Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-03-26

by the secdetary of the interior and
based on figures made by the United
states Geological Survey will prove
interesting. He estimates that the eX-
haustion of the Pennsylvania division.
including the high grade fields of
Sout heastcrn Ohio, Kentucky and
West Virginia is 20 per cent, leaving a
potential amount of 4S1 900, 900 bar
rels remaining in the fields. This es-
innate is interesting, but not con
Vincing. Ii amounts only to the
quantity produced in these fields since
and including 1900. or within Is
years. Many producers expect that
their wells will he producing a fair
percentage of their present output Is
years from now. and base this eXpec-
tation upon what they have done in
past years. There III this region wells
close TO 80 years old. and leases 40
years old. which do not show any
such exhaustion as indicated by the
above estimates. Oil producers in
the Oldest territory on oil Creek
where the industry had its birth, have
recently discovered that the rock
pressure--the height to which oil will
rise in Wells surprisingly large
at a short distance from wells that
Rave been producing for 80 years.
This causes them to believe that the
exhaustion is not SO great as gen
orally assumed.
Using Economy.
The same authority fixes the cX-
haustion of the Lima Indiana fields
at SO per cent. and allows them only
81, 900, 600 barrels. These fields, il il
admitted. are nearing the point where
there can be little profit in continu-
ing operations. There are exceptions.
however, as very few months pass
without reports of wells starting off
at better than 100 barrels, and some
even more. During the last ten years
more wells have been abandoned in
these fields than have been com
pleted. and this leads to the belief
that the division is rapidly passing
away as an important factor in the
production. Illinois is credited with
q possible output in the future of
244,000, 600 barrels, or less than il
has produced since 1905. The ex-
haustion is estimated at 81 per cent
The same reasons for supposing that
the figures underestimate the guam
tity that will be obtained from the
Lima. Indiana and Illinois fields APP
ply to them as to Pennsylvania.
Higher prices will cause a nursing of
the wells beyond anything that has
been given them since they were
first drilled. Fewer old wells will be
pulled out. Producers are learning to
economize in their operations. and
are handling wells in q different man
ner than in the past. In the eastern
fields on many leases the gas is be
ing utilized for making gasoline. and
this adds no little to the income. New
methods are also being introduced to
improve the output. and some Of them
are proving fairly important
Many Great Changes.
Within Is years remarkable
changes have taken place i'm operating
leases, without which more than one
half the wells now pumping would be
out of commission. The gas engine:
the more general use of the gas
pump in some territory; the utiliza-
ton of gas for gasoline; the flooding
of the sands with air or gas; the
topping of the oil to obtain gasoline,
all have been important factors in
helping out the producer. That other
methods will be devised as necessity
and chances for greater profits arise
will undoubtedly upset many Of the
theories of the exhaustion of the
fields and the life of the old wells