Arizona republican., 1918-02-02
BUREAU IF MINES
 MAKES REPORT ON
 CHINO VALLEY O|L

Milton A. Allen, mineral technOlogist of the Arizona State Bureau of Mines, has just returned from an inspection of the prospective oil bearing round of the Chino valley, about which the public of Arizona has read so much during the past few months
 The tremendous publicity which cer- tain fields of Arizona have received with regard to the possible occurrence of oil in commercial quantities, and the interest which the public has taken in Arizona oil possibilities, prompted the state bureau of mines to make a rough reconnaissance of the possible fields. It was not in the nature of a geolo- gicaI investigation, as neither the time nor the funds were available, but rather an investigation as to the pos slble expectations or chances of find ing oil in the field in which actual drill sng was already in process.
 The work being done in the Chino valley, which is situated in the north ern part of Yavapai county, has been the most prominent for some years. Oil indications have been known in this valley since 1905 when a MT. Jones, after careful survey of the field, re- ported that favorable indications of oil existed
 Some years ago J. C. Heslit formed a company known as the Chino Valley oil and Mining company, which raised sufficient money to put down test well, and although there is no accurate log of this well existing, an affidavit was made by J. l. Wiley that oil sands containing d high paraffine base oil were found. Due to the fact that no casing was used below the ], 1,400-foot level, the well was lost.
 Recently a considerable number of companies have been formed and taken location in the Chino valley field, be- sides numerous private individuals. The Arizona Oil and Refining company has derrick erected at a place one half mile southeast of the discovery well of the Chino Valley Oil and Min ing company. The complete drilling rig is on the field, the necessary bunk houses erected and drilling operations about to commence. The Arizona del Rio has bunk houses erected and both this company and the United Chino Oil company will probably be sinking their test wells within a very short time.
 As to the existence of oil bearing rock, there is absolutely no question, and as to the presence of an anticlinal structure which is necessary for oil segregation, there seems to be no question, although this could not be determined accurately WitOhut q very detailed survey.
 The nearest field in which oil occurs in the same geological series as that of the Chino valley is the San Juan field of Utah, which is just north of the Arizona Utah state line.
 The object of the reconnaissance fls INF ta Arfr -fn4C ,f Mines was to ascertain whether or not there were chances of finding oil in commercial quantities in the Chino Valely as many people have believed that many of these oil stock selling companies recently organized were fakes. While the bureau of mines does not take upon itself to recommend the purchase of stock in any Of the con- panies operating in that field, it de- sired to be able to assure the public if the conditions warranted, that the operations were legitimate and that there were chances for oil.
 Without a complete geological sur vey, it would be impossible to tel whether or not the structure is sucl that itNwOuld allow oil to pool or would so scatter it as to make it unavailable Of course the question as to whether oil would be found in commercial quan- titles can only be answered by drilling
 MT. Allen was very favorably i'm pressed with the opportunities of tht field and with the sincerity of thu operators with whom he came in toucl during his investigation.
 This must not be taken by the
 people of the state to mean a rec
 ommendation of the purchase of
 any stock in the oil companies, for
 there are many factors upon which
 the success of an oil operation
 hinges entirely outside of the pres
 ence of oil bearing ground. Many
 companies fail through lack of suf
 ficient capital to complete their
 plans; others fail through drilling
 in the wrong place; some fail
 through carelessness or dishonesty
 of the management, and many fail
 because of the fact that the money
 which is received from the sale of
 stock is not applied to the devel-
 opment of the property. These are
 factors which a prospective in-
 Vestor should ascertain for him
 self.
 Mir. Allen stated in the conclusion c his report that the existence of oil i commercial quantities in the Chino an Verde valleys could only be determine by sinking test wells. There is n uOQDI iudL tlle luulCdtlOllS eAiSt, -Nult warrant an investigation. In order tha these test wells shall prove the fact beyond a doubt, and that possibl productive field should not be con demned. sufficient geological an stratigraphical investigation should b done to prove that an anticlinal struc lure favorable to oil accumulation exist and the test wells should be sunk i places determined by the results ( such a survey.