The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-04
No Effort Made to Cap 1t,
But Drillers Will Con-
tinue the Search
for Oil
SHANNON is VERY
CONFIDENT LARGE
OIL LAKE EXISTS
Gas Was Struck at 1850 Feet and
Quantity Is Much Greater Than
in Any of the Alabama
Fields Heretofore
Tapped

Natural gas for Birmin CHAM is ap-
parently in sight. Over the long dis
tance telephone last night P. NJ. Shan
non, the widely known gas and oil
expert, confirmed the rumor that his
drillers had struck an immense flow
of gas, which was it agreed, exceed
ed anything in the Fayette field and
which was absolutely foreign to the
tested gas properties. Mr.. Shannon said
that he was drilling for oil but that
the gusher of gas was struck yester-
day. Drilling will be continued, he
said, until greater depth Is reached
which may develop oil, more gas or
may develop a diminishing of the pres
ent gratifying flow of gas.
In talking of the strike, Mr.. Shan
non, who is always careful in his state
ments, said he was very sanguine over
the find and was of the opinion that
this gas was the greatest evidence yet
uncovered1 that the district is rich both
In oil and gas
Struck at 1850 Feet
He explained last night that the tre-
mendous flow of gas was struck at
1850 feet in the Knox dolomits sands
He said the drillers had barely touched
the strata when the gusher of gas
came flying up and that no efforts
had yet been made to cap the flow He
frankly said that the flow had dimin.
ished somewhat from the original vol
ume but that he believed this was only
temporary
Mr.. Shannon said that the we'll where.
In new gas was found yesterday was
d1Herent from the Jasper or Haley
10 trac fif,I ~ H.
said that, the wide area separating the
fields convinced him that a tremendous
lake of gas and oil was underneath.
Mr.. Shannon said that no effort would
be made to cap the flow that mas been
FOUND, but that drilling would con-
tinue in the hope of finding a greater
gas flow or oil which he originally
tried for.
Mr.. Shannon's Statement
I'VE have struck a very large flow
of gas at 1850 feet after touching a
strata of Knox dolomite,'" said Mr.
shannon. II was drilling for oil when
the gas was touched. All my drillers
and others well informed in sas mat
ters agreed that the flow was greater
than any well at Fayette, which dis
trict has been running gas for some
time. The flow is in, itself insufficient
to supply Birmingham with natural gas.
However the wide area separating
this strike from those of Favctte and
Haleyville where gas has been found.
indicates to me that the lake is OF
great width and when found will be
far larger than necessary to supply
this district.
y am more sanguine now than ever
before that we will find gas enough
here to supply this whole territory AS
is known, we are supplying Jasper a
this time The gas We have found
Is great and il the bearings we have
only pan out we will have the great
est hnd that has yet been made start
ed out for oil and have not abandoned
that quest. | have made no attempt to
bottle up this gas. We will Grill fur
ther and if the flow continues we will
perhaps cap the well and start oil drill
ings elsewhere in this territory
However. believe this well will
bring in the oil that we have all along
expected. | am intensely grati,led over
this find as 1t bears out the opinio,,
that | have always held in regard to
Birmingham and that is that we will
have oil and gas in great quantities
to sell to the Birmingham district
However, this one well, as have
stated, Is not quite enough to furnish
Birmingham"
The news that gas in great guam
tity had been found near Jasper when
it'reached Birmingham was of intense
interest. During the past few years gas
and oil have been found in small guam
titles in that section and great guam
tity of securities have been placed by
various companies in promoting gas
and oil companies. Mr.. shannon, how
ever, who has had great deal of sue
cess In the past, has not offered any
stock as vet.