of................ 10,15,16,28

Fossils, Eocene, list of, from Beaumont0district............................ 25

list of, from Newton County, Tex ...... 53

occurrence of, in Coastal Plain gen-'

erally........................... 20

in region surrounding Spiudletop

pool............................ §7

Fossils, Miocene, occurrence of, in Coastal

Plain generally ............. 20,23-25

occurrence of, at Bayou City........... 24

in region surrounding Spindletop

pool............................ 87

Fossils,Pleistocene, occurrence of, in Coastal

Plain generally ................ 20,27

occurrence of, in region surrounding

Spindletop pool ................ 87

Fossils, Pliocene, list of, from Beaumont

district......................... '&

occurrence of, in region surrounding

Spindletop pool ................ 87

Fossils, Recent, occurrence of, in Coastal

Plain generally .......... 19,27,29,30

occurrence of, in region surrounding

Spindletop pool ................ 87

Fossils, Tertiary, list of..................... 24 

Frio clays, described .................... 22,27,43

erosion of .............................. 66

occurrence of.. 20,21,29,30,32,35,42,43,50-57 

Fuel, Texas-Louisiana petroleum as ..... 158-165

Furnace, boiler, with oil-burning equipment, sketches of............. 163,164

Galveston, Well at, depth of................ 45

well record at.......................... -4&

171
172 INDEX.

Page. 

Gas, natural, at Anse la Butte, La.......... 131

at Big Hill, Matagorda County, Tex. 41,42,127 

at Bryaii Heights,Tex.................. 127

in Coastal Plain generally.............. 154

. at Damon Mound, Tex.................. 40,42

atDavisHill, Tex...................... 127

at Dayton Hill, Tex..................... .126

at Fairchild Hill, Tex .................. 4S

at Hackb rry Island, La ............... 133

at High Island, Tex.................. 122,123

at Kiser Hill, Tex ...................... 125

in Sabine Parish, La.................... 55

near Sabine Pass, Tex.................. 113

in Sour Lake district................. 113,116

at Tilden, Tex .......................... 18

at Velasco, Tex......................... 41,42

Geologic history of Coastal Plaint...... 66-67.145

Gravels at base of Columbia beds.......... 62-65

impediment to well drilling............ 65

Gravity, specific, of various petroleums... 146-147 

Grimes County, Tex., geology of........... 43

Guadalupe River, geologic sections on..... 30-32

Gulf 'Coastal Plain, defined ................. 10,13

eastern division, geology of............ 19-30

origin of................................ 11-12

subdivisions of......................... 15

topography of.......................... 10-15

western division, geology of........... 16-19

prospecting for petroleum in....... 19

Hackberry Island, La., wells at.......... 131-133

Hardin County, Tex., well records in ...... 59,60

Harris County, Tex., geology of............ 45

Hidalgo County, Tex., dimes in ........... 16

geology of.............................. 17

High Island, geology of.................. 122-125

sketch contour map of ................. 123

well record at.......................... 124

History, geologic, of Coastal Plain..... 66-67,145

Hornbeck, La., geologic section at........." 53

Houston, Tex., geology of region.......... 32

Houston County, Tex., geology of.......... 49

Huntsville, Tex., M'ell record at........... 45

Illuminating oil, suitability of Gulf coast

petroleum for .................. 157

Irish Creek, geologic section on............ 31

Iron, precipitate of, mistaken for petroleum ........................... 45

Islands, coast, occurrence of............... 42

origin of................................ 11

Jasper County, Tex., geology of............ 49,51

Jefferson County, Tex., geologic section in. 61 

Jennings district, La., geology of .......... 127

map of.................................. 12S

wells in, list of......................... 130

Keys, along coast........................... 42

origin of................................ 11

ICiser Hill district, described............... 125

well record in.......................... 40

Lafayette sands, described................. 26

deposition a-nd erosion of .............. 66

occurrence of ............. 11,20,44,56,65,125

Lagoons, along coast....................... 42

Lake Charles, La., geology of.............. 28

well record at.......................... 136

Liberty County Tex., geology of...'........ 45

Lignite, occurrence .of................... 20,51,87

Page. 

Little Sandy Creek, geologic section on.... 51

Live Oak County, Tex., geology of......... 17

Logs of wells. See Wells, records of.

McMuUen County, Tex., geology of........ 17

Magnolia, occurrence of..................... 15

Maltha, early reference to occurrence of... 12 

Marshes, coast.............................. 29,42

interior.......................:......... 28

salt..................................... 60

Matagorda Bay, geology of region.......... 34,35

Medanos, on Gulf Coastal Plain:........... 16

Mesquite, distribution of................... 15

Miocene rocks, in eastern division of Coastal

Plain ........ 1.!.......... 20,23,24,26

in western division of Coastal Plain.... 17

between Brazos and Trinity rivers..... 44

in region surrounding Spindletop Pool. 87 

Montgomery County, Tex., geology of..... 43,44

Mount Selman beds, occurrence of......... 20

Neches River, geology of region ........ 28,48-61

Neocene rocks in eastern division of Gulf

Coastal Plain ................... 20,24

New Iberia Parish, La, geology of.......... 62

Newton County, Tex., geologic section in . 57 

geology of.............................. 49,51

Nueces River Valley, geology of............ 17

Oak, occurrence of......................... 15,16

O'Connorsport, Tex., well record at........ 34,35

Oil. See Petroleum.

Oil ponds, Sabine Pass ................... 104-112

Oligoceue rocks in eastern division of

Coastal Plain................... 23

Orange County, Tex., geology of........... 28,32

Perry ville, geology of region............... 31

Petroleum at Anse la Butte, La ........... 63,131

at Damon Mound, Tex.............. 37,38,40

at Hackberry Island, La................ 133

at High Island, Tex .................. 124,125

in Jennings district, La., quality of.... 129

list of wells producing ............. 130

at Kiser Hill, Tex ...................... 125

in minor Louisiana districts.......... 135-137

in minor Texas districts.............. 125-127

in Sabiue Parish, La................... 55,113

at Saratoga, Tex........................ 59,60

at Sour Lake, Tex .................... 116-118

at Sulphur, La........................ 133,135

at Vinton, La........................... 135

conditions of accumulation of, discussed ........................ 140-145

diatoms as possible source of..... 108-111,138

distillation of, discussed.............. 150-153

early references to .................... 12,113

effects of inhaling vapor of.............. 170

geologic source of...................... 23,25

iron precipitate mistaken for .......... 45

oil ponds of Sabine Pass.............. 104-112

origin of, discussed........... 108-111,137-140

pressure in wells, discussed.......... 154-157

producing districts, list of.............. 68

producing rock, nature of, in Jennings

district, La..................... 129

in Spindletop pool................. 70-71

relation to salt water................... 119

Texas-Louisiana, chemical properties

of............................. 148-154
INDEX. 173

Page.

Petroleum, Texas-Louisiana, physical properties of ...................... 146-148

Texas-Louisiana, utilization of"....... 157-166

wells producing, in Jennings district, .

La.............................. 130

at Spindletop....................... 77-85

See also Structure, geologic; Beaumont

district; Saratoga district, etc. 

Pimpled plains, described.................. 49

Pine, occurrence of......................... 15

Pine Island Bayou, geology of............. 28

Plateau gravels, occurrence of............. 65

Pleistocene rocks, Columbia sands......... 27

at base of Columbia beds............... 65

in eastern division of Coastal Plain.... 20

near San Diego......................... 17

in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 87 

Pliocene rocks, in eastern division of Gulf

Coastal Plain................ 20,25,26

in western division of Gulf Coastal

Plain........................... 17,18

between Brazos and Trinity rivers..... 44

in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 87 

Polk County, Tex., geologic sections in.... 50,52

geology of....'.......................... 49,52

well record in .......................... 54

Port Arthur, well record near.............. 112

Port Arthur-Sabine Pass district.described 104-113 

prospecting in........................ 112-113

Port Hudson clays, occurrence of........ 17,27,29

Recent rocks, in eastern division of Gulf

Coastal Plain ................... 19,29

in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 87 

Reynosa limestone, occurrence of....... 17,18,41

Rockland, Tex., geologic section at......... 50

Sabine Parish, La., well in................. 137

well record in.......................... 55

Sabine Pass, map of, showing oil ponds.... 105

well record near........................ 113

Sabiuc River, geologic sections near....... 48-61

geology of region ...'.............. 28,29,49,58

St. Martins Parish, La., geology of.......... 62

St. Marys Parish, La., geology of........... 62

Salt, conditions of accumulation of ...... 143,144

at Arise la Butte, La................... 63,131

at Danion Mound, Tex................. 36,37

at Dayton Hill, Tex .:.............. 46-47,126

at High Island, Tex.................... 122

at Sabine Pass .......................... 113

in Sal del Rey region................... 17

at Spindletop........................... 72

in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 87 

near Tilclen, Tex ....................... IS

Salt licks and salt marshes................. 60

Salt water, relation to oil ................... 119

San Jacinto County, Tex., geology of...... 43,64

Saratoga district, history and geology of. 119-122 

map showing........................... 114

well records in .................... 59,120-121

Sea wax, described......................... Ill

Section, geologic, general, eastern division

of Gulf Coastal Plain ........... 19-20

general, Pleasanton to Palito Blanco .. 18 

Beaumont district...................... 25

Frio beds, between Brazos and Trinity

rivers........................... 43

San Jacinto County, Tex........... 43

Paj;e. 

Section, geologic, Guadalupe River......... 30,31

Jefferson County, Tex., at Beaumont.. 61 

Little Sandy Creek ..................... 51

Neches and Sabine rivers .............. 48-61

Newton County, Tex................... 57

Polk County, Tex ........'........... 50,52,54

Rockland, Tex......................... 50

Tyler County, Tex ..................... 56,57

Vernon Parish, La., at Hornbeck ...... 53

Section, sketch, of Spiudletop pool......... 73

Sour Lake district, geology of............ 113-119

maps of............................... 114,115

prospecting in.......................... 114

well records in ....................... 116,117

Specific gravity of various petroleums ... .146-147

Spindletop pool, geology of................ 69-77

gravels at............................... 64-65

limits of................................ 69

producing wells in, list of.....'......... 77-85

sketch section of....................... 73

well records at......................... 74-77

region surrounding, geology of........ 85-102

map of.............................. 8G

dry and abandoned wells in, list 

of .............................. 103-104

well records in .................... 87-102

Spring Hill, La., well at ................... 136

Starr County, Tex.-, dunes in............... 16

geology of.............................. 17

Stillson, Tex., well record at............... 47

Storage of oil............................. 105-166

Structure, geologic, of petroleum beds ..... 142,

144-145 

theoretical, of oil pool, sketch of....... 157

of Coastal Plain....................... 113-145

of High Island, Tex .................... 125

of Spindletop........................... 72-74

of Sour Lake district................... 118

of Sulphur, La ......................... 134

Sulphur, in various petroleums .......... 149-150

in water and clay ...................... 17,18

at Damon Mound, Tex................. 36-38

at High Island, Tex.................... 122

at Spindletop........................... 71

in region surrounding Spindletop pool. 87 

at Sulphur, La ....................... 133-135

Sulphur, La., wells at.................... 133-135

Tertiary rocks, occurrence of .............. 23,65

Texas State Geological Survey, cited ...... 11

Timber, occurrence of................ 10,15,16,28

Topography of the region, general......... 10-15

Transportation of oil..................... 105-166

Trinity River, geology of region ..... 28,29,49,58

Tyler County, Tex., geologic sections in ... 56,57 

geology of.............................. 49,64

Uvalde formation, occurrence of........... 05

Valcla, Polk County, Tex., well record at .. 54 

Vermilion Parish, La., geology of....... 28,29,62

Vernon Parish, La., geologic sections in... 53,04 

Victoria County, Tex., well record in...... 33

Village Creek, Tex., geology of region ..... 58

Vinton, La., well record at .................. 135

Walker County, Tex., geology of........... 44

Waller County, Tex., geology of ........... 43,44

Warren, Tex., geologic sections at ......... 57

Water, hot, from wells at High Island, Tex. 122 

hot, from well at Saratoga, Tex........ 60
174 INDEX.

Page. 

Water, in artesian wells............ 18,87,118,122

salt, relation to petroleum.............. 119

Wax, sea, described ...................:.... Ill

Wells, drilling of.......................... 166-170

drilling of, impeded by gravel......... . 65

artesian, on the Colorado and Brazos.. 33 

at Beaumont, possible.............. 87

at High Island, Tex................ 122

in Nueces County, Tex............. 18

at Sour Lake, Tex.................. 118

hot-water.............................. 60,122

list of, in Jennings district, La ......... 130

in Spindletop pool ................. 77-85

dry and abandoned, in region surrounding Spindletop......... 103-104

pressure in, discussed ................ 154-157

records of, at Anse la Butte, La....... 63,130

in Arcadia Parish, La .............. 64

in Calcasieu Parish, La............. 64

in Calhoun County,-Tex., at O'Connorsport........................ 34,35

% on Cedar Bayou.................... 46

in Chambers County, Tex., at Winnie ............................. 61

at Damon Mound, Tex............. 37-39

at Dayton Hill, Tex ................ 46-47

at Galveston,Tex................... 48

at Hackberry Island, La............ 132

in Hardin County, Tex............. 59,60

Page. 

Wells, records of, at Huiitsville, Tex ....... 45

records of, at Kiser Heights, near Columbia, Tex......................:. 40

at Lake Charles, La ................ 136

in Liberty County, Tex............. 46,47

in Polk County, Tex., at Valda .... 54

at Port Arthur, Tex ................ 112

in Sabine Parish, La ............... 55

at Sabine Pass...................... 113

at Saratoga, Tex.................. 120,121

in Sour Lake district............. 116,117-

at Spindletop....................... 74-77

in region surrounding Spindletop

pool........................... 87-104

atStillson, Tex...................... 47

at Sulphur, La ................... 133-135

in Tyler County, Tex............... 57

in Vermilion Parish, La............ 64

at Victoria, Tex .................... 33

at Vinton, La........................ 135

Welsh, La., well at......................... 136

Wharton County, Tex., geology of......... 32

Wills Point clays, occurrence of............ 20

Winnie.Tex., well nt....................... 126

well record near........................ 61

Wood, deeply buried, in region surrounding

Spindletop Pool................ 87

Woods, presence of................... 10,15,16,28

Yegua clays, occurrence of................. 20,51

o
PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

[Bulletin No. 212.]

The serial publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) 

Annual Reports, (2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) 

Mineral Resources, (6) Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers, (7) Topographic 

Atlas of the United States folios and separate sheets thereof, (8) Geologic Atlas 

of the United-States folios thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold at 

cost of publication; the others are distributed free. A circular giving complete 

lists may be had on application.

The Bulletins, Professional Papers, and Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety 

of subjects, and the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified into the following series: A, Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, 

Systematic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; li, Forestry; I, Irrigation; 

J, Water storage; K, Pumping water; L, Quality of water; M, General hydrographic investigations; N, Water power; 0, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic 

progress reports. This bulletin is the twenty-third in Series A, the complete list of 

which follows. (B=Bulletin, PP=Professional Paper.)

SERIES A, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY.

B 21. Lignites of Great Sioux Reservation: Report on region between Grand and Mbreau rivers,

Dakota, by Bailey Willis. 1885. 16 pp., 5 pis. 

B 46. Nature and'origin of deposits of phosphate of lime, by R. A. F. Penrose, jr.-, with introduction

by N. S. Shaler. 1888. 143pp. (Out of stock.) 

B 65. Stratigraphy of the bituminous coal field of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, by

I.C. White. 1891. 212pp., 11 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 111. Geology of Big Stone Gap coal field of Virginia and Kentucky, by M. R. Campbell. 1893. 106

pp., 6 pis.

B 132. The disseminated lead ores of southeastern Missouri, by Arthur Winslow. 1896. 31 pp. 

B 138. Artesian-well prospects in Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Darton. 1896. 228 pp., 19 pis.

(Out of stock.) 

B 139. Geology of Castle Mountain mining district, Montana, by AV. H. Weed and L. V. Pirsson. 1896.

164 pp., 17 pis.

B 143. Bibliography of clays and the ceramic arts, by J. C. Branner. 1896. 114 pp. 

B 164. Reconnaissance on the Rio Graiide coal fields of Texas, by T. W. Vaughan, including a report

on igneous rocks from the San Carlos coal field, by E. C. E. Lord. 1900. 100 pp., 11 pis. 

B 178. El Paso tin deposits, by W. H. Weed. 1901. 15 pp., 1 pi. 

B 180. Occurrence and distribution of corundum in United States, by J. H. Pratt. 1901. 98 pp.,

14 pis. 

B182. A report on the economic geology of the Silverton quadrangle, Colorado, by F. L. Ransome.

1901. 206 pp., 16 pis. . (Out of stock.) n 

B 184. Oil and gas fields of the western Interior and northern Texas Coal Measures and of the Upper

Cretaceous and Tertiary of the western Gulf coast, by G. I. Adams. 1901. 64 pp., 10 pis.

(Out of stock.) 

B 193. The geological relations and distribution of platinum and associated metals, by J. F. Kemp.

1902. 95pp., 6 pis. (Out of stock.)

B 198. The Berea grit oil sand in the Cadiz quadrangle, Ohio, by W. T. GriswcJd. 1902. 43 pp., 1 pi. 

PP 1. Preliminary report on the Ketchikan mining district, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of

the geology of southeastern Alaska, by Alfred Hulse Brooks. 1902. 120 pp., 2 pis. 

B 200. Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death Valley and Mohave Desert, by M. R. Campbell.

1902. 23 pp., 1 pi.

B 202. Tests for gold and silver in shales from western Kansas, by WaldemarLindgren. 1902. 21pp. 

PP 2. Reconnaissance of the northwestern portion of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, by A. J. Collier.

1902. 70pp., 11 pis. 

PP 10. Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, by way of Dall, Kanuti, Alien,

and Kowak rivers, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1902. 68 pp., 10 pis.

PP 11. Clays of the United States east of the Mississippi River, by Heinrich Ries. 1903. 298 pp., 9 pis. 

PP 12. Geology of the Globe copper district, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1903. 168 pp., 27 pis. 

B212. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain, by C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy.

1903. 174 pp., 11 pis.

LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS.

[Mount each slip upon a separate card, placing the subject at the top of the 

second slip. The name of the series should not be repeated on the series 

card, but add the additional numbers, as received, to the first entry.]

Hayes, C[harles] Wpllard].

. . . Oil fields of the .Texas-Louisiana gulf coastal 

g plain, by C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy. . Wash- 

| ington, Gov't print, off., 1903.

174, iii p. xi pi. incl. maps, 12 fig. 23£om. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Bulletin no. 212.)

"Examination of mud from Gulf of Mexico, by H. J. Turner": p. 107- 

111.

Subject series A, Economic geology, 23.

Hayes, C[harles] Wpllard].

. . . Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana gulf coastal 

^ plain, by C. W. Hayes and William Kennedy. Wash1" ington, Gov't print, off., 1903.

174, iii p. xi pi. incl. maps, 12 fig. 23$om. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Bulletin no. 212.)

"Examination of mud from Gulf of Mexico, by H. J. Turner": p. 107- 

111.

Subject series A, Economic geology, 23.

U. S. Geological survey.

Bulletins.

| no. 212. Hayes, C. W. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana gulf coastal plain, by C. W. Hayes and 

W. Kennedy. 1903.

U. S. Dept. of the Interior.

s

o>s - see also

« U. S. Geological survey.

in 

Bull. 212 03 12