The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-26
oil FIELDS OF
SOUTHERN UTAH
Expert Who Has Visited This
Part of State Writes His
Conclusions.
FINDS LARGEST OIL PRO
DUCING SECTION in U. S.
Utah Destined to Become the
High Gravity Oil Producer
of Future.

In the Oil City (Pa.l Derrick, pub
lishod IN the center of the great OH
region of Pennsylvania, in It's ISSUE oi
April 20. is a letter regarding the
oil fields Of Utah. wrIttco by an eX'
pert who spent two months in the Utal
OIL region, who pronounces these OIL
fields 10 he the largest producing sec
1ion in the United States. The letter
speaks for itself. The Derrick com
mcuds the expert and under its com
mcndation prints the letter. The com
ment and letter is as follows: says inc
Jamos r. Martin, who has been
identified with the oil and mining inter
csts in the west for several years,
whose conclusions arc of value and who
has been in Utah for several weeks,
has written TO me tho following inter
esting letter;
Salt Lake City, April /, 1910.
Pursuant to your request send you
herewith n report of my recent trip 10
the San Juan oil fields or Utah'
This field lies in San Juan county and
is reached by stage from Dolores. Colo,
which point is on the Rio Grande
Southern railroad From this point l
Bluff City, Utah. "a beautiful little town
on the San Juan river The oil country
begins about twenty miles west OF this
point.
The country consists OF sedimentary
deposits of great thickness. covering a
very wide area. These sedimentary beds
consist of alternating layers OF lime
shalc and sandstone. of Dcvonjan ana
Carboniferous age. In some of the high
cr portions are remnants of the Jur-
asSic and Triassic. The limestones are
and OF great thickness. The sandstones
are also porous and are very similar TO
The we'll known sands ~ tho eastern oil
fields These scdimentary beds have
I'D M
clnes the axes OF which traverse the
field from north 10 south. These Two
anticlines have been cut from east TO
west by the San Juan river. exposing a
cross-section OF the country 14o0 feet
in depth. ] examined this river cut for
twenty miles and found numerous seep-
ages Of oil, some OF which are consider
able. amounting 10 several barrels per
day. These seopages are ranged along
both limbs OF the anticlincs and at the
water level.
Oil Sands Exposed,
There are numerous oil sands exposed
by the river cut. and their aggregate
thickness is several hundred feet. or
these sands there are three. principals
from which the oil is running, all OF
which can be reached BY drilling from
the field the top or uppermost sand Is
comparatively shallow. The drilling
done so far has been confined to this
shallow sand. and as all Of the land was
government land, the locators have con-
fined their work to the making OF dis
coverics and validating titles. These
wells so far have been drilled along tht
syncinal basin between the two anti
cEnes and on the east limb OF The west
ern anticline. Some Of these wells mr.
very remarkable when one considers the
conditions The Goodridge, or discov-
cry we'll is located at a point near the
river and about one and one-half miles
west Of the syncline, This we'll is 80
feet in depth and when struck spouted
fI,. IN of hrin n1ra6 ha -
reIs per day. Sometime after. when the
gas pressure had been exhausted. a test
of this well was made by ballnG, which
showed that IL yielded o.. at the rate OF
six barrels per hour When you con-
slider the depth of this we'll the fact
that II is only four inches In diameter
showing. There arc a numoer OF wells
drilled along this synclinal basin to the
north. all Of which show discoveries Of
oil but none OF which have been tested.
Country Almost Free of Faults.
7 examined the country north and south
carefully for twenty miles and found II
uniformly the same. With the exception
of two small intrusions OF basalt to the
cast there is not 81 f1sSure. fault or break
of any kind In fact. the country is the
most remarkable in this respect that /
have ever seen. There are twelve drill
ing rigs In the field but these generally
are light portable rigs. only intended for
making discoveries. The quality OF the
OIL is exceptionally SCOU, DelrlE
oil of 3s to 40 gravity. The, tests made
OF this oil show II TO be the best refining
oil and very valuable. / will not go into
the technical geology further than to say
production OF oil. and 1 consider the field
the most promising all things consid-
cred that | have ever examined. What
is needed now is capital for development
10 point which Will warrant transporta :
ton which is badly needed. So far II
has been difficult and expensive TO get
no great difficulties In the way of build
Ing n railroad either from Pennington on
the east or Gallup TO the south.
When transportation is had the field
will be n cheap one to operate, as there
Is plenty OF water for drilling. and the
formation stands perfectly when drilled
The climate is fine and work can be con-
tined every day In the year
Deep Wells in Prospect.
Many prominent oil men are coins
into the field, especially from California
wells drilled which. think. win demon
gtrate the richness OF tho field.
The field has every indication OF be-
oil producing sections In the United
States There are seepages at intervals
for ls0 miles north and south and 70,
200 miles east and wen<. After care
full study OF conditions and the countr,
in general for the past two months,
am inclined 10 think that Utah is des-
tined TO become the nigh gravity OF
producer of the future. and that its re.
sources will compare favorably with Tho
eastern fields.
In conclusion, ] wish to say that there
are great opportunities offered for In,
vestmcnt and the country is well worth
looking into by any one who Is interested
in or familiar with oil development. There
is no other field in the world to m,
knowledge. where nature has prospectet
the field as In this case. the cut of the
river making 1t open book for 1A0t
feet IN depth. I intend 10 return 10 tn,
field at once. and. I'm conjunction will
the other operators. begin active develop
.rnent of the property we have acquired
J. expect to make my headquarters a
Bluff for the summer
JAMES II, MARTIN. c. II. G..
There will be given at the Calvar,
Ila I.tiat church 4IA l. Dnd So q nrant