The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-06-27
OIL AND GAS

opinion that there is little doubt but
that the productive territory will event
ually be found to extend over large
area to the north and northward OF the
present Development lends a degree
of interest to the present conditions and
the facts concerning oil so far as they
are known. The report of Prof Blatch-
ley for the last year is largely devoted to
discussion of this subject and from 1T
We epitomize some of the leading state
ments.
The Trenton limestone, which is the
source of by far the greater part of the
oil now produced, underlies the whole Of
the state at varying depths, averaging
1000 feet in the oil districts. 1t is COW
cred by an impervious layer of Utica
shale which keeps the gas and oil from
escaping upward and passing off as vol
atile products and this is usually about
200 feet in Thickness. Over it is the
Hudson limestone about 400 feet, the Nj.
agara limestone about 225 feet and the
drift from 100 to 200 feet,
The practice is to drive an 8-inch or
l0.inch pipe down through the drift TO
the Niagara where salt water is usually
found and is cased off by an iron tube
about inches in diameter and reaching
to the Hudson River limestone. The
drill is sent on down until it is well in.
to Trenton rock, Is to 80 feet, where the
product sought is found il at all. though
sometimes the pay streak is found lit
tie below the first indications. always
however, in the upper fourth of the
Trenton stratum. No oil or gas is found
lower than 10 feet ID the Trenton.
There are absolutely no surface in
dications of oil or gas. Every shale,
sandstone or limestone in the state con-
tains some gas or oil and it is encounter
ed in pockets at many varying depths
but such appearances are meaningless so
far as pay oil or gas is concerned. The
only way to find out anything about it
is to sink the drill to the
necessary stratum and see what
will come of it. A dozen wells
in mile square will test that area and
give the levels OF the Trenton from
which its direction and rate OF incline or,
decline can be determined and the di-
rection Of possible oil be Appropriated
Salt water is always struck in the
Niagara limestone and is not a. dis
advantage unless the quantity is excess
i've.
The average cost of drilling and fitting
up the first we'll on lease. if productive.
is about &, 900. of which $3.50 is for the
power and tanks with which to take and
care for the oil, Subsequent wells on
the same lease will cost less, both to put
in and to operate. The expense of run
ming is about s75 per month for one well
and proportiopately less for several. Six
three-barrel wells OF lease, with oil at
20 cents, would make profit of $40
month. In the main Indiana fields the
average cost Of producing oil is 90 cents
barrel and all above that is profit. The
price has been above dollar much of
the time al 90 cents is regarded as a
good and safe figure. Some Indiana
wells have produced as high as 600 bar
rels day at first. The experience in
this state shows that several small COM
panies cannot operate profitably in a
limited field as the expenses eat up the
profits.
The corniferous limestone has also
been productive of oil in some sections
of Indiana, but the oil is lubricant and
not an illuminsnt. Martin county. Vigo
county and Jasper county have witness
ed the principal developments in this
kind of oil. The rock varies in depth much
more then the Trenton and is found at
about ITO feet at Medarysville while at
rerre Haute it is ], 63u feet down. The
Phoenix we'll in Vigo comfy has yield
ed an average of LOCO barrels a mo th
for u years. 1t wac discovered alter
bores had been put il the same vicin.
ity over 1000 feet. AT Loogootee pros
pecting company was formed with cap
ital stock of $500 in SO shares and
they succeeded so well that the stock,
when for sale at all. has brought as high
as $50 share. They have four gas and
four oil wells now producing.
1t is not true, as many have thought,
that oil follows gas. Though they have
the same origin it does not necessarily
follow that the two are associated in the
same fields. Where they have been
found together the oil has almost in
variably been struck in layer of rock
below the gas stratum. They occupy
different reservoirs, though a small
amount OF each may DE found with the
other The supply Of gas in the Ind
lana field has been greatly reduced with
in few years and there is not at pres
ent sufficient to satlsfJ the demand.
even with the most economical uee.
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