The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-20
Investigations by Government GeoI-
oqists.

In view of the wide distribution of
the strata that contain the gas and of
the signs of gas at other places suggest
ing the further extent of the gas-pro-
ducing region, an investigation of the
field was made during the summer of
1907 by Chester w. Washburne, one OF
the. BIOLOGISTS OF the United States geo
logical survey, in connection with study
of the coal deposits and general geology
of the field made under the direction of
C. A. Fisher. Messrs. Max A. Pishel
and Homer T.. Little acted as field as
sistants. A report on the gas fields in
vestigatiOn has Just been published by
| the survey in an advance chapter from
Bulletin No. $40, which forms Part / of
| Contributions TO Economic Geology,
| 1907" The report gives a brief outline
| of the geology of the region and points
| out other favorable localities, as well as
other possible horizons for the occur
| renee of oil and gas. Copies of II may
| be obtained by addressing the director of
the survey at Washington. D. c.
The only previous mention of oil or
gas within the field studied by Mr.
on the geology and water resources OF
the Bighorn basin. In this report PRO
fessional Paper No 90 of the United
States Geological Survey Mr.. Fisher
sands near Byron, Wyo., and from
dug well three miles east of Basin, NyO-
mining The Bonanza oil field, close to
the southeast corner OF the area studied
I
described by several biologists.
So far no use has been made of the
gas escaping from the Gray Bull gas
| well Except in the city of Basin, which
in 1907 had about 1000 inhabitants, there
will be little demand for gas for light
| ing purposes until the population of the
district increases considerably. An i'm
pOrtant use might be found In connec-
| ton with sugar factories, which are
| greatly needed to care for the sugar
beets grown on the irrigated lands in
| this region. At present the nearest sugar
| factory is at Billings, TO which the beets
are shipped by rail 1875 miles at cost
| of cents per hundredweight. AS coal
is abundant and would be cheap If mined
on a large scale, gas could not compete
| with it except very close to the wells
| Fortunately the productive well near
Gray Bull is less than 2,0oo feet from
| the Chicago, Burlington & quincy RAN
! road near which there is most ex-
| cellent location for a sugar factory or
| other industrial plant.
Geological and Commercial Condi-
tons.
Mr.. Washburne states that the condi-
tons on the east side OF the Bighorn
| basin are very favorable for the pros
| pector, and he indicates the localities
/ where gas may possibly be found. These
| localities are shown on the map with
which the paper is illustrated Rock
| exposures are good and abundant; the
| structure Is simple; the surface is one
| of gentle relief, and there is no timber
| except on the river bottom. The Chi
| cago. Burlington & Quincy railroad ira
/ verses the field for it's entire length, and
| In the summer heavy machinery can be
| hauled from the railroad to almost any
point in the basin over wagon roads on
| the plains.
Drilling Is not expensive. 1t is re-
ported that the cost of drilling the gas
| wells near Basin and Gray Bull is less
| than 81 a foot for a well 500 feet deep,
. /, ga CHI ha a
| foot for casing. The softness of the
| Colorado shale, near the base OF which
/ the gas is found, makes drilling cheap,
/ but unfortunately it necessitates casing
| the greater part of every well. as cavinS
| is very common. The well at Gray Bull.
the first 10 obtain gas in commercial
quantities. is an important object lesson
| TO we'll drillers. Owing to the lack OF
! proper casing 1t has been impossible TO
/ close the well. and unless some means
are found to stop the flow of gas very
! soon, an appreciate diminution of pres
sure and the ultimate exhaustion of the
well may be expected.