West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1898-09-20
Are Very Good For Oil in Ka-
nawha County as Well as
THE ROANE OIL FIELD
Gas Company. Talks About the SIT
uRtiOn.

practically new territory but re-
cent developments have made the
prospects so very promising that
oil men are turning their attention
towards this field. About twenty
wells have been drilled there within
the past twelve months and while
several have come III good gassers,
quite number of them have made
a splendid showing for oil.
During the past few weeks 3
wells have been drilled on a tract
of land adjoining the Joseph Hughes
farm, two of which are regarded as
fairly good producers. Three other
rigs are now being built near the
Hughes farm and "spudding" will
commence within ten days. The
price Of oil has been too low for
some time to warrant much drill
ing outside the regular fields, but
now that the price has reached the
dollar mark, the oil men are turn
ing their attention towards unde-
veloped territory. If the Roane
county field proves to be good
one, it means that it will De only a
question Of a short time until de-
velopmeuts will be commenced in
Kanawha county. Men who are
considered experts in locating
wells, have always maintained that
there is paying oil basin in Ka-
nawha county. The Roane county
field is so near to Kauawha that
the good showing there tends
to substantiate the theory that Ka-
nawha comes within the belt.
]. w. Penhale, superintendent of
the Charleston Natural Gas COM
pany, in talk with representative
OF the Herald yesterday, sid that
the recent developments in Roane
county would undoubtedly lead 10
extensive developments in this sec
ton of the state. Mr.. Penhale
gave brief review of the situation
and stated that the country living
southwest of the Little Kanawha
has always been considered by old
operators as being within the oil
belt, but had never been sufficiently
bored to give it a satisfactory and
thorough test. The first holes to
be put down in this section of the
state were sunk by Queen & Heard,
of Pittsburg, about eight years ago.
They drilled several gas wells
above Maiden and it is from these
wells that the Charleston Natural
Gas company gets its supply for this
city. Other wells have been drilled
IN Kanawha county, but none of
them were drilled into what is
known as the Gordon sand, in
which the oil in West Virginia is
usually found. If Roane county
Developments prove profitable, then
Jackson, Clay and Kanawha coun
ties are almost sure to be good
fields. Charleston will be the nat
ural distributing point from this
immense field. which will be prob
ably the most productive in this
state.
The American Oil company
drilled four good wells in the south.
western part of Roane county about
year ago. and they came in good
gassers. The gas was piped to
Spencer and is now supplying that
town and vicinity, as well as
Charleston, the wells now being
owned by the Charleston Natural
Gas company which purchased all
their rights of the American Oh
company some time since. The
company which Mr.. Penhale repre-
sents has lately been drilling more
wells in Roane county with a view
to piping the gas to Charleston so
as to increase the supply for this
city. The first we'll which thew
drilled proved an oil producer in.
stead of gas, this being the first
well to come in south of the Little
kanawha river. Several other
wells have been drilled by the
Charleston company with the same
results, and in this way new oil
field is being opened.
The American Oil Co. finished
paying we'll in the Roane county
held few days ago, and the South
Penn company are making prepare
tons to drill several wells there
this fall. Quite number of Char.