The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-17
An Explanation.

Tulsa World: The fact that ther,
is SO much difficulty in the compile
ton of wells in Stephens county has
caused great comment and the fol,
lowing is contributed in answer tc
such complaints by a dependable
rotary expert:
Regarding the operation of the
rotary in Cotton and Stephens
counties the small inexperienced oil
man is repeating the history OF
practically every new field where
the rotary has been introduced.
Their zeal to get the wells down
coupled with the desire OF the con-
tractor to complete the hole to a
specified depth in the shorest pos
sible time is responsible for the bad
manner in which wells are finish
ed.
The first principle of completing
a well successfully is to determine
as far as possible the safety zone
above the oil sand, that is, the dis
tance above the oil sand where no
water strata occurs and there Sc
lect suitable formation on which
to set the water string. This is the
practice of every experienced oil op-
orator as is evidenced by the activi-
ties of Mr.. Parker, the Devonian
Oil Company, the Carter Oil Com
pany, and others who are now op-
Grating in this district, but it is
high time that some regulation
should be established making it OBJ
ligatory to set string Of pipe at a
depth Of from 1000 to 2,lOO feet
and if necessary, cement the pipe,
at any rate, make test and see that
the water is shut off before the drill
proceeds into the oil sand.
"As far as the drilling in of
well with a rotary is concerned, it
matters little so long as me surface
and subsequent waters are shut
off, according TO the practice of
every oil operator.
The fact that in the Magnolia
iirst we'll in section p the $40
.nch casing froze about 80 feet
above the oil sand and the well pro-
duced in at least this much open
hole and also that wells west of the
Magnolia found the sand at about
the same depth should be sufficient
evidence to even In emost unexperi-
enced operators that a sand is to
be found at a level similar to that
OF the Magnolia and II is only rank
and an obsession on the
part OF the company 10 get through
and away from the job at break I
neck speed that causes this malic- {
lous running of what might be a
splendid oil pool.
The tendency in any new field {
where rotary wells are drilled in t
rapid time, is to throw caution to
he wind. This is particularly true a
N the case of contract work and c
small companies, while were the
same care exercised with the rotary 6
hat is used with the cable tools or y
With the rotary in the hands of "
arge companies or men deeply in r
crested in the successful drilling OF
/ well il is certain that different
esults than those cited above would
.ccrue. p
we do not doubt for one mo g
nent if the truth were made public u
hat the big majority OF the social =
d dry holes in Stephens county arc :,
wells in which the drill was forced .
nto the oil sand carrying with it ;.
he water from every stratum pene- -
rated BY drill. All this could have =.
cen avoided BY using a very small "
uantiiy OF common horse sense. n
AS it is the water has been car
led into the stratus and unless the
ellis are efficiently plugged the op-
rator for his careleSsness will
pend a great quantity OF his time
nd his money in an endeavor 10 h'
ome back and do the thing it was a.
mple and easy to do in the begin :, !,
ing. Because the rotary drill wells a.
iickly and saves several strings of y ~
pc il docs not follow that these ~
els can be drilled and finished :.
ith no pipe at all nor even one ~
ring OF pipe, but the practice of -
tting a water string and an oil 81
ring, or a liner has been the es- A.
blished practice wherever wells bo