Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-01-06
An Interesting Report Relative
to the Oil and Gas Field.

The second part of the annual re-
port of the Pennsylvania Geological
Survey, devoted to q detailed descrip-
tion of toe oil and gas region. and
making a substantial volume of over
900 pages, with numerous illustrative
plates and maps has been received
from VIM. A. Ingham, Esq, Secre-
tary of the Board. The opening
chapter is a history of the develop
ment of oil and gas in Pennsylvania,
from the earliest mention in 1927 to
the drilling of Brakes well in 1859.
There is very succinct statement OF
fact arranged in chronological order,
which makes this part of the work
very satisfactory.
The total production of oil in Penn
sylvania and New York oil fields
down to the close of 1886 is given at
3lO,219, sos barrels. These figures
Of production, "says the report, "how-
ever faulty they may be. and in what
ever way they are studied. shows
most Enthusiastically that the great
Pennsy lvania oil fields, which have
supplied the world for years, are be-
coming exhausted and cannot respond
to the very heavy drafts upon them
many years longer, unless reinforced
by new deposits from deeper hoci-
IONS" 1t is estimated that $1,000
holes have been drilled in the two
States named, showing three great
groups of oil-bearing sand rocks
which have been exploited in every
direction until the outlines of produc-
tion seemed to be pretty definitely de-
fined. The production of every one
of them is declining and there is moth
ing new in sight.
The history of the production of
natural gas occupies d large space in
the volume, and is full of interest to
the public at large, and to the people
of Western Pennsylvania and East
ern Ohio in particular. In a review
Of the gas pools it Is said "a great
many wells have been drilled during
| the last fourteen months, but as far
as known no new source Of supply
have been brought to light" Pass
ing over those pools most remote
from this city, We fad the following
references:-"The Butler field has
been quite widely developed, aud
some of it promises to be of great i'm.
portance. The gas comes from the
Venango oil group aad the gas sand
above it," "The Tarentum field has
evidently passed its prime. Ekces
sive drilling aud salt water in the
rock have brought it to an early de-
cline. 1t it now an open secret that
some OF the industries established near
Tarentum on account of its gas de-
posits are now being supplied
from the Murraysville field - the
mains laid for the purpose of convey
ing gas from Tarentum to Plttsburg
being used to carry gas to Taren-
tum." 1.-THE Murraysvile, Grape,
vile, Washington and Beaver fields.
all drawing heir gas from the Venan-
60 group, have been drilled extea-
sively and have responded so freely
that the supply is not only ample for
all the requirements of Pittsburg and
its surroundings, but sufficient also
to be piped fro Grapeville to Johns
town on the east, from Washington
to Wheeling, etc, on the south vest,
and from Beaver to Rochester, Beaver
Falls and Youngstown on the north.
The drafts for all these purposes are
enormous, but tn fields are large, aud
no doubt Others will be found when
the central ones weaken. so that an
extension OF lines will secure sup
ply for years to co e."-Ritts. Com
Gazete.