Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-02-23
PETROLEUM WELLS.
Tho Selection and First Tapping OF Prom
lslng Spots.

Prospectors in selecting promising
Ipot to test new territory arc often in
auenced by a "belt theory, first ad-
vanced by man named Angel. In a
general way his idea has been verified
oy experience. II proceeded upon the
hypothesis that oil lies in belts or pools
having q northeast and southwest
trend, sometimes called the "forty-five
degree line" In districts known to be
oil-bearing the wells are frequently To-
GATED near the boundary of the owners
property. The object is to urain as
much of his neighbours oil as possible,
for there are no partitions In the sub
terrancan chambers corresponding
to the lines Of surface ownership. The
driller's motto Is "lirst come, first
served" hence there is generally a
race TO see who shall first tap natures
till.
When the exact spot for the we'll has
been determined upon, a well-hole Is
dug about fifteen feet in depth, and il
solid rock is not reached, wrought
iron pipe eight to twelve inches in
diameter is driven down to it. Above
this Is erected the "derrick", a pyramid
al structure OF heavy timbers, generally
sevcnty-two feet in height. At each
side is located q fifteen 10 twenty horse
power engine, which operates a walk
ing-beam 10 which is attached u heavy
cable and the drilling apparatus.
This consists OF four parts. The up
per one is called the "sinker-barh,
about eighteen feet in length; next
come the Jars, sew, \ feet in length;
then the "auger-stem", about thirty
feet long, OF three and one-quarter 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 two thousand
to three thousand pounds, alternately
raised aud dropped, as in a pile-driver,
drives the bit into the rock at tho av-
erage rate Of sixty to one hundred feet
daily. After drilling for some time the
tools are hoisted and fresh bit Is in
serted. Meanwhile "sand pump" or
''bailcr", cylindrical tube with valves
opening inward, is dropped down the
hole to remove detritus or water. A
leasing" is fitted snugly to the walls
OF the well TO keep out the water; and
when 1t is necessary TO pump the oil,
the well is tubed. The tube Is about
two inches in diameter, around which
rubber packer is inserted just above
the oil and gas bearing rock. This
cuts on the escape of the gas, forcing
II up through the tube, and causing the
well TO flow. The bore of the well va
ries from eight to six inches, and its
depth varies with the geological for
nation, averaging perhaps twelve hun
dred to fifteen hundred feet, and some-
times reaching twenty-five hundred.
The cost Of u well naturally depends
upon its location, depth and character
OF rock. The owner generally erects
the derrick, engine and tank, at an
average expense of fifteen hundred dol
lars, and then contracts with driller
to furnish the tools and sink well.
This charge will probably average sixty
cents per foot. 1t is perhaps safe to
say that wells in the larger fields aver
age in cost from twenty-five hundred
10 three thousand dollars.
Torpedoes, which were first intro
duced about 1865, were received with
distrust, but are now in general use,
and have become necessary part OF
the equipment OF we'll. They are