The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-10

kern OIL fields
ENJOYING ACTIVITY
Mccullough Reports That Sum-
mer Slump Has Passed and
Demand Is Increasing

Max Mccullough, representative il
Bakersfield OF the Petroleum invest
ment company. reports a renewed ac
jivity in the Kern county fields witt
an increasing demand for choice prop
erty. he takes a most optimistic view
OF the whole situation. McCoilougf
has been in San Francisco on bushes:
for few days and viii return Friday
TO Bakersfield.
Conditions in the fields show d de-
cided Improvement" he said Natur-
ally during the summer there is a dull
ness occasioned in part by the hoi
weather. : revival is apparent, how
ever. and things are Frightening up.
notice particularly a growing inquiry
for oil properties Good territory is
IN demand and is commanding salts
factory figures.
There has been some new work in
the Kern river field and a couple OF
recent leases are attracting general
attention. Two companies have begun
development in the western part Of the
field. In fact. it might be called the
western extension.
The first company 10 go west Of the
proven ground was the BaTdoie, which
has well progressing nicely at $50
leet- Recently the Kern west side com
pany, on patented land a mile still
further west began drilling These
wells are. OF course. somewhat in the
nature Of wildcats, but with good
chances OF striking the oil If they
strike the sand. il viii mean a very
material addition 10 the proven terri
tory in the Kern river field. Some of
the very best wells in the district are
those drilled comparatively recently on
The extreme west Of the proven area.
STANDARD RUSHING WORK
The Standard is rushing work on
additional reservoirs for the storage Of
oil in the Kern river field in section
one The Kern river is not a spectacu-
lar field, for the reason that there are
no gUshers The wells all produce I'M
der the pump. but il is The oldest field
and the field tina: has yielded the most
consistent and greatest returns. 1t is
stin very popular with investors. The
wells are shallow from $50 TO 1,e01
feet-and drilled at small expense
The SunsstM Midway field has con-
tinued TO hold up its reputation az
gusher territory. Several new wells
capable OF approximately 10000 barrels
q day. have been brought in recently
near the LakeVieW. the Pacific Mid
way, the Consolidated Midway. end the
Union oil company ali have wells OF
about this size IN the vicinity Those
wells. of course. have not been drilled
through the sand. The instant the drill
goes into the sand there is q blowout
the oil shoots over the crown block o.
the derrick for several hours. aftel
which the wells sand This affords th'
owners the opportunity TO cap the Well
and arrange gates, lead lines. etc. TO
the proper handling Of the gushers
All that is necessary then to induce
flow is TO agitate the sands and ALLOW
the gas TO find vent.
WELL UNDER CONTROL.
In the North Midway field. the Hale
Mcleod No. mas been recently brough
Ia. This is JUST across the line from
the St. Lawrence. which was the sec
ond gusher in the North Midway field
The Hale-McLeod well is now unde
control and producing some 500 barreli
a day.
The American oilfields company hal
brought in some new gDshers that fioV
like arteslan wells. They are distin
guished from other producers in tha
the oil sand is encountered at a shallow
eeDtn-l,20e feet--and that there il
small gas pressure Instead Of scat
tering oil all over the surrounding
country they flow evenly.
The American has a remarkabl,
property il section 80. They can ge
down cheapiy ana with big casing
The wells flow with almost none of tn
trouble that attends other gushers."