Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-03-06
OIL REVIEW.
Matters of Interest to The Fra
ternity,

HCSh fCtdi DGstStS III lUiS SSt-
Battelle's Old Gusher is Hold.
ing up Well-Work in Near by Fields
Production Curtailed.
AS each week rolls around the stu
alton in the petroleum industry grows
brighter. The export trade is ia a
healthy condition, while the prices
paid for refined products are better
than they ever were in the history Of
the trade, says the Parkersburg News.
Nothing of special Importance was de-
veloped during the week in the field
to change the buliish aspect, while
the experimental drill has recorded
nothing but failure in every section OF
the oil regions.
The report of operations for the
month Of February, too, is bullish,
and from every standpoint a higher
price for crude should prevail. Feb
ruary's record of operations shows
there was falling off in completed
wells as compared with January, as
there WAS also large percentage Of
declines in new production by the
same comparison. In fact it has been
many months since SO few wells were
completed.
During the past week reports show
that there is an increase in activity in
some quarters, which may be said to
be the only new feature in the situa-
tien. This is noticeable more particu-
larly in Wetzel, Lewis and Peasants
counties. When the late spouters at
Campbell's RIM in Monongalia county
made their advent the volume Of new
work was increased at least fifteen per
cent. but this has not, by any means,
been maintained. Campbell's Runs
new lease of life was of short duration
and its brilliant record Of few weeks
past has suddenly been collapsed this
week by the finding OF a non-producer
where success seemed most sure.
About one month ago the Battelle
Oil Company drilled in gusher in the
northwest extension some distance in
advance of production, which had a
record on the start off of | 1000 barrels
a day. The spouter has held up re-
| markedly we'll. In fact, SO well that
the company took it for granted that
the diggings to the northwest was all
good, and that failure in this direc-
ton was out of the question. So
deeply were they imbued with this
idea that they banked heavily on their
test well, drilling fifteen hundred feet
farther to the northwest, and in adj
vance of their big well. But right
| hara 10 uhara fbou uaro fanlad &c tho
venture came in the first part of the
week light gasser. This is certain
ly sudden change of base in the
northeast extension atCampbell's Run,
and the owners of the spouter and
gasser have painfully learned the
truth Of the old adage, "all that gilt
tiers is not gold" Their No. /, how
ever, is holding up at 800 barrels a
day pace and is one of the best wells
in all this section OF the southwest
district. The unexpected result in
their No. 2 has condemned many acres
Of territory, which until its compile
tion, looked reasonably sure. The
grease was found at the same level
and spot where the big pay was found
I
ly set aside all doubts that may arise
of the thorough test of the venture
and territory.
| The question has been raised by
several we'll posted oil men whether
the well was deep enough to reach the
pay streak, and whether the owners
were not playing the mystery racket
| tn hOiy ri
tory.
| All this is a mistake, as the News
has positive knowledge that the drill
has told the whole story, and that the
gas was found in the debated venture
at the same level where oil was found
in No. /. Greene coun6y, Pa, has
furnished the trade this week an i'm
portant buster, and in which much
interest has been centered.
The e0nceDsus of opinion of the
most reliable and best posted deep
sand operators, was in opposition to
the results recorded. Most of the
local producers thought it would be a
we'll of some kind that would pay out.
But in the test, practical and theoret-
/ iCdl, ~ ldileu uoudily, duu a well Qc-
fined wind belt exists no longer. The
well in question is located on the east
side of the new Freeport development
in Greene county on the James W.
Martin farm, and was drilled by the
South Penn Oil Company and the
Fisher Oil Company, each bearing a
half of the cost of drilling the we'll,
which was hopelessly dry.
The Waynesburg Oil and Gas Com
pany also completed another highly
unimportant we'll in Greene county
| this week, which turned out gasser
instead of producer. This venture
is located in the old Mt. Morris dis
trict and upon the Sayers farm.
| f.,nrh Iaf aF cx-efo.,s .ne,k ,,aonsv