Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-15
DEVELOP NATURAL GAS
BENEATH RIVERS BED
Experiments Made Yesterday Con.
vince Richmond Men That Rich
Strata Exist at Purdue Island.
To BEGIN DRILLING AT ONCE
Expect tn Go Down 5000 Feet to
Strike Pool OF Petrolcum-Sam-
pies Indicate High-Gradc Product.
Successfully Used In Nantes.

Experiments conducted yesterday by
c. ~. Owens. general manager OF this
Virginia Natural Gas and OIL Corpora
ton ut Purdue Island convinced hin,
and n party of Richmond men who
were present. that the stream OF hub
bles which has been escaping from
the old river channc for many years
Is natural gas. II thut somewhere be-
meath is II pool OF petroleum worth
tapping. Already n pier has been bull,
into the river, upon which to unload
the drilling machinery, already order
ed. Those interested in the venture
hope to have the drills in operation in
a short. time.
Purdue island is about sixteen miles
from Richmond, rs the crow flies. ana
u few miles further by water. 1t is
said that rivermen have long known
Of the flow of gas in the old channel,
which was abandoned during the War
Between the States at the time Dutch
Gap was cut. This gas escapes in the
form OF bubbles, which may he noticed
at low tide. rising in a continuous
stream.
Mr.. Owens has had considerable ex-
pcrience in the oil and natural gas
fields Of Alberta, California and Okla
homa. He says that the general &C.
illogical lay Of the territory in Tide
water Virginia is similar TO that OF
other fields. and hat he liz convinced
there is a pool of petroleum about hvo
miles long by one or two miles in
width near Purdue Island. He expects
to have 10 drill from 1000 TO 5000 feet
before he strikes the pool.
SAMPLES COLLECTED
APPEARS AS HIGH trade
The experiments carried out yestcr-
day were regarded as highly success
full. The company has a barge anchor
ed near the spo where the bubbles
arise to the surface, and MIR. Owens
rugged UP two tanks, one to collect.
and the other to confine the gas. The
first tank was submerged and the air
forced out by water. The tank was
then brought over the escaping huh
bles, which, In turn, forced the water
out. Gradually the tank filed with
gas. The gas from the collecting tank
was pumped through a rubber tube
into the other tank on board the barge.
The gas so collected was burned in a
Bunson burner. cook stoves and under
n regular gas mantle. II gave Il brill
liant light md, according to the tests.
would indicate a hiEh-grade gas.
When asked II IL was such "A val
uable oil deposit why il had not been
developed sooner. MIR. Owens said that
il had not been worked because the
Virginia Geological Survey ceased in
1897 and was not revived until 1907.
There have been no appropriations
available for Tidewatcr Virginia since
that time. he said. and for this rea-
son operations were delay ed.
Mr.. Owens said he was convinced
several months ago that the geologi-
cal formation OF Virginia was such
that there must be oil accumulations
here. and that ne has spent several
months in the section look
ing over the territory. When he dis
covered the bubbles arising on the
water near Purdue Island. he said,
nc was convinced he had found ma
tural gas. He tested the nature OF
the gas thoroughly. he said, before he
took any action toward drilling for
the oil.
The drilling will not he lone in the
river he'd. for in this case the con
struction OF Golfer dams would be
necessary. Instead, a convenient place
on the bank. near the spot where the
gas escaped will be chosen, and the
we'll VIII he sunk there. The speed
with which the we'll is sunk will de-
pend. in large measure. upon the rock
strata which the drills encounter in
their long journey downward through
the earth's crust.
Another corporation has been or
ganized which is to locate It's drills
near those OF the Virginia Natural
Gas and Oil Corporation. The new
mpa the Underwater Oil and Gas
Corporation. will sink its test we'll In
the near future. It Is said. i. F.. Peck.
! who has long been identified with Mr..
Owens in oil-well operations, is gen
| eral manager Of the new corpora
| tfon.