Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-12-04
HOW 4 NEW OIL
FIELD IS FOUND
MANY DISCDTRt(EME,N MANY
HARDSHIpS. BEFORE
SUCCESS COMES

son lQlnhS OF the OH DuSlhtSS, anu
/ vet there is probably no other field
of endeavor in the industrial world
that, while Offering Inducements, is
surrounded by the prvations, diff
culties, discouragements and hard
ships such as are incident to the pros
pecting. explorations and final sue
cessful development as does the oil
| industry.
Washington today is in the throes
of an oil boom and oil companies are
scattered throughout the state. Hun
dreds Of thousands of acres of land
have been placed under leases by OPP
orators for oil drilling purposes.
"On Game" Fascinating.
The evolution of the oil game, as
the oil men call it, from the incep-
ton of the idea that oil is to be
found in a certain section of the coun-
try to the time oil is finally discover
ed, is one of the most fascinating
studies in the commercial world.
An oil field usually starts with an
oil seepage. Seepages are discovered
on tract of land. The property
owner knows of these seepages, and
probably the entire country side have
known of them for years. One day
man who has had experience, or
has worked in or around an oil field,
casually drifts through the country.
He sees the seepages.
He tells of the seepages to other oil
men. They investigate. A careful
survey of the field is made. The sit
uation is looked at from every side.
Sometimes geological experts are call
ed in, but not as general rule.
A lease is obtained, and the work
! of opening the prospects starts. Drill
lers are brought on the ground. Oil
drilling rigs are obtained. The work
starts. 80.
A crew of men start the erection
of an oil drilling derrick. A traction
engine is taken to the field to furnish
power. The derrick is erected. The
drilling starts.
Time of Expectancy.
From the time the drill is spudded
In, until the well is either abandoned
or oil 10 discovered is a time of expec.
fancy. From the day the we'll il
spudded until either abandoned OF
oil is found, the drillers work two
shifts IL hours each. The drill II
never silent. A record of the depth
gained daily and the character and
thickness of each qualification O.
rock is carefully kept. This is thu
log.
4 The drillers are In absolute control
The head driller is small car. Hi
word Is law. The hole is started
The drill rapidly sinks through tn
soft OVERLAPPING glacial drift. or earth
This is cased of, and the drill start
in Its long search for oil. Foot ate
foot is pounded away. The bale
goes down after the drill and keep
the driller posted as to the chaacte
of the rock. Formations change. I
sedimentary rock is found in places
optimism grows. If this rock change
and ranges from sandstone bearin
fossils to gray and black shales wit
small layers Of grit, enthusiasm
grows.
AS the drill sinks into the bowel
!. of the earth the formation become
harder. Gas is found. This is an in
dication of oil. The shales chang
to a semimetamorphosed shale, al
most to slate. This in turn gives wa
to sands. These sands are extremel
. hard and gritty. Then the driller
believe they are in true oil forma
lions.
Progress OF the Drill.
Every foot of the drill is watched
) Oil sands show in the bailer. Thi
gives way to cap rock. Passin
this, more oil sands show. Oil an
: grease begin to make appearance
. The drillers are more alert. Hun
dreds of feet Of shales and sands wi
be encountered and pounded away
: The we'll is proving Zine prospect.
AS greater depth is gained. the shale
and sands show greater oil indics
tions.
Finally the drillers report that
: cap rock is under the drill. Enthui
J. iasm grows and the feeling become
intense. Slowly the drill sing
!. through the cap rock. One drille
: stands at the drill screw hour afte
= hour, hoping against hope.
: The drill takes a sudden drop.
T rumble in the we'll follows and tn
drit1or throuc 1ovor nvor orA ~