The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-01-15
oil FIELDS
DESCRIBED
The Kintla Lake Country as
Viewed by an Expert.
BEST IN THE WEST
A Writer IN the Western Mining World
Talks of the Prospects in Hope
fol Manner.

The oil fields of Flathead county
are attracting universal attention,
and by all those who are the most
competent to speak are said to be
most promising. The following from
the Western Mining World is a con-
sentative and fair description of the
field.
"The oil fields of the North Fork
of the Flathead river, commonly
known as the Kintla lake oil fields,
| lie in natural basin of some three
hundred or more square miles in ex-
tent, enclosed by the main range of
the Rockies on the east and north,
and the Whitefish range on the west,
with a spur of some 600 feet in height
connecting the two ranges on the
south end of this basin.
The average elevation of this ex-
tensive basin is from $500 to $500
feet above the sea level. The noun
tains of the Rockies in this section
appear to be uplifts, and do not con-
tain any original formation, and while
these formations appear to be in
fused condition they were, no doubt,
caused by great internal heat after
deposition. The surface is covered
with glacial moraines to a consdera-
bic depth, under which appear the
very late deposits of the tertiary
period following down with a coal
series of some 400 or 500 feet, prob
ably belonging to the cretaceous form
alton, under which is the yet I'M
known depth of unascertained shales
down to the silurian, but without
much doubt a series of shales and
sand rock approximating $500 to
$500 feet IN thickness.
] 1t is somewhere among these
earlier shales that the "oil rocks"
so to speak, are to be found
That the oil is there in abundance,
as shown by extended seepages EN-
bracing a spread across the northern
end of this basin of nearly IL miles,
there is no question; but for anyone
to predict it's actual resting place,
would be an unwise assertion. How
ever, from the experience of oil oper-
ators since the discovery of petro-
leum more than forty years ago, it
is but natural to seek the synclical
axis of this ancient valley instead Of
the lowest surface part of the pres
ent valley, or directly beneath the
seepages generally occurring near
the base of the mountains, or at the
anti-clinal of some unseen arch cross
ing at some angle with that of the
ancient valley.
Petroleum oils differ as widely i'll
their compounds as those of any
other product, and, general speaking,
belong to two classes. One contain
ing an asphaltum base, useful only
for lubricating oil or fuel product,
the other with a paraffin base, which
contains the necessary naptha pro.
ducts of a good Illuminating OIL AS
no oil has yet been produced from
this field except from the seepage
springs, and which form loss of
some of the lighter compounds, does
, not exactly represent that natural
oil product. Enough is known, how
, ever, to assure the commercial world
, that no better petroleum oil is known
, to exist in the natural state, condi-
, tions could hardly be better to Ell
courage the development of one c
natures grandest gifts to it's people,
and that labor and money have both
) offered is but another merit of its
: considerations.
: It is believed from the formation
outlined by the foregoing that no ex
; traordinary expense will occur in the
, drilling operations in this field. The
r telescope plan of a series of piping
( as is prevalent in the fields where
| the formation contains quicksand
| cannot be necessary here only in d
7 minor degree. In fact, it is looked
: upon as being an exceedingly favord
: BILE field for operations, and from pres
: ent interest shown in every section
] of Montana, as well as from some OF
e the older fields, it is but natural II
t expect a great activity for the com
5 ing year. The Butte Oil company's
e we'll is now down $50 feet, after pass
n ing through 80 feet of soil. It is nov
e in the crystalline rock and the pros
i ress is a little slow, being about sil
!. feet a day"
e Since the above was written the
r we'll mentioned has reached deptl
of 600 feet.
Just So.