The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-06-30
GAS HEARING YESTERDAY
Early Days Of Field Witnessed Crimi
nal Waste Of Gas. Conserved Now.


The gas conservation hearing held
here yesterday developed the informa-
tion that the City of ArdmOre is using
less than one-half of one per cent Of
the gas production in the HealdtOn
field. Writ Franklin testified that in
his opinion section IL was producing
one hundred million feet of gas and
sections and are producing one
hundred million, and there is being
marketed from the field only about one
million feet
w. d. Humphrey, member of the cor
poration commission, his attorney, p.
A. Walker and stenOgraphers Mrs.
r. S Greer, and Adah +. Enders, ar
rived here on the southbound Santa
! Fe yesterday at one o'clock and the
gas conservation hearing convened at
| two o'clock at the commercial club
rooms at the court house About two
hours were given to the examination
of a number of volunteer witnesses.
Judge Humphrey in opening the
hearing stated that this was one of a
series of inquiries that was being
made into the manner of caring for gas
in the oil fields of the state He is
trying to arrive at the best method of
conserving gas, and when his con
clusions are reached, an order will
be issued which the oil conservation
officers in the different fields will
carry out
The first witness tC testify vas G.
w. Russell, manager of the Ardmore
City Gas Company. Mr.. Russell stated
that there had been vast amount of
waste in the Healdton field. that the
duced from 800 pounds to 65 pounds !
He also stated that in the drilling in
of the Apple-Franklin well in section
Is, that the well was open at different
times covering a period of two weeks, |
and at the time when it was open it |
was making from 10 to 20 million
feet j L. HamOn here asked a few |
questions for the purpose of bringing
out the fact that the federal gas eX.
pert was employed on this well and
that the most skilled workmen at
times failed to save gas waste
J. F. Lawrence, field superintend-
ent for the local gas company stated
that in the majority of instances in
the early days of the field efforts were
made to get rid of the gas and get it
out of the way so wells could be
drilled on into the oil sand For this
reason there was a rapid decline in
the gas production. Wells that made
rom 80 to 80 million when they were
drilled in, are now making from ! to
million and this reduction has been
within less than a year. He said, the
causes are: flowing wells, improper
,asing, leakage, and the waste in the
operation of machinery. He estimat-
I'd the production of the field from ,
100 to $50 million, with about 1-100 of !
I being sold to Ardmore and to drill
ng concerns in the eld.
Roy NJ Johnson of the Crystal Oil 3
'ompany stated that nearly all of the
PRODUCERS made more or less efforts {
o conserve the gas He said that .
he eagerness to drill into the oil =
ands had resulted in the destruction
# a vast amount of gas According to
lis testimony the Crystal well No 3 {
n section 3 drilled in a little more i
han year ago. had 33 million feet.
nd the production has now gone to
million. and the well has been dis
onnected from the Ardmore pipe line. !;
Writ Franklin of the Crystal Com f
any told the commission that he was a
cry anxious to see the gas conserved II
n the field, and recommended the 7
Sc of the mud fluid system, such as is "
sed by J. A. Pollard of the federal s
overnment as a proper system TO a
dopt to save the gas. He said that y
here was no waste in the field at
his time, that the waste during the ,,
arly days of the field was due to r
agerness to drill into the oil sand. q
lr Franklin explained the loss of gas +.
/ drilling in his well in section Is,