The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-05-29
Big RIG Is
ON ITS WAY TO
BENTON FIELD
One Hundred Sixty-TWo Tons Of
Oil Drilling Machinery is
Load ID Saturday Il.
WELL DRILLER Is OPTIMISTIC
G.. M. Dyer Says He Does Not Gua:an-
tee to Bring in Oil but will
Drill $500 Feet

G. M. Dyer, the drilling contractor
who has entered into a contract 4
drill well CSC. feet in depth up OF
Rattlesnake antitiine, arrived from Sc
attic last Sunday night and left tew,
Monday morning Tor the scene of his
new activity.
From Mr.. Dyer the Courier Req ,rt.
er learned that all the details Incl.
dental to the most thoro development
work in which he is to engage, have
been successfully closed, and that the
three cars of drilling equipment were
loaded May oath at Los Angeles for
shipment to Benton City. Also that
three cars of extra heavy casing are
being shipping from Pennsylvania.
In Mr.. Dyer's opinion one of the
chief contributors to the seemingly
endless delay of successful accom-
plishments in this field is due to the
lack of sufficiently heavy casing that
has been employed, as well as made
quate rigs. In California where Mr..
Dyer has had extensive experience in
bringing in oil, they learned in the
early stages of the game, that GER
tain equipment was necessary for sue
cess; and the equipment that he has
ordered for this job is identical to that
which has given, unqualified success
in the drilling of deep wells in CAL
ifornia.
That he might thoroly satisfy him
self as to the adaptability of the
heaviest combination equipment for
the Benton county field, Mr.. Dyer has
the experts of the Oil Well Supply
company visit the location at which
the well will be drilled, and some con-
siderable time was employed in study
ing local conditions by the California
experts, who are willing to and have
guaranteed the successful operation
of their equipment to the depth of
5000 feet. The equipment alone, Mr..
Dyer says, weighs 1872 tons and con-
sists of triple outfit, namely the or
binary standard cable tools, a rotary
jet for the softer formation when en-
countered, rotary shot attachment,
which it is claimed will operate much
faster in basalt formation than will
the drop bit cable tools.
The cost of the rig on the job will
be approximately $4,000, which Mr..
Dyer says he would not consider a
good investment were it not for his
positive opinion that he will be sue
cessful in bringing in oil production.
Which will, of course, mean the in
stallation of many other rigs of a sim.
liar character.
The power plant for this equipment
will consist of 90-horse power boiler
and two engines of 90-horse and 30
horse power, respectively. This is
more than three times the amount OF
power required for the ordinary stand
ard drill. The cable tools will be en-
ployed until the solid, hard basalt
formation has been reached, then the
rotary shot attachment will be used
until crevices are encountered, when
the return to the cable tools will again
be resorted to, and alternated as the
occasion may required, until the sed-
imentary formations underlying the
basalt have been reached, where the
rotary jet attachment will be used.
For the first time in the history OF
the field the lake on top of Rattlesnake
mountain will be utilized for furnish
ing the large supply of water that is
necessary to operate combination rig,
unless it is found that water well
can be drilled at lesser expense than
the cost of piping water down from
the lake, which will require about ST.
oOO worth of water main, exclusive
OF the laying expense. Mr.. Dyer has
not determined which water supply
Will be found most economical.
While it is expected that transpor-
tatlon of equipment from Los Angeles
70 Benton City will require three weeks
the preliminary work has already be-
gun and five-ton Mack truck, to-
gether with camp equipment, ETC., will
De shipped this week from Seattle to
'ne held. Mr.. Dyer says he has anoth-
Ct drilling contract is this field for