The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-13
KANSAS GAINS
LAURELS THRU
OIL PRODUCTION
State Now Ranks Ninth for Pc
trOleum Output.
Butler County, Kansas, Gets
National Reputation.
U, S. PRODUCES 292 MILLION
Increased Demand by Rein
cries Sends Prices Skyward.
Oklahoma Leads With PrOduc-
ton of 1O5 Million Barrels.
U. S. PRODUCES 292 MILLION
Increased Demand by Rein
cries Sends Prices Skyward.
Oklahoma Leads With PrOduc-
ton of 1O5 Million Barrels.
BY l.. Il. NICKEL.


Washington. Jan. 13.-Over quarter
of q billion barrels of crude petroleum
were produced in the United States
during 1916. according to a preliml-
nary report of the interior department
The 292. 100000 barrels produced eX-
ceeded the preceding years output by
II 400 600 and constitutes a new rec
ord.
OUTPUT of the new fields in the mid
continent and Rocky mountain regions
is the reason for the increase despite
a decline in production in older heloS
east of the Mississippi.
Oklahoma was the leader in produc-
ton with IO5.OO0.0O0 barrels. and CAL
ifornia second with S9.0O0.0OO barrels.
Kansas was ninth with 6.5OO,OOO.
The incentives for increased pro-
duction include higher prices LOT OIL
which encouraged drilling in all nelds'
a decrease in production in the Cush-
ing pool, Oklahoma, which allowed
the production of other mld-contlnent
fields access to markets; and greatly
increased demand for crude oil, ex-
pressing the needs of a large number
of new refineries that were 1nStalleu
during the period of over production
and low prices in 1914 and 1915.
Butler County, an Oil Center.
The principal centers of increased
production in 1916 were in EstllI ana
A
county Kansas; Careger county, Ok
lahoma, and Converse, Park and Ma
trona counties, Wyoming.
OF the mid-continent region, the re-
port says:
$50 successful in developing new
production was the drilling campaign
in the mid-continent region, inspired
by the waning of Gushing. and the
prompt advance of the crude-oil mar
ket. that Oklahoma was enabled to re-
tain the premier rank as an oil pro-
ducing state. and Kansas to secure
recognition as an important source of
crude oil.
1.-THE discovery of @ prolific pay
below the Bartlesville sand in the
Cushing district, Creek county, Okla
homa, and the completion of a great
number of gusher wells in the Sham
rock or south extension of that district,
together with the successful develop
ment of the Augusta and Eldorado
fields. in Butler county, Kan, caused
the overproduction that depressed the
market for all high grade crude oils
east of the Rocky mountains during
the summer and early part of the fall.
an Kansas the Augusta and Edo
'rado districts were the centers of
drilling activity. At the end of 1916
there were about 500 producing wells
in the Eldorado district, the COM
bined daily capacity of which was esti-
mated to be in excess of 5000 barrels
In the IlelQ imam lUU
producing wells were drilled during
1916. and at the end of the year the
estimated daily capacity of the field
was in excess of 10000 barrels.
Significant discoveries of oil, the value
of which had not been determined by
the end of 1916. were made in Kansas
near Beaumont. Greenwood county,
and northwest of Winfield. in Cowley
county. In the old shallow-sand fields
of Kansas drilling activity was attend
the Paola district. Miami county, and
the Wellsville district, Franklin
county.
More Drilling Than in 1915.
"Outside of the Cushing district,
which remained the center of interest
in Oklahoma, drilling activity was
much greater than in 1915. This was
particularly true in the Healdton
field. Carter county, where a large
increase in the production was record
ed and where several million barrels
of oil was placed in field storage.
I'm financial circles the leading fea-
ture of the years developments in the
Inid-continent region was the merging
OF many independent interests, pro-
ducing, transporting and refining, into
strong corporations, among which the
Sinclair Oil & Refining corporation,
Cosden & Co, and Cosden Oil &, Gas
Co. are perhaps the most conspicuous
examples. Scarcely less important was
the absorption by the Cities Service
corporation of many independent oil
and gas-distributing interests in this
region"