El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-11
OIL MEN FACE
CAS- PROBLEM
New Law Gives Commits
sion Power to Con
serve Supply.

Dallas. Tex. June 1.-THE question
nov before the oil operators Of Texas
Is, How can We conserve gasT
This question is one Of Importance,
since It has been shown that the waste
of two days in the north Texas fields
would be sufficient to supply six cities
like Fl Paso with all OF its suburbs
for a whole year. including CONNER
cial and Industrial consumption.
It is claimed by biologists and drill
ers that most OF the gas wasted Dy
blowing into the air in the Texas
fields is gas which comes from the
same strata that produces oil They
say that Il IS impossible to save the
gas and at the same time produce the
oil. W Z. Wrather, EeOlogist OF Dali
las. who has from the start been
studying the situation. says the waste
is deplorable but under present CON
ditions IL is very evident that It is
necessary to let the oil blow away In
order TO produce the oil.
Commission Given Authority.
The Texas legislature has passed
law regarding the conservation OF oil
and gas which viii 90 into erect 90
days after adjournmens Of the regular
session This law gives the railroad
commission authority to enforce It's
terms. II is generally understood that
the commission Will attempt 70 solve
the problem. The pipe line expert OF
the commission has the right TO attend
to the enforcement OF all the rules and
regulations. He is allowed such depu-
ties as may be necessary for carrying
out his duties The salary OF the depu-
ties may not exceed $500 a year while
that Of the chief shall not be more
than $4,000 a year.
The law gives the commission suf-
ficient power TO enable il TO carry out
whatever scheme may develop for the
conservation Of the oil and gas that
has been going 10 waste in northern
Texas since the large wells came in
the deep sand pools OF Eastland and
Stephens counties nearly year and
a half ago.
In the first paragraph OF the act
there is a Limitation that may result
in some litigation. in view Of the deep
sands in the north central Texas
fields.
on Escapes First.
In a number OF wells in this section
* has been discovered that oil and gas
both exist in the same stratum and
where a wei is drilled into the apex
of the anticliue Il very often happens
that oil viii not flow until the gas IS
allowed to escape. A few wells have
even been allowed to blow for two or
three months, at the end Of which time
the oil began to flow. Since the gas Is
lighter than the oil Il viii naturally
come 10 the top and it is then neces-
sary for it TO be displaced before
the oil can flow.
In enforcing this conservation act
the question viii arise as to whether
the sand shall be termed oil OF natural
gas stratum. The phrase in the law
reads:
The term waste, IN addition to its
ordinary meaning shall include escape
of natural gas in commercial uuanti-
ties into the open air from a stratum
recognized as a natural gas stratum,
but this is not intended TO have appli-
cation to gas pockets in high points
in strata recognized as oil strata"
IN Cleveland. a short time ago. at a
gas convention q report was made
that the gas waste in the northern
Texas fields amounts TO at least 2,o00,-
100000 cubic feet per day