The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
THE Oil INDUSTRY

d. G. Robbins being asked for
statement in regard to the conditions
that exist in the Utah oil fields, espe-
cially the Green River field, seemed TO
be rather reluctant in giving fril
statement Of the conditions as they sx-
ist, and expressed an assurance that
he did not wish to make any stateElunt
on other peoples properties that wonld
be doing them any injustice
As to the condition Of the field, he
said that the field has never been dem
onstrated and should not be looke ed
upon as failure from any standpoint
When the California Utah company
started operations they started with
thorough understanding from the best
biologists that they could find that
they need not look for any oil in lsss
than 1850 feet, and from that to $500
feet Now, the facts of the matter re-
Carding tue California Utah Oil com
panys operations, nc said, are as fol-
lows:
I'VE started to drill there with a
fourtsen-inch hole. This was carried
down to 500 feet with a fourteen-i'ach
hole without casing. We labored cam
estly with the company to get then to
secure US from eleven and fiVe-eighths-
inch casing 10 fOurteen-inch. This we
were unsuccessful in securing, Ind
NneQ the Cdr VI N1SiilE IrdIbc0 Us A-AllE
and notwithstanding was the largest
that we had. We had TO shut of the
water at 500 feet with nine and e ye-
eighths-iuch casing. At about 900
feet we passed through q small stratum
OF oil sand that fully demonstrated the
presence of oil. and we had TO use our
seven and e-eighths-casing to shut
of the heavy pressure Of water that
was encountered at LOO feet. We then
commenced drilling with a seven and
five eigh:hs-i drill, and at 1900 feet
more water was encountered and left
the we'll full Of water. We had de-
cided to get an under relmer- and let
the seven and five eighths-inch casing
down to shut Oft this water. Either a
lack Of knowledge on the part of the
drilIerS or q poorly constructed fnstru-
ment caused q failure in under reim-
ing; consequently we had to use our
FIVE and hVe-eighths-inch casing TO
shut of this water at 1900 feet They
continued down 70 1.510 feet, where a
heavy pressure OF gas belched the wa
ter many feet above the floor Of the
derrick and kept up for some time.
showing a little oil When this sub
sided the drilling was continued to q
depth Of 1920 feet This was in June
last. and for causes unknown to me-
everything was stopped and apparent
Il the work abandoned and the bust
ness was offered and hawked on the
street by individual members of the
company. I finally prodered them the
money and offered to take the rig and
ground. but 7 was informed by the sec
rotary of the company. Mr.. Roberts
that the boys in California had begun
to "soueal" and had decided to con-
time the work themselves. However
nothing was done and it remains in this
condition.
"As to the oil field Of Green River
being unproductlve, there has been no
chance to so demonstrate it. The Cali
formal Utah well is the deepest so far
drilled in the state. Work has been
done by several other companies. and
why people should say that the oil
fields OF Utah have been a failure is
simply an Injustice, as no demonstra-
ton has yet been made.
IT have more confidence IL the result
OF the oil fields, under proper and ju-
dicious drilling. than I had when we
started to work two years ago, and
am thoroughly satisfied in some por-
lions OF the Utah oil field that good
and profitable developments will be re-
garded.
We have the greatest combination
OF hydrocarbons IN various forms AMI
varieties that exist IN any other part