Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-29

dent of the United States formerly re-
ceiyed as annual salary, is well worth
being given leading place in the list
of the worlds natural phenomena. In
the Potrero del Llano field, situated
about 100 miles southeast of Tampieo, is
a well of the gusher type, which is pro-
nounced by oil experts to be the larg-
est producer known in the worlds his
tory OF that industry. 1t has demon
strated that il is not only capable of
producing 10000 barrels of oil for one
day. but that it can keep UP that per-
Torrance for an interminabIe duration;
at least. it kept ii up for three months
without the slightest decrease of out
put and during the period it ran wild
it flooded Il big scope of country with
the ilHid. 1t was tested. after being
throttled down for several months to a
flow CT about 80 coo barrels d1fly and
the gauge showed that it still retained
its original output of 10000 barrels
daily.
BASED on a value of only 80 cents per
barrel for the oil. the well is capable
of producing revenue of $55 600 daily,
or $20o75,o00 in one year.
The proved capacity Of the Potrero
del Llano well is more than 10000, 600
barrels OF oil per annum.
Uncontrolled Three Months.
There is no theory connected with
this statement. Practical oil men who
witnessed the performances of the
monster say that there is every reason
To believe ii Will be able to keep up it's
ll0,0eo-barrel daily production for a
much longer period than one year. 1t
ran uncontrolled for three months. and
of the more than 10,000.600 barrels of oil
that it shot high into the air during
that period only 100000 barrels were
saved During that whole three months
day ard night shifts of the most expert
OIL machinery and, equipment men in
the United states We're busy trying to
bring The roaring, pulsating giant un-
der control
These trained mechanics tried every
known device in their efforts to stop
the enormous flow. Finally great
steel valve with strength capable of
withstanding 2400 pounds pressure to
the square inch was splaced upon the
mouth of the we'll by means of power
ful equipment. Even then the valve
could be only partly closed The cost
OF harnessing the well and the con-
struction of storage reservoirs was up
wards of $500, 600, it is stated. Lord
Cnwdray of London, England, who is at
the head of the Pearson syndicate
which owns this wonderful well. spent
several weeks on the ground personally
directing the difficult task of bringing
the giant under control
When the reports reached the outside
Wsrld of the enormous capacity of the
we'll they We're discredited by many
leading oil operators and scientists. 1t
was in order TO satisfy a party of fif-
teen or twenty skeptics that the dam
gerous risk of opening up the we'll to
its full capacity was taken some time
after it was brought under control.
These men Travelled all the way from
the United States for the special pur-
pose of viewing the giant in action.
They We're taken TO Potrero del Llano
from Tampieo and when they viewed
the throttled gusher which was then
doing $4,000 barrels daily under the re-
straint of the enormous valve they
openly expressed doubt of it's reported
capacity.
Let 1t Run Full Force.