The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-07
OIL AND Gas IN 1897.
Facts on Indiana supply Found i'm In
spectOr Leach's Report.


ANDERSON, Ind, Jan. Estate Gas In
spector Leach and State Geologlst Batch
ley have just finished making their final
rounds and are now at work on the natural
gas and crude. oil reports of Indiana for
1897. In the oil field the reports kept by
pipeline companies will be used for statisti-
cal reference, but in the gas district there
are no authentic records kept from year to
year and in this report Inspector Leach
will make the first estimate that has ever
been given of the total operations in the gas
fields of Indiana since Sept. 16, 1886, when
the first well was opened at Eaton in Della
ware county.
Additional interest centers in the natural
gas report this year, owing to the agitation
growing directly out of the recent waste OF
gas in and around Alexandria, this county,
where a great deal of oil drilling was in
dulged in during the nine months since the
first oil we'll was opened in that territory.
Six weeks ago it seemed as if people of the
State would force the Governor to call
special session of the Legislature to enact
more adequate gas-protection laws, but the
Governor took the matter in his own hands
and directed the difficulty off into another
course by bringing suit in the name of the
State, enjoining operators from leaving
wells open and allowing gas to waste. The
suits are now in the Supreme Court for
final action, and will be heard on Jan. %.
State Gas Inspector Leach will forward
his report to the Governor on or about Jan.
Is His careful estimate on operations in
the Indiana gas belt since the first we'll was
opened, ten years ago, will show that $3.50
wells have been drilled. OF this number
about 1900 are now being drawn on and are
considered good or fair wells. The
others have been abandoned or invaded by
The original area of the Indiana gas fields
was about 5000 square miles, occupying the
apex of the great Lawrenceburg-Va Valparaiso
arch. At present the area of the gas-pro-
ducing field is only about $500 square miles,
the edges where gas once existed now being
occupied by oil, and at the extreme edges
by salt water which underlies the oil. rms
shows that the great reservoir of gas lies
on top, oil underlies the gas. and under
meath the oil lies the salt water, the hy-
draulic power from which the pressure IS
derived Thus, when the gas is drawn off.
the oil begins to flow, and when the oil IS
exhausted salt water rises and fills the
holes, arising to the height OF sea level.
Lake Michigan probably furnishes the pres
sure for the Indiana field The Indiana
field being On the apex of a bowl-shaped
arch, the confines of the field narrow grad
ually
The original pressure. according to the re-
port now being compiled by State Inspector
Leach, was about 325 pounds over the field.
One year ago this pressure had fallen in the
ten years preceding to about 20 TO 2So
pounds. The pressure this year will be
from 2l5 to 225 pounds on an average over
the field. This is q remarkably slight de-
cline for q year, probably so per cent. less
than was anticipated year ago, though IN
and around Alexandria, where the best ter
ritory lay last year and where the greatest
gas waste has been during the last nine
months the pressure has declined seventy
five pounds while the product is danger
ously near the water line. The report will
give as the reason for the slight average
decline in pressure the introduction of more
economic methods in burning. Mr.. Leach
takes a very bright view of the future and
states that there will be gas enough for all
for an indefinite time and for domestic use
for many years if the present cases against
waste by oil men-now in the Supreme
Court-are decided in favor of the State;
otherwise the greatest blessing Indiana has
ever had will be allowed to waste in short
order.
Mr.. Leach states that oil operations in
ended. at least for the present. There are
only four derricks up in all the gas terri
torv OF that number only three are drill
ing They are located near Swayzee, in
Grant county and the other derrick is i'll
the Alexandria field in Madison county.
tions going on in the Alexandria field last
summer when scores of drills were pound
ing away at the strata. One or two good
pools were opened and one or two persons
that the oil operators dumped $5O0,0O0 into
the field in leases and wells and have got
scarcely $4,000 in oil. all told. Many men
were ruined. The only trouble with the
not vet ripe" When the gas is exhausted
the oil will flow readily. and indications are
that it will prove one of the best Oil terri
tories in the country.