The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-26
IN THE OIL FIELDS.

I
sational character says I'D. S, W." In
his weekly review. There were fewer
wells discovered and more busters than
have been the rule for some weeks.
The gushers OF wells above the average
were found In the new southwest extern
sion to the Elk Fork pool, and their size
was such as TO raise the aggregate pro-
duction Of the pool TO more than 1000
barrels day at the close OF the week
over that OF the week preceding. That
is of itself no small concern, but the
fact that the new wells have estab-
lished a prolific extension OF the pool
and caused remarkable appreciation
in values 10 the southwest Is OF vast i'm
portance 10 lease holders In that To-
eality. The well drilled In on the Cor
rell farm shows the extension TO be
quarter OF a mile wide on a southeast
line from the Hill well and subsequent
developments add much more producing
territory in that direction.
Since the Gorrell started, when drilled
into the pay at 25 barrels an hour, the
new strike has given a wonderful inn
petus 10 operations in that immediate
vicinity, and only the scarcity OF water
will prevent the starting Of twenty or
more wells at once. II is now almost
certain that the new extension will fur
nish sufficient number of large wells
10 hold the production of the pool be-
tween 5000 and 10000 barrels day for
some time 10 come. The prospects for
an extension in any direction from the
old portion of the pool are not very
promising. To the northeast, the Paova
n E, sNrNTNk Nl.H
Gorrell farm that will show IL anything
Is to be expected further north than
has been defined up TO the present time.
The production OF the older wells Is
gradually dropping to lower level, but
all things considered close drilling and
frequent shooting, they have been cred
table stayers.
The South Penn Company's new strike
on the Meredith farm, near Centreville,
got O heavy dose of salt water when
drilled deeper and stopped flowing, and
will have 10 be put TO pumping. Not
wlthstandIng the wells started at gush-
err speed when drilled in, there has been
no great rush to start new work In that
locality. The Henderson,. In Wood
county, has been one of the most &C.
tive and has steadily increased Its pro-
ductlon.
Three dry holes were completed along
the eastern edge Of the southwest ex-
tension during the past week, showing
that the limits OF the producing terri
tory has been reached in that direction.
The western side has not been defined.
Nor has the distance 1t will extend to
the southwest been determined.
The Indications favor let up In active
operations In the Berea grit territory,
Wood county. Aside from the Gordon
sand territory. there is none so expen-
slye to operate as the Berea and aver
age producers are not paying at the
present market price OF crude. The
shallow sand territory holds out some
inducements, but II Is spotted, and while
less capital Is required TO operate, the
chances for getting producer are much
less certain.
A 5OO-barrel producer on the Witchey
farm, In the Benwood pool, was n dis
covery OF the past week. II opens up
no new territory, and is only important
in size.
The southwest extension of the Elk
Fork pool Is widening out and promises
to cover considerable stretch OF GOOD
producing territory. Operations up 10
the present have been concentrated In
the vicinity of and on line with the
original well on the Hill farm ana the
older developments. Aside from the size
OF the wells, but little Importance was
attached TO any OF them.
The Fearless oil Company, however,
made a strike on the William w. Gore
rell farm yesterday that advanced the
producing lines 100 feet southeast Of
the Paova oil Company's No /, ]. X.
Hill. The well started to flow at the
rate of % barrels an hour. This was
regarded as one of the most important
wells drilling in the southwest extern
sion, and as soon as its calIbre was
known there was an immediate rush to
that quarter, and the result Is that many
new locations have been made In that
vicinity.
There are still thlrty-one wells in the
pools reported making 100 or more bar
rels a day. The aggregate production
Of the thirty-one wells at the close oil
last week was estimated at b,l5O barrels,
an Increase of 1880 barrels rs compared
with the estimate OF the preceding
week. The increase In production is due
10 the additional wells In the southwest
extension, and one or two new produc'
era OF liberal size in the south exten-
sion. The runs from the entire pool for
the first twenty days Of the present
month average a little more than 5000
barrels n day.
The South Penn oil Company's we'll
on the Meredith farm, near Centreville,
Tyler county produced 30 barrels the
first twelve hours after II had been put
to pumping Its production is expected
to Increase when the volume Of salt wa
ter has been reduced.
At Benwood, Monroe county, McFad-
den. Twitchell & Co. drilled their No
G. Witchey, deeper and found a second
pay. increasing It's production from 200
10 cog hnrrnls q 1nN.