The San Francisco call., 1910-04-27
THOROUGHLY TO
PROSPECT MONO
Several Companies Will Sink
Wells This Summer on the
Eastern Slope of Sierra

The oil seepa ges Of Mono county,
which have been noted by geologists
for the last 25 years. viii attract un-
usual attention during the summer. as
several companies have announced their
intention further to prospect the re
gion. The conditions make drilling
very difficult. particularly during
the winter season. Many of the own
ers Of large tracts in the Sierra have
extended their holdings toward the
Mono lake basin. believing that the de-
posits would eventually yield to devel-
opment
Speaking of the subject the Bridge
port Chronicle-Union says:
One of the greatest assets of Mono
county is the oil fields now being
opened up in the Mono lake basin.
While it has been known for long
period that oil existed there it is only
within the last two years that any or
ganized effort has been made to develop
the field. The basin is Is to 20 miles
in width by nearly 40 miles in length,
and the geologic formation is princi-
pally shale. clay and sand as has been
proved by the Great Western well on
Paoha island. 2.400 feet in depth.
FAVORABLE FORMATION
TO the south of the lake are several
volcanic craters and on this account
probably the field has been overlooked
so long. The rocks, beds of shale and
sand in the well on the island are well
stratifed and are of a favorable forma-
ton Tor the discovery of oil, as they
show no volcanic disturbance.
An oil spring was discovered on
Paoha island % years ago. and its flow
has been steady and uninterrupted ever
since. II it did not come from perma-
nent body Of oil it would have evap-
GRATED long ago. On this island the
Great Western company bored a well
2,400 feet deep AT $50 feet oil sand
was struck and gas and oil encoun-
tered. AT a greater depth oil was found
and samples exhibited prove it to be
an excellent quality of paraffine oil.
Two seepages of oil are found on
the northern shores Of the lake, one
on the margin of the lake and the other
three miles to the northeast In sew
eral places on the north and east shores
of the lake sands impregnated with oil
are found, and there is undoubtedly a
large body OF oil, which will be dis
covered as soon as depth is attained
The Sierra company bored on the
mainland last summer, but on account
of difficulty with heaving sands the
rig was shut down for the winter The
Mono Standard company at a depth of
250 feet struck oil sands, but at about
500 feet lost its tools and will have to
bore q new well.
BUBBLES FROM LAKE
The finding of gas in the wei on
the island is proof that the bubbles
arising from the lake are gasAfhe vast
bed of the lake from which they arise
being of the same stratified formation
as that through which the well is bored.
The best oil experts that have visited
the field all agree that the sands and
clay, so far as shown, are genuine oil
sands, and that the prospects are good
for flowing wells whenever properly
developed.
The lack OF transportation facilities
has seriously retarded work and rigs
have been closed down for weeks
awaiting the arrival of some necessary
supply. Like all pioneers. the oil men
have had everything to contend with
yet they have perseYered.
''Of the companies that will oper-
ate there the coming season the fol-
lowing are a few: Great Western.
Sierra, Mono Standard. Wilsonberg.
Mono Crude and the Nugent.''