The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-09-14

lation to the probable existence of oil along
ahe h western escarnment or slope OF the ALE,
our apology for again calling attention to the
SUBJECT. In the hrst place, we contend that
J the researches and discoveries of ReOlOgSts
/ :orm the only reliable basis upon which it is
safe to make cacu le.ions bearing upon the
subject OF mineral oil. especially when financial
economy is a matter TO te kept in view. There
was time when geology amounted to not hing,
hcnding practical knowledge of the different
rocks that enfoid what was ouce the granite
comprehensive description Of the rock
strata will give the reader an idea of the gener-
The solid, unstratified granite is the founda-
fion OF the whole rock series. The Pneiss rocks
, rest upon the graDiti and form the base which
/ sustains the great paispozoic column, in which
/ is found the history of all operations in nature
since the first germ OF animal life appeared on
the earth. Geoio9ists of this State classify the
rocks above the gneiss, us Primal tsandstone),
( 500 to 1O,ON0 feet thick Aurorai CimeStOne). L.
/ COO to 4OOOs Matinal fslates and HmestOnes),
800 10 1900; Levant twhte sandstones), 200 to2.-
$50; Surgent (red sha es). eco to ZOO; Scaent.
LOCO 1900: Meridian (sandstone), 500 to 1.500
Post Mer6ian and Cadent (back states. etc.. L.
UJ0 to 100; Nergent (Shaies and SandstODes), =
I 200 to 5000: Ponent jred sandstones,, nothing
! 10 5000: Ncrpertine Cwhiie sandstonesl, zoo To
/ Serial course conglonierate) 10 to LOCO feet
I thick. Above the conglomerate. are the coal
measures, from 500 to $500 feet. The Paltcosoic
strata includes the Cambrian, Siiurian, Devon
/ ian and Carbonferous formations, so named 10y
! the of this State, ranging in thickness
} from $1,000 feet iE the eastern anthracite re-
: gICnS, to IU,WW feet the extreme southwest
! ern part of the State.
| 1t is now generally conceded that oil or hydro
/ cal rbon has been formed by the condensation
| OF gas from the interior OF the earth, and the
most important inquiry with us is in relation
to It's location and pr16ss!e depth Firs' WE
/ does not condense into oil, but remains in its
primal state and WHEN it approachrs the sur.
Face II escapes in the atmosphere. During the
! formation of coal all The surface gas is sup
posed 10 have combine With the coal:
Ir regard to the most favorable depth for
obtaining oil, 400 feet is considered the mini
mum, and 1000 feet for the maximum depth
! below the surface. To say that the existence
! of any particular sand rock is necessary To the
! formation or accumuiatton of, oil; is theory
thar will som he exploded. In the kanaw ha
region, the heavy oils are found Immediately
rock, Is found a wedge shaped stratum of lime
stone several hundred feet thick. and below
this is found the next oil rock, but being t'fo
! deep for oil it yields nothing but gas; But in
the oil fields of this State, the cong lotierate
rock is frequently cut through 10y the streams,
aud being too near the surface TO admit CT the
formation OF oil operators there find il neces@
sary to bore down TO the second, third and
fourth sand rocks, the latter corresponding
with The gas bearing rock of kanawha.
In this region the coarse c"Ugiouerate does
not quite rcnch the surface, excepting along
its up-Ifited edge on the summit of the muun-
tain and in mountain ravines. From this fact
It Is almost certain that III some paris OF tlFar-
/ field county oil can be found by simply hpTlHg
through the conglomernte and into tn u">1
sani rock. by boring still deeper. arr rock
sufficiently close in grain or texture Hu' with
in 2.G0 feet of the surface would undoubtedly
produce oil Of light quality.
There is only one theory that operates against
the oil prospects of This region and that is. be-
ing very close TO the edge OF the broken strata,
it is argued that the oil rock has been dried .y
evaporation. The force OF this argument is ir-
resisable. within certain limits. But il is known
that dry rock, in the vicini,y of oil. does not
extend tar In any direction. Aside from this,
are certain tha: the breaking of the rock
strata and uplifting OF the mountain. and the
limesi one at its base, Were caused by super
abundance of gas, act ed upon by internal heat.
This being admired. il is scarcely possible that
such an immense oody of oil making gas could
have escaped without leaving enough to satur-
the adjoining rocks. It has been estimated
that the expansive force necessary TO break
the compact strata. uplirt the limestone, and
elevate the mountain range, could not have
been less than 100000 pounds TO the square inch
opnning throughout the whole basin.
The so-cH He'd oil sand is rock of fine grain
sufficiently close to have prevented rhe issuing
of gas. and although it may he thoroughly
saturated with oil. the reservoirs are under,
and n ot in the rock, as many suppose solid
sand rock cannot produce oil in quantity uut1i
Il creVicc is struck.
Comparing a number of geological reports in
the order that we happen to find Them we com
mence with Illinois. where the couglonerate
has a mea Snrinent nf BOO feet with the oil rock
located SO feet below it. The oil rock being
100feet thick, the depth from top Of congomer
ate to bottom OF oil rock, is l,250 feet. In the
western oil fields of Pennsylvania, cong lomer-
are very thin and OIL rock from loo to $50
feet below the surface. Broad Top region,
conglomerate 100 feet thick. and 2,50O above
deepest oil sand. Missouri. congiomerate 200
feet thick. and distance to oil rock 1000 feet
~, Pa, conglomerate 80 feet thick, and oil
rock varying from so to LOGO feet under the
feet below the surface. Northwestern Penn
sylvania, average distance between conglomcr
ate ard oil rock, l,0,D feet.
In Daddaw Bannan's geology II is stated
that. the most aVHiiahie regions of petroleum
in the Allegheny coal field, will be found
where the Devonian rocks are most accessible,
and perhaps in greater quantities along their
eastern margins than on their western out
crops. Within certain portions OF the coal
field. petroleum may be found in available
quantities in wells $40 or 200 feet deep. or just
beneath the milestone grit {cOnvlomcrate)
and at lower geological levels~-say from lower
FreepOrt seam. or even from the great seam Ot
Karthsus (CIearticld county)-thc upper oils
may be. and in fact are, found productive at
less depth More oil may be expected frO'n
the second than the first formation OF oil fockS-
The first formation exists from LOO to 400 feet
below the coal measures, and the seCoDO about
1000 feet below these measures when the car
hOnferous limestones do not exist. but where
they do exist il is about 800 feet bet ween the
coal and the oil, The formation must not tie
too near the surface, or but little oil will be
struck: too deep. or nothing hut gas will
be found For This brief hut important quo
tation refer to page Go OF Daddow * Ban
non IS Coal, Itpt aud OIL.