The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-07-07
NATURAL GAS WELLS.
SHUTTING THE sUPPlY powN
To Prevent Wastsful blowing on at ths
wells--sons Interesting Devices Employ.
cd Mt the Wells Tho Wheeling Com
papy's Operations Pipe Laying,

The Natural Gas Company Of West Viz
GINA yesterday commenced laying four
inch pipe on Ohapline street, north Of
Eleventh. This square Is to be paved
with Are brick, and the brick are already
on the ground, The Company's pipe runs
down the west side Of the street, Work
Is also progressing on this compsny's line
in North Wheeling,
The Wheeling Natural Gas Company
has eight or more squares Of pipe laid in
the Fourth ward, and the testing is still
In progress, This company's line is laid
out from the river about Ave miles and
about four miles westward from the east
end, There are about four miles laid on
the other side Of the river The company
expects to have gas here about the middle
Of August,
In addition TO the three wells Of the
Wheeling company which have recently
come Ia big gRssers In the Hickory field,
they have three more which will be In
inside Of thirty days. They have well,
the HARRISON No. 5, well under way, drill'
ing having commenced about two weeks
ago, the derrick up for HARRISON No, 9,
aud three more wells located, making
eleven wells in all which promise to be
500 Founders without exception.
Secretary Williams, OF the Wheeling
Gas Company, came down last night, he
says the famous Lone Pine well got the
pebbles on Monday, and the dillers were
delighted by q showing ofoll, They shut
down aud sent forthe owners, Yesterday
drilling was resumed, but instead Of find
ing the sand beneath the pebble, as alwayl
has been the case, slate was encountered
The company will endeRYor TO utilize the
gas from the upper vein by shutting Oh
the salt water, This ia q difficult under
taking, but the experiment will be tried
Of forcing a very dry wooden plug down
through the water, q hole being bored In
the middle to lot the water pass up. This
will swell at the bottom and fill the hole
and the bailer will then be- let down full
Of cement, which will flow out and set
thus eIectually shutting out the water
and leaving dry hole for the upper Vein
Of gas,
Inc Wheeling company, Mr.. Williams
says, proposes TO shut OH the gas at III
wells to prevent waste. The wells are
Cased down 600 feet with 81 inch casing
Below this inch casing runs down l,40C
feet, and inside OF this larger pips from
the top OF the hole to the bottom-about
1900 feet-a four inch standard pipe Ia
inserted.
To shut of the. water absolutely and al
the same time furnish casing which will
stand the enormous pressure OF the con.
fined gas Is problem which has been
solved in different ways. This company
will try q new plan. Shot Is dropped
down the hole outside the four inch pipe.
A thousand pounds is put In each hole
and on top Of this hydraulic cement Ii
poured. This sets firmly, and affords a
wall practically US solid as tho eternal
rock. The gas Is then confined by a gate
at the mouth.
Difficulty was experienced in getting
the shot down the hole, the flow OF gas
being so strong 1t blew the shot into the
air. This was overcome by device Eug-
geated by Superintendent Ross. A stand
ing pipe, six feet high, connected with the
space about the iour.lnCh pipe, Is fur.
lished with valves at the top and bot.
tom. The lower valve being closed, the
pipe Is filled with shot; the upper
valve Is then closed, and the lower
valve being opened, this mass OF shot
meets with no resistance from the con.
fined gas and falls at once to the bottom oil
the hole.
The old adage that Necessity is the
mother OF invention" was never 30 forcl.
bly, illustrated as since natural gas came
into use. New difficulties are daily over.
come by new devices.
Tn. Csntrnl MI Wells.