Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-03-12
A Brief History of Development
of the Mid-Continent Oil Field
Compiled and Written by c. w. Shannon and Fritz Aurn of
the Oklahoma Geological Survey

pools. The present production Of the
states in the Mid-Continent field
shows for northern Texas o. '5,a2+
barrels in 1912. the total production
for the state being l1.735,057 barrels.
In 1913 the production amounted to
9.1S4.252 barrels, and in 1914 IT IN
creased to 9,45l.622 barrels. The
first reported production from the
field was / 500 barrels in 1896. Kan
sas produced 500 barrels in 1889 and
reached it maximum production in
l905-l906, when over 100000 bar
rels were produced Oklahoma is
credited with 80 barrels of oil in
1891 and did not reach the l,000-bar-
rel mark until about 1900. In 1904
the production passed the 1000, 900
barrel mark. while for 1912 the pro-
duction was 51.427.071 barrels, and
I'm 1913 55.0lS.541 barrels. The total
production for 1914 exceeded lOO,-
900, 900 barrels. These high produc-
tions placed oklahoma second in
rank in production and first in value
of oil. The total production for 1913,
including pipe line runs. oil in stor-
age and that destroyed by fires. has
been estimated at 123,905,000 barrels.
Development In Oklahoma.
The discovery of oil in Kansas
created excitement on the Indian ter
ritory side, and in 1884 the Choctaw
Oil & Refining Co. was formed. one
well was begun about 20 miles north
Of TahleQuah and another on Clear
Boggy creek about IA miles west of
Atoka. Neither produced more than
slowings of either oil OF gas. There
was no further activity until 1904.
when the Cudahy Oil company drilled
two wells at Muskogee, each of which
showed good prospects. but no active
development took place in this field
until 1904, when il became possible
to secure proper titles to land and
to have allottees' leases approved by
the department of interior.
At Red Fork.
The Red Fork Tulsa district was
opened by the drilling of a producing
well in 1901. Practically all the ac-
tivity in the early part of 1904 was
confined to the Usage nation. The
Cleveland field was opened in Septem-
Der. 1904. and some development oc-
CURED in the vicinity OF Muskogec,
Chelsea, Red Fork, Bartlesville, AL
luwe. Lenapah and Dewey: In 1900
there was considerable active devel-
opment and extension of known
fields.
The Wheeler field northwest OF
Ardmore was discovered in 1905. In
1906. in addition to active develop
ment, the famous Glenn pool was
opened. This pool reached its maxi
mum production in October, 1907,
when 2.441,662 barrels were pro-
duced The field about Dewey was
opened in 1906. as was also the Nor
ris pool. BY the close of the year
the production for the state was about
1000 900 barrels. In 1905 a new pool
of excellent high-grade oil was found
at Muskogee. The principal features
of this year were high production
wells and the finding of deeper sands
in producing fields.
The production and activity OF
1910 considerably surpassed that of
1909. The chief centers of new activ-
itv were Henryetta and Usage. Gas
was discovered at Poteau. In 1911
further development was shown in
the fields and a special increase in
the Hogshooter region.
Price Advanced.
Early in 1912 the price of oil ad-
vanced from so cents to SO cents per
barrel Drilling was greatly stimu
lated and as a result old fields were
extended and much "wildcatting" was
done, which in some cases proved
successful. The most striking feature
Of the new development was the dis
covery of the Gushing field. Other
important Developments were the dis
covery of deeper sands in the Cleve-
land field: the eastward extension of
the Glenn pool; the opening of the
Adair pool west of Nowata; renewed
activities in the Ponca City field, and
in Okmulgee county. A good gas
well was brought in near Duncan and
some dcVlOpment was made at Loco.