The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-12-20
MANY WELLS IN
SAN JUAN FIELD
Government Agent Says Oil
May Be Produced
With Profit.

san Juan oil field which was last
summer visited by government oil ex-
rerts. has received the following notice
20 the hands 81 IL. p Gregory iu his
Contributions to Economic geology"
recently issued by the United states
THEOLOGICAL survey. the first part Of the
article. treating Of the geology and
formation Of the field. having appeared
In these columns December 10.
The existence OF oil seeDs" In the
san Juan canyon has been known for
made iu the spring Of 1852 by Mr. Good
ridge who made the hazardous trip
canyons from Bluff TO Lees Ferry with
the loss Of one boat The first well
NcroaEinE No. ID was drilled during
1907-S and oil was struck on March 4
1905. From that date until the spring
~ 1903 development was rapid. but in
July 1909. drilling was In DroErcss at
only one well I'm the entire field. on
the whole. the drilling has not been
skll.fully done. and IL is reported that
tools have been lost at nearly every
well drilled In the field The filing OF
claims has kept far ahead Of develop
m-nts. as is Indicated By the fact that
nearly 10000 locations have been re-
corded az Monticello. the county scat
or San Juan county.
Twenty Of the twenty-five wells are
reported TO have struck oil, oil was en-
countored In each well wherever the oil
sands were penetrated. and the three
lowest sands have not yet been tested
BY the drill. one Of these three. the
ionaker. IS marked in the canyon wall
~ a prominent Eoop. OIL OF good quail
q IS undoubtedly present In consider
able quantity at each OF the seven
horizons. A map Of the field indicating
the existing wells shows that the de-
Nelopmeut has been confined chiefly to
the valley OF Limestone creek. and that
no drilling has been done south Of san
Juan river. This area was doubt Iezs
chosen because wells can be sunk here
10 the lower oil sands az less expense
than elsewhere In the field. But even
in this aren no well has been sunk
deep enough 20 test the lowest sand
Two wells north or the river. one tn She
eyncline and one on the west antiCline.
both sunk 10 the horizon OF the Hona-
kcr sand or lower. would indicate the
possibilities or the field. \ test well
should also be sunk south OF the river
- some convenient point between Gyp-
sum creek and tho Monuments. The
wells already sunk give valuable In
formation regarding the conditions In
the upper oil sands. Tn making plans
Tor The future 20 should De noted that
the dcep-Cut canyon or the san Juan
may have drained the OH from the field.
This consideration. taken In connection
with the Information afforded by the
wells already drilled. indicate that
there is little probability Of finding
Eushcrs or wells Of phenomenal yield
1t seems reasonable 90 predict. however.
that several wells viii DO found I'm this
district from which on may be pumped
with profit
Tor domestic use. there is no present de-
uand FOR OH in southern Utah and
northern Arizona. a region which Is
now and which will probably remain
one or the most thinlv populated sec
lions OF the United States. The oil
might be used locally as a means OF
obtained power Tor electrical transmits
rione. but FOR this 90 will probably be
found more economical 20 develop the
water power I'm san Juan river.
OH from THIS district would. there
fore. enter the general market TO COM
pete with supplies from more favored
regions which 30 could not do without
decreased cost 81 production and In
creased transportation facilities. Under
present conditions the estimated cost
n drilling ig - On foot. and local own
rrT assume that the GoodridEe sand
may be- reached FOR an outlay Of So
300 and the McndcnhaT sand for So
300
Ansiysi- OF OU From san Juan County.
fkv David IT.. Day. T.. s. Geological
survey
Gravity az so deg. r.. Sp. rr.. O.S755.
Eaume. 29.9. Begins Co boil at 212
deg a.