The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-10
PETROLEUM WELLS.
HOW THEY ARE LOCATED AND
WORKED.
Testing New Territory by the "Belt
Theory" Erecting a Derrick
Above the Well-hOle-Boring
for Oil-Use of Torpedoes.

Prospectors in selecting promising
spot to test new territory are often in
huenced by "belt theory" first ad-
vanced by man named Angel. In
general way his idea has been verified
by experience. It proceeded upon the
hypothesis that oil lies in belts or pools
having northeast and southwest trend,
sometimes called the "forty-tive degree
line" In districts known to be oil-bear-
ing the wells are frequently located near
the boundary of the owners property.
The object is to drain as much of his
neighbors oil as possible, for there are
no partitions in the subterranean chambers
corresponding to the lines of surface
ownership. The driller's motto is 'frst
come, first served" hence there is gener-
ally a race to see who shall first tap ma
ture's till.
When the exact spot for the well has
been determined upon, a well-hole IS dug
about fifteen feet in depth, and if solid
rock is not reached, a wrought iron pipe
eight to twelve inches in diameter is
driven down to it. Above this is erected
the "derrick,"a a pyramidal structure OF
heavy timbers, generally seventy-two feet
in height. At each side is located tif-
teen to twenty-horse power engine, which
operates walking beam to which is at
tached heavy cable and the drilling ap-
paratus.
This consists of four parts. The up
per one is called the "sinker bar" about
eighteen fleet in length; next come the
Jars" seven feet in length; then the
"auger-stem, about thirty feet long, of
three and ne-fourth inch cold rolled
steel; and finally, at the end Of this is
"bit'' three feet in length. Thus
equipped, steam is turned on, and the
ponderous weight of 1900 to 5000
bounds, alternately raised and dropped,
as in pile-driver, drives the bit into the
rock at the average rate of sixty to one
hundred feet daily. After drilling
for some time the tools are hoisted
and fresh bit is inserted. Mean
while a "sand pump" Or "bailer,"
cylindrical tube with valves opening in
ward, is dropped down the hole to re-
move detritus or water. A "casing" is
fitted snugly to the walls of the well to
keep out the water; and when it is neces-
sary to pump the oil, the we'll is tubed.
The tube is about two inches in diane
ter, around which rubber packer is in
serted Just above the oil and gas bear
ing rock. This cuts off the escape of the
gas, forcing it up through the tube, and
causing the we'll to flow. The bore of
the we'll varies from eight to six inches,
and its depths varies with the geological
formation, averaging perhaps 1900 to
1900 feet, and sometimes reaching
2,500.
The cost of a we'll naturally depends
upon its location, dcpth and character
of rock. The owner generally erects
the derrick, engine, and tank, at an aver
ace expense of $1,000, and then con-
tracts with driller to furnish the tools
and sink the we'll. This charge will
probably average sixty cents per foot.
it is perhaps safe to say that wells in the
larger fields average in cost from 81, 500
to $4,000. ,
Torpedoes, which were first introduced
about 1865, were received with distrust,
but are now in general use, and have be-.
come a necessary part of the equipment of
a well. They are cylindrical tubes, vary
ing in size, but generally eight inches IN
length and four in diameter, containing
fluid nitro-gIycerine. These torpedoes
are carefully lowered into the wells and
exploded by dropping a twenty-pound
cast iron weight upon them from above.
The explosion skaters the wall, giving a
greater exposure of surface to draw Oh
from, thus stimulating the Wslls wei , ana I'm. IN,
treatment hastens the exhaustion of a
we'll, it is believed by many that the
amount of oil obtained exceeds what
would be otherwire procured. At first
only five or six quarts of nitro-glycerine
were introduced, but now it is no unus.
ual thing to employ 12O to 200 quarts OF
glycerine, equal to 3, 24O to 5,4O0 pounds
Of gunpowder.- .-Harper's Magazine.