Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-26
SMALL PRODUCER
HAVING HIS TURN
Making More Money Than
Ever Before and Is
Playing Safe.

! Special to The World. &,
BARTLESVILLE, Okla, Nov. 25.-
| While big oil strikes are being made
| in the Kansas and other fields in the
mid-continent district by big operat-
! ing companies and the largest indi-
vidual producers, the small producer
is coming into hts own in this Oil dis
trict. To borrow an oil-country ex-
preston, small oil producers are ''sit-
ting pretty" and they realize it. That
is the reason why no oil property has
changed hands in this district in sew
eral months. Even tho oil men We're
offered record prices for their hold
| ings, they will hesitate long befor0
| letting go.
Talk to the average small producer
and he will tell you in confidence that
he is satisfied. He is making more
money now than ever before, and IL
crude oil continues at the present price
he stands to make thousands of dollars
during the coming months. There are
hundreds of producers of this kind in
this diss'ict. not to mention hundreds
of small oil producers in the other set
tied distritcs. They are going to play
a safe game.
Government Control.
One reason for this is because of the
enough. the oil business Is running
along smoothly, but what is worrying
the average oil men. both large and
small, Is what effect the war Is going
to have.
Government regulation Of the price
of crude oil has been a. bit disquieting,
but experienced oil men, who are n a
position TO speak with authority. de-
clare that the government is not going
to fool with the oil market Whenevep
the government makes an authorita-
tive statement as to It's future stand In
the oil business, producers will go for
ward with drilling operations. An
other handicap and one that is causing
considerable embarrassment is lack of
water for drilling purposes.
Two-dollar oil has put more than !
one man at his ease. He has had q !
chance to pay out his lease and his /
income now has no strings to it. He is |
not worrying about having to meet |
notes at banks. on the other hand, |
bankers are offering oil men all kinds !
of money for use in drilling operations. |
for they realize that money loaned on |
production is one of the safest invest |
ments that can be made. Millions of |
dollars have been loaned by Bartles-
willie banks on oil production The |
notes have been cancelled and now
producers are building up good bank
accounts. Two-dollar oil has made
hundreds of oil producers.
Laying Away Money.
With such conditions IL is not to be
wondered that small producers are not
eager to dispose of their holdings.
They are not only getting good price
for their oil, but laying away money
with which to use in drilling extra
wells later on, for the average small
producer has enough acreage to drill
several wells, and he won't have to go
to the banks to get the money to ope-
rate. The wells I'm this district long
ago settled down TO n production of
about Is barrels; some are larger and
some are smaller. Operating expenses
are not large, so II will be seen that
the average oil man has a nice income.
On top of this he is receiving a good
income from the sale OF waste or cas-
inghead gas. 1t doesn't cost a cent to
produce this gas; II Is velvet to the
oil producers.
OIL Men Branching Out.
Encouraged by present conditions
and the outlook for even better condi-
tons, Oil men are branching out. go-
Ing into sections of the oil fields that
were never drilled, because they were
passed up In the early days OF the
Held, and are drilling new wells. In
the early days a 25-barrel well looked
like a duster and was never put to
The reason was because the
price OF oil was then So cents n barrel
and oil wells could not be operated
FOR such n price. But II is different
now. A 10-barrel we'll or even
g. barrel well looks mighty good, 4
and they are not being passed up. In
scores Of sections In this district pools
Of oil are being opened up. Here is
one Of the strange things encountered
In the oil country. There are scores