Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-10-06


Penn Very Slow in Developing It's
Holdings-More Dry Holes Than
Producing, Wells Drilled in the
Sistersville Field Another Good
Well on Middle Island.
The assertion that there have been
more dry holes than producing wells
drilled in the Sistersville fed, would
probably meet with contradiction, and
anyone not conyersant with the bus
mess would not believe that such was
the case, but, nevertheless, the asser-
ton is correct 1t is well-knOwn fact
among the producers and others inter
ested in the business that of the total
number Of wells drilled in what is
known as the Sistersville field, including
everything over in Monroe county. o.,
and all the wells drilled on the West
Virginia side out TO the Keener pool on
Middle Island creek and the Dye Brooks
territory, there have been about fifty
six per cent. dry holes. AT the pres
ent time there are about !, $50 producing
wells in the territory mentioned above
the total production of which amounts
to about $4,000 barrels of oil daily, or
an average Of Isl barrels a day for
each producing well.
There have been a great many wells
drilled in this field that for a short
time, say year, were good producers,
but at the present time they are aban
doned. But taken as a whole it is the
conservative opinion of people who are
in close touch with the business and
people who ought to know, tina. the
per cent. Of dry holes mentioned above
is correct.
When the field first opened up there
were comparatively few dry holes drill
ed IN, but year or two later, when the
operators commenced TO branch out and
look for new Stuff" the dry wells be-
came more frequent and there have been
days when as high as five dry wells
were drilled in. Il would be almost an
impossibility to give the correct mum.
Der of wells drilled in the field. A con-
sentative estimate places the number al
about 5000. Take fifty-six per
cent. of this number for the dry holes
and it leaves a total of producing wells
now in the field from the amount
drilled and it leaves a total of 10 wella
once producers, but now abandoned. and
in many cases lost track of and forgot
ten.
There is a great deal of work going on
in all parts of the field at present. in
fact more than at any one time in the
history of the field. The recent big
strikes in the Deist and Dog Skin ter
ritories, over on Monroe county. Ohio.
have stimulated operations in that di-
rectiOn to wonderful degree. and there
are now probably fifty strings of tools
running in that section alone. On the
Ohio side OF the old Sistersville field
proper there is a great deal OF work be-
ing done in what is known as defined
territory, but it is almost impossible
to give anything like a correct estimate
of how many wells are being drilled
On the West Virginia side there are
probably twenty wells drilling. all of
which are in defined territory in the
old field proper. Out in what is known
as the Keener pool work is very brisk
and there are probably twenty wells
drilling at various stages from 100 feet
deep to within few feet of the nav
Sand.
A conservative estimate of the daily
average production of the Sistersyille
field for the past four years is $4,000
barrels. The average price of oil dur-
ing the same period was about 90 cents
a barrel. AT the rate of so cents .
Darrel, the amount of money taken from
the field daily will amount to s13.5O0.
$4,000 a week, or almost $40 900 600 a
year. There has been a great deal
more money than mentioned above
made out of the field in different WAYS.
The receipts of the pipe line compa-
MES in the Sistersville field Yesterday
were S,265 barrels. The receipts of the
Mellon lines were 5,4S1 barrels and
those of the Eureka lines Il. 1874 barrels
Kennedy q Co.'S we'll on the Swaub
farm was drilled into the Big Iniun
sand Friday night and filled up with
salt water. There was practically no
showing Of oil. II is understood the
well will be put to pumping. but there
is very little hope that it will make a
producer.
The Victor Oil Company's No. 3 Rock
we'll was drilled 20 feet in the sand YES
terday morning, and will make about
200 barrel producer. This we'll is To-
Gated in the Keener district. out on
Middle Island, and is near their other
wells. Their No. l on this farm started
OFF when drilled in at $50 barrels q dav
and is now doing in the neighborhod Of
100 barrels a dag. Their No. 2 is a
very small well and i'll not amount IN
great deal.
McFadden & Co.'S we'll on the Blauir
was drilled to the top Of the sand and
struck a big flow of gas with a small
showing of OIL II will probably he
drilled in some time to-day.
The South Penn Oil Company put
their No. 1, on the Martin, to pumping
yesterday afternoon, and it is flowing
and pumping together about 325 barrels
day.
Up to the present time there have
been about twenty wells drilled in the