The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-11-21
Harmon's Report
White River Valley

That the recent activity In the White |
River Valley, located in portions OF
Lincoln. White Pine and Nye counties.
about a hundred miles northwest OF
Phoebe. has constructive foundation Is
indicated by the following report made
by A X. p. Harmon Jr-. the WELL
known geologist and oil expert. under
the direction of Walter Stalder OF San
Francisco, recently received locally.
The report follows:
The area examined Is situated In
townships 10 and IL north. ranges so
and 81 east. Mount Diablo Base and
Meridian. partly in Lincoln. White Pine
and Nye counties. Nevada
1T lies in the White River Valley
between two mountain ranges. the
Grant mountains on the west and the
Egan range on the east, both of which
rise to a height of over 1000 feet above
the level of the valley. The Grant
mountains slope gently into the valley
from the west. while on the east the
Egan range rises abruptly from its
floor. Numerous springs. some of
which are quite large. occur at the
base Of the Egan mountains along the
eastern side of the valley.
.On account of adverse structural
conditions 1t was found inadvisable to
make a detailed study of the forma-
tions involved. 1t suff1ces to say that
they are limestone and quantities.
which, from identifications of the fos-
sils collected, are placed approximate
ly as of the triassic age. There Is in
tercalated in the limestone an extreme
ly thin bedded, brittle shale. which
gives evidence of having at one time
contained petroleum. Fresh specimens
| of shale give off strong odor and
upon breaking the lime corrections In
this shale small globules Of oil can
| sometimes be found.
"The dominating structural feature
of this area Is a series Of normal faults
to which the formation Of the two
mountain ranges on either side OF the
valley are due. The strata dip at
varying angles to the east, depending
upon proximity to these fault planes
The vertical throw of the fault along
the eastern side of the valley, which
was instrumental in the formation OF
the Egan range. was not measured,
but must have been several thousand
feet. Previous to the time that the
frst movement took place along the
plane the sedimentary formations
probably lay fiat or at a slight incline
to the east, and the beds on the east
ern side of this were raised up, while
those on the west were corresponding
lly depressed. The movement probably
did not take place all at once. but rep
resents the results of a large number
of displacements over a long period OF
time. The result Is that the formations
on the west side Of the valley are dip
ping toward the east, passing under
meath the valley at an angle OF ap-
proximately 20 degrees to the point
where they are cut by the fault. Hence
these same foundations are raised up
several thousand feet and again DIP
toward the east to form the next sue
ceeding valley. Proofs of this are
found in the recurrence of the oil shale
at the base Of Egan range on the east
: ern side Of the valley and in the nu-
merous springs which occur along this
y slope.
: For the purpose Of making clear the
Q conclusion in this report the following
Y depression into the essential condition!
necessary for concentration of oil II
are:
h II. Source Of the oil.
q 20. A porous sandstone or othe
h pervious material to act as containe
q for the oil.
t "3. Clay or other pervious materia
e to act as a Gaping to prevent the up
s ward migration of the liquid material
: -. Anticlinal or other structur
favorable for the accumulation Of sue
oil.
I'm relation to the accumulation o
oil 1t has long been known that. bein
lighter than water, 1t, together wit
:. gas, floats on the latter and has ten
= dency to accumulate in the upper por
II tions OF pervious strata, where the
;. are sufficiently sealed of. The tops q
anticlinal arches. or domes. are prof
le ably the most frequent places whor
/ commercial oil Is found. although
has also been found under other oond
n lions where the formations and cond
v tions are such as to prevent the 81
8. cape and dissipation Of the oil at tt
IL. surface Of the ground.
Id Under the ideal cross section. whic
Is here inserted for the purpose Of |
q: Illustrating the essentials for CONNIE
r cial oil accumulations, oil originatir
from organic material in shales unde
lying what Is here marked as oil ns
water, sand passed upward gradual
~ during the long periods of time. Upt
reaching the everything sand. whi'
most frequently contain water. 1t ten
to rise to the highest possible poir
The sand being overlaid by shale
clay prevents 1t from passing out
the sand directly upward. SO 1t r
CRATES along the contact of the sal
with the everything shale to the hiyhc
place It can find. which, in TIE CONNIE
cial oil fields. Is whore the strata
folded in an arch or dome. or whe
: some other obstruction prevents I
further upward migration and caus
It to concentrate. Should tho sa
strata be opened at the surface or I
area be broken by faulting the tende
III CIV would be for the oil to escaDe n