Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-24
OIL N EWS.
New Wells and Locations-Notes About
the Producing Wells.

oeen very little doing in the oil fields
of the Southwest, and when the Whisky
Run development opened up great
many were Of the opinion that new
field would be the result, but it has al
most petered out, and during the last
couple of weeks the opera .ors and pro-
ducers have been in a stew. as there
did not seem to be a place for them to
turn to. The first thing that opened
couple of miles from Friendly, in the
Cow Run sand and for couple of days
there was the least bit of excitement
about this, but it did not last long, as
a couple of days later more important
discovery was made on the Ohio side
of tie river, in Washington county,
Chic.
About seven years ago, T. N. Barns
DALI one Of the best known operators IN
the business, started a wildcat well
about four miles back of Newport, Ohio,
and when it was drilled in he shut down
and started in to buy up all the royalty
he could get hold Of, and where it was
impossible to get the royalty he would
buy the land outright. In this way he
secured large amount of territory, and
since that time has drilled total OF
forty-three wells, and of the entire num-
Der, none of which have been drilled
less than four years ago, there is not
a single one that is not producing to-
day. and in addition to this only two
of the wells have to be pumped. TO
the north of the production mentioned
above, Barnsdall and a number of other
people drilled string of dry holes, aid
it was generally supposed that the
big" fellow had been lucky enough to
find POOL and corral it all himself, but
since that time the oil men have be-
come much wiser, and have searched a
little more about the Berea grit sand,
and as a result about two years ago
Myers & Co., Of Marietta drilled we'll
on the Dye-Brooks lease about two
miles to the north of Barnsdall's pro-
duction The first we'll was plugged
and the second one showed up for a
small producer.
small producer was very encouraging,
and short time ego they decided to
more fully develop the property, and
another well was started which when
completed showed up even better than
the first one. Some time ago woodward
& Co., or Parkersburg, got hold of
about roo acres in that section and dur
ing the early spring they offered Will
lam Cummings, a well known con-
tractor of this city, quarter interest
in the block if he would drill a well
On the Mary Smith lease. Cummings at
once went to work, and as a result when
the Smith well was drilled in a thirty
barrel producer was gotten. This is
what has caused all the furry during the
past couple of weel-s in that section.
All the operators and producers in
the country have been in that part of
the county during the past couple of
weeks, attempting to get hold of some
Of the territory, but it is nearly all gone
and at fabulous prices, too. The Carter
Oil Company, Shay & McMullen, Ken
nedy & Lawrence and a dozen big firms
are all in there and will start work at
once developing their stuff There is
every reason to believe that a good
pool will be opened up in that section.
1t is well known fact that the Berea
Grit sand is the best oil producer as
far as staying qualities are concerned,
and a we'll in that sand which will make
thirty barrels a day natural is better
field which will produce several hun
dred barrels a day for year and then
dwindle down to nothing. The Berea
Grit wells have to be shot but once and
from that time on it is necessary to take
but very little care of them 1t does
not cost a great deal to drill one Of the
wells either, as Berea is found at about
1,SG0 feet in that section, and a well
can be completed for about So, 500.
The indications now are that there
will be large amount of work done in
that section during the next couple of
months There is an acreage of about
two miles square which has been leased
and all Of it will be tested as soon as it
is possible for the owners to get to
work on it. Ills is the first zeal activity
tie southwest has known for some time,
and the strike has caused a great deal of
excitement.
The wildcat we'll drilled on the Clark
Martin farm, back Of Friendly, by Hol-
den & Co., and which is making about
thirty-five barrels a day. is a wildcat
in the strictest sense of the word and it
is possible that nice shallow sand pool
will be opened up there. Holden & Co.
have quite block of territory, and al
ready have commenced the erection OF
| several rigs, and as soon as they are
completed the wells will be drilled In
addition TO this Shryock & Co., of this