The San Francisco call., 1910-10-26
INCREASED gain
in OUTPUT shown
Aubury Believes Sulphur Noun
tain Region Will Be Big
Producer
Demand for Refining Oil Has
Been Far Greater Than
the Supply

Rich in light gravity oil, the Ventura
helds have been considered by many OF
the oil experts the best in the state
1t is shown by comparative records
that the largest gain in the coast oil
helds or in southern California last
month was in Ventura county. The
gross production shown was So 900 bar
rels OF which 1000 were consumed in
the fields as fuel In the Ventura
nelos the demand for refining oils so
Tar exceeds the supply that it is doubt
tul If in the present decade the out
put Of the fields will be sufficient TO
prevent the rapid increase in value of
the high gravity oils. Added to this
Is the fact that the eastern high grav-
ity fields have fallen off one-third in
the last few years and Ventura today
presents the greatest opportunity in
the world for the development of re-
ining oil.
HONEST PROMOTIONS
Owing TO the fact that high grav-
lty well, though it yields huge and
steady profits when successfully de-
Neloped, calls for persistent effort. the
Ventura fields have been singularly
free from illegitimate promotions.
On sulphur mountain the Liberty
oil company is making splendid pro-
gress on its well No. . The company
recently struck a moving sand forma
ton carrying quantities of gas and oil.
which made il hard TO drill Liberty
No. , is close to the sands struck by
No. ] at 1900 feet.
Owing TO the great pressure in Sui
phur mountain and the known sands
underlying the mountain a big well is
expected in the first stratum. There is
no doubt 81 the minds of the old pio-
neers that some of the best wells in
the Ventura district viii be tapped on
sulphur hountaiu.
On Sulphur mountain adjoining the
Liberty the well of the Puritan oil
company. which has one of the best
rigs. equipment, construction, bunk
house and water wells in the Ventura
fields is going down fast.
In summary of an extensive re-
port on the sulphur mountain region
W. II. Aubury. z. N. said:
7 am Of the opinion that a strip
lonG the axis Of sulphur noun
tain, of width of approximately
three-fourths Of a mile, win bs pro-
dncUve. That this strip VIII include
all Of lot ;. all Of the southeast
onc-fourth. northeast one-fourth.
and small portion Of the southern
margin Of lOt 4. but that lots two
and three and the bulk of lot 1
VIII be nOnproductiTe. l believe
that no data 4 5 Yet exists for de-
ternlIning the prOJucuNenesS OF
wells within this strip. but that
II viii i'm all proba bility be large.
The oil VIII proba bly, be OF 20
Reaume or lighter gravity. except
the ed yes Of the strip. and the wells
along the margins Of the strip viii
produce al from 1900 TO 1900 feet
but vel he small producers.
The hest production and the
liShtsst oil viii be found along
The axis Of the syncline. at depth
Of from 1000 TO 5000 feet. The
oil viii produce from Shale rather
t,lan from sand.
The territory is difficult 10 han
die because Of water and tar
streaks and should be worked only
with the best equipment With
proper machinery and intelligent
rupervision no insuperable dlhcult-
les should be encountered in drill
ing To 5000 feet if this should be
found necessary
Concerning the south side of Sulphur
mountain Aubury said:
Il have found that the south side
confirms my other report. ! found
that there have been about 20 tun
nels run into the mountain on the
South side near its base. These
tunnels are from 80 to 1900 feet
long and were run some years go.
A great many Of them are still pro-
oucing oil in small quantities. but
0f high gravity and / am satished
that OIL viii be found in paying
uua ntirieS on the land and in less
than $500 feet in depth
one of the remarkable feats of oil
wei drilling of Ventura county is
credited TO the Puritan well in the
sulphur mountain district. Fifteen
and a half inch casing has been car
ried 10 a depth OF more than 400 feet
and 10 inch many hundreds OF feet
farther, which considering the rocky
and unsure formation of the district
is quite an achievement, one hitherto
thought practically impossible.
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