Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-21
AMONG THE DERRIGKS1
Oil Operators Actively Engaged
Throughout the Entire Field.
WEATHER TIE ONLY OBSTACLE.
Figures Showing the Large Average De-
pletiOn in Stocks.
WEST VIRGINIA A PROMISING FIELD

Notwithstanding the extremely unfavora
BILE weather of the last three months the oil
operators throughout the entire field have
not allowed the drill to rest . moment The
greatest difficulty they have had to encoun-
ter is in getting tools on the ground where
they intend drilling, and the roads are in a
worse condition at present than they
have been at any time since the
fall weather commenced There
have been no new fields opened
MP, but wells good from 100 to 500 barrels
have been struck within the boundaries of
what might be termed oil fields, and on ter
ritory which the majority of experienced
operators had condemned. This was nota-
bly, the case in the Washington, Butler and
Shannopin fields. The Duff district and the
CHARTERS field cannot be classed as new as
the former is in reality an extension of
Mush Greek, and ]. NJ. Cuff & Co., and
Calhoun, Jennings & Co., had already done
considerable drilling around CHARTERS, but
the Arbuckles were the first to touch the
pool.
PROMISING WEST VIRGINIA.
The West Virginia field is being rapidly
developed, and there are many Pittsbnrg
operators who believe that it will be an
other Washington.
The reports from the Boyle well, on the
Corbett farm, in the Eureka field, which
should have been several DAYS ago, are not
reliable. 1t has been reported dry, but an
operator, who is largely interested in that
locality, states that the well is full Of oil,
but will not be drilled in until some of the
loose territory in the vicinity has been
gathered in. The result will either open up
or condemn large amount of territory.
The production of the entire field has been
increased 20, 900 barrels within the last three
months, but it will have TO be 30 times that
amount to keep down theaYerage depletion,
which for the eight months preceding Sep
tember /, averaged 665, ,156 barrels per
month.
STOCKS ON HAND.
The stock of crude petroleum ON hand
January 1, 1889, was 18,595,47 and on
September l, there were on hand 9,952, ,104
barrels of merchantable oil, sediment and
surplus 8, 491, ,057 barrels, making total of
13,354, ,221 barrels, which deducted from
the amount on hand January shows a de-
pletion Of stock, besides the consumption of
all oil production from wells during the
eight months of 5,241, ,253 barrels. The last
statement of the National Transit Company
gives the receipts from all sources" as
], 1,470. 1866, and the ''total deliveries 2,0O1,-
430 barrels, difference of 63l, ,065 barrels.
At such rate the stocks will, in q few
years, be consumed, and the pipe line tanks
will be empty. The world will then be
without Illuminating oil, except that which
is produced from day to day, unless some
means of refining Lima oil is discovered, or
an immense oil field is opened up in Amer
lea or Europe.
WORK ON THE WELLS.
J. M. Patterson & Co. g well, on the Tay-
lor farm, in the Hookstown field, is doing
12O barrels day, and their well on the
Leeper farm is six feet in the sand and filed
with oil. The Mahoney wildcat, near
Zelienople, is reported to be doing 100 bar
rels a day. II is owned by P. j. Mahoney
and Charles Strohecker. There was not
6uficient tankage on the ground to hold the
Bill, and the drilling has been stopped untiE
tanks can be put up. Many operators have
been retarded recently by more than the
usual number of fishing jobs.
One of these unfortunates said yesterday
that this is due to the fact that oil we'll sup
ply manufacturers are rushed with orders.
and do not take proper precautions in max.
ing the cables, many of which are of in
ferior quality and hurriedly made.