The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-15
ABOUT GAS AND OIL.
Prof Grimsley's Report Discusses
Kansas Fields.

The forthcoming report of the State
Society of Labor will contain chapter
by Prof. c. 2. Grimsley, secretary OF
the State Academy of Science, dealing
with the gas and oil industry IN KAN
sas. In it he says:
THE oil and gas area of Kansas is
said to extend from kansas city west
to Lawrence and east of a line drawn
Chautauqua county. At the present
time all of this area is not proven
ground The developed area starts near
PaOla and extends south and the drills
are at work in various parts of this
southeastern area with varying success.
Kansas City-FOrt Scott area-BefOre
1886 a small volume of gas was found IN
three wells near Kansas City at depth
of four hundred feet and 1t was used
with coal in some of the flour mills anu
brick works. A few small volume wells
were also drilled at Fort Scott. This
development however, was never suftl-
cient to attract much attention More
recent drilling at Fort Scott failed to
find any volume of gas. Before con-
demning this locality one should keep
in mind the experience at Chanute,
where the first drilling gave little or no
promise of any gas or OH
-tPaOla- OSaWatOmle area-A small neld
has been developed in this section. where
the wells range from four hundred to
nine hundred feet In depth, yielding
when first drilling about million cubic
clined in volume but some new wells
drilled in the past year are said to give
encouragement for the life of this field.
lola Gas City, La Harpe Area-The
lola gas field has attracted more attsn-
ton and the gas has been utilized to
a greater extent than any other felo.
The developed area is twelve by six
miles. with over seventy producing Wells.
varying in volume from , to 10 million
cubic feet per day. These wells are
from SIS to 920 feet deep. A million
cubic feet of natural gas equals fifty
tons of coal The gas product Of this
district daily is equivalent to 1900 tons
of coal. About u million cubic feet Is
used daily by the zinc shelters, cement
plants brick yards. factories and mills.
A new cement mill and glass factory
have been planned for this field. The
lola belt is essentially a gas field. oil
being found only in small quantities.
Humboldt Area-Humboldt has Over
sixty producing oil wells owned by
twelve companies. Very few dry holes
have been encountered
"Chapute Area-The early prospecting
at Chenute was not a success. In 1898
Chanute brought in three gas wells
Now it has upwards of a hundred, and
over 300 producing oil wells The fielc
has 900 miles of pipe line. and the
Standard Oil company is planning 10
build another, even larger line, and t,
increase the capacity of their refinery
at Neodesha.
'-Thayer Area-This oil field was de
veloped by the Standard Oil company
and now has seventeen producing wells.
"Cherryvale Area-There are a dozen
gas wells in this area and as many oil
wells. The oil is piDed to Neodesha.
"Coffeyville Area-This field is about
seven miles long and three miles wide
About fifty wells are producing gas
There are two gas horizons. One is
found a AGO feet and the other at 67d
feet below the surface This field has
200 miles of DiDe line and the gas is
used for domestic and manufacturing
purposes Oil is found in some places,
but the quantity is light.
'Chetopa area-A number of shallow
wells of low pressure have been found
near here and are supplying gas to the
town.
Erie area-This district has twelve
producing gas wells and three small oil
wells.
Independence area-In 1892 the first
strong wells were found with a daily
flow of three million cubic feet Nov
fifteen wells are supplying the town
and factories Several wells are pro-
ducine oil.
-Neodesha area-The gas of this dis
trict is used for domestic and manu-
featuring purposes and is also piped to
Parsons. This is one of the best oil
fields in the state. over fifty wells pro
ducing an average of eighty barrels
each daily are here. The only oil re-
finery in the state is also loca ted here
and oil from all the surrounding fields
is piped to it and refined.
'-Peru-Sedan area-The field is now an
active center of prospecting work and
some wells Of good volume have lately
been found. There are about twenty oil