, 1901-12-26

OF great oil excitement in early DAYS
and oil was collected from pits and
tunnels and sold to mining companies.
This Oil appears to come up through
a fault, and has been conditionally
placed in the Fox hills formation. The
Oil is a heavy dark variety, and will
refine into excellent lubricants. Just
south OF this spring the Aspen tunnel
cut an oil sandstone well saturated
with a high grade parafine oil. The
product from this discovery is not suf-
hcient to make it of commercial i'm
portance. Two companies are at work
preparing to drill in this vicinity.
East of the Aspen tunnel, three
miles is the Spring Valley field. This
was discovered last winter while the
Union Pacific company was drilling for
water. Several oil sandstones were
encountered in the well. The upper.
most yielded the lightest oil ever dis
covered in the state, and one that will
refine into gasoline, kerosene and par
affine without any residuum to speak
of. The lower oils were a little heav-
Ter; but of the same quality. Three
other wells are being drilled in this
vicinity and others r arranged for.
At Twin creek two oil wells have
been reported this fall. This field lies
along the Oregon Short Line railroad
near Fossil, and is nearly obscured
with a horizontal formation. Oil
springs have been known for years,
and two wells have been attempted
prior to the present development. The
oil is a dark brown paraffine variety,
that will refine into excellent lubri-
cants and paraffine. To the south and
west from this field all the way to
Evanston there are oil indications, and
companies are arranging to drill in
many of the most likely places. Along
the western fold that passes Alma, no
work has been done, however, sever
al are contemplating wells.
The OIL Fields Of Fremont County.
Paralleling the Wind River range
there is a secondary fold hat extends
from a point north of Fort Washable,
southeast for a distance of about-5O
miles. This fold Is known as the Sho-
shone. Lander and Popo Agile oil fields.
The S%hoshone, being the most north.
ern, the Lander the middle and the
Popo Agile the southern. The oil In
the Popo Agile is found in either the
Permian or Carboniferous, is very
heavy and refnes into gasoline, kero-
sene and lubricants and asphaltum.
This field has Ave producing wells
that could furnish not less than2, 900
barrels per day.
North of the Popo Agile is the Ian
der. This is largely upon the reserya-
ton and no development work has
been done. There is IN oil spring in
the Benton formation, which yields a
light petroleum that will produce a
very large percentage of kerosene
when refined. Until this land passes
into other hands the development will
be delayed.
East Of Fort Washable there is a
large oil spring surrounded by a bed
of asphaltum. This Is in the midst
of the Shoshone field. This occurs in
the same geological horizon as the
Popo Agile, and is Identical in compo-
sition. This is a great field, and will
produce an immense amount of oil
when opened. Until the Indians leave,
this, as the Lander field, will remain
undeveloped.
The Beavery oil field Is situated
some thirty-ive miles nearly east of
Lander. The oil occurs in Dakota
sandstone; there has been little or
no development. The product is a
high grade lubricant.
The button field is on the line be-
tween Fremont and Natrona counties,
and about ten miles southwest of Err
way. There are three oil zones In the
formations composing this area. There
are thick beds of oil saturated sand
stone outcroping and some very
strong natural gas vents. Being 80
far from the railroads nc one has at
tempted to drill oil wells.
OIL Fields In Natrona County.
NatronA county has six oil fields.
.Dutton the most western, was refer
red to under Fremont county.
RAttlesnake comprises the north
eastern slope of the northwestern por-
.tion of the Rattlesnake mountains.
There are three oil producing ZONES;
one in the Dakota, one In the Niobra-
ira and one in the Fox hills. The oil
from the lowest zone is the heaviest
known In the state, II not In the world.
Oils from the two higher sands are
much lighter and will make the best
of lubricants. Some wells have been
started, but none completed.
The Arago field IL located ON the
southeastern termination Of the Rat
tlesnake range, and has q single pro.
ducing sand In the Dakota. The oil
Be identical with the lowest Rattle.
snake product. One we'll has been drill.