Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-10-07
A Few Facts About Oil.

Fernando District, and when this has
been dispelled by a personal inspec-
ton they are still sceptical of the ex.
istence of the article in paying guam
titles. The theories concerning the
origin of this oil are as various as they
are unsatisfactory, while the geology
of the regions where it is produced i:
tolerably well known. The first fala-
cy we will notice, is that there is 9
distinctive oil-bearing rock. Second
that unless the same stratification oc.
ours as in Pennsylvania, it is useless to
bore for oil here. We will examine
them together. In Canada the ma.
jority of the wells are sunk to what is
there known as the Hamiltonian
Shales, overlying the Devonian lime.
stone, (corniferous) many of these
shales are bitumous, and have led to
expensive searches for coal, though
lying far below the coal measures
The limestone in this and the upper
oil region of Pennsylvania, are also
impregnated with oil or bitumen sup.
posed to be derived from marine
plants. From these shales and lime.
stones the oil exudes and reservoirs
are formed in the strata below, which
may be of any kind of rock. In Can
ada in the shales, in Pennsylvania
generally in sandstone, which is not
an oil producing rock, while at Kis
Keminetas, twenty-eight miles above
Pittsburgh on the Allegheny river
and on the upper Monongahela, it is
found in the lower coal measures. The
wells of Pennsylvania are sunk to the
top of the Devonian series, while
those of Ohio and West Virginia run
through the coal measures which
overlie the Devonian. In the United
States these oil bearing stratas
range from nine to twelve or fif-
teen hundred feet in thickness.
The oil of these differen regions differ
considerable in color, smell, properties
and specific gravity; so, also, do wells
in the same district within few
miles of each other, and at different
depths in the same well. That of
Canada is dark, almost black some
times, and has a strong disagreeable
odor, which is difficult to get rid of.
That of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Vir-
ginia varies from a dark green to am
ber color. With all these differences
there is q general resemblance, all be-
ing refined into Illuminating oils,
naptha, benzine, paraffine and other
resulting products. Now, the indica-
tions of these reservoirs in every in
stance have been oil, naptha, asphal-
tum or bitumen springs, either alone
or in connection with water. In the
first case where the rocks crop out and
are exposed to the atmosphere or are
near the surface; in the latter, where
they are at greater depths. When ex-
posed it becomes oxygenated and vola.
tized, forming asphalt, which finally
hardens into the commercial article
the substance called Barbados tar is
simply petroleum from which the
more volatile portions have escaped.
So that the presence of any of these
substances is conclusive as to the exist
ence of oil. Even in the oldest por-
ton of the producing oil regions it is
impossible to tell what quantity will
be procured in any given place; and
where there are no surface indications
the territory must be tested by drill
ing one or more wells. These springs
are formed generally by the pres
sure of gas forcing the oil up
through the crevices, and where
the stratas are much broken, we are
naturally led to expect greater num-
ber than elsewhere. Such is the case
in the San Fernando mountains,
which have been thrown up, leaving
the strata at every angle of inclina-
ton, and the springs can be traced fol
great distances along the line of the
crevices, and we have not only asphal-
tum and 6rea, but genuine petroleum
of the best quality. The topmost shale
crops out in places, and some fine
specimens were sent into this city
lately, as they were supposed to be in
dications of coal, as were the New
York shales in Cataraugus county.
Here then are all the indications to
be desired, and more of them than in
any other district in the United States
with all the facility for easy access
and successful working, except tools
and machinery, which are easily sup
piled. Taking into consideration the
extensive market afforded by the Pa.
citic Coast, with South America, China
and Japan, and the scarcity of fuel
throughout this section, the prospects
for the development of great indus.
try and lucrative traffic, certainly ap.
pear most flattering.