Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-04-09
No on OREGON.

W. JILL AN 0NA-1OAN
The Oregon Bureau of Mines and Geology has issued a report
on the investigation Of oil and gas possibilities of western Oregon
which is calculated to put a damper upon the hope of striking oil
in any portion of the state west of the Cascades.
The report is by the firm of Harrison and Eaton, consulting
biologists Of Denver and Fort Worth, scientists of much exper-
fence and eminently successful as oil biologists in the CONNER
cal industry, and is probably as reliable as it is possible to Sc
cure. Because the biologists employed by the great oil compan-
les have reported similarly, after exhaustive Investigation, none
Of them have made any attempt to bore for oil in Oregon, because
indications that it exists are entirely lacking.
While, Of course, it is impossible to know what lies under
the earth's surface, the geological formation, particularly when
it is exposed, as it is in western Oregon, reveals the story of its
formation and the probability of oil existing in any of the various
strata that are usually ~oil-bearing. Such stratas in Oregon are
found barren of oil or the essentials of oil production, unless at
such depths as to be impractical.
The geological formation of Oregon runs from the pre-Cretac-
eous and Cretaceous formations of southern Oregon to the Pleis-
ftocene and recent formations of the northern coast. The former
is found so metamorphosed, too badly shattered to be of any value
as a producer of oil, badly folded and faulted. The latter for
nations contain nothing to produce commercial quantities of pet
roleum products, with perhaps the exception Of shales near New
port of the oigOcene period-and these are not very promising.
Petroleum, commercially produced. had its origin in organic
matter from ANNA or plant, or a combination of animal and
plant remains. This organic material has been deposited in and
with dense fine grained material, such as silt or lime. under mar
Inc or saline water conditions, and produced shale and limestone.
When the material was coarse and s~andstones and conglomerates
formed, the porous nature of the material allowed the decomposed
organic remains to be removed OF carried away, while the fine
grained shales and dense material, sealed in place the particles of
organic material, which when subjected to geologic action. changed
into petroleum products.
DucoSeS VI stTdlhS III me eafthS crust, transformed the or
game remains INTO hydrocarbons of petroleum. Some oil bearing
shales show no trace of oil until subjected to high straininp move
ments or high temperatures. If a region has material that can
lbe a source OF petroleum, it must also have adjacent to this source
porous rock carrying openings or caverns in which the oil can be
hed and from which it can be removed when tapped by a well.
There is no indication that primeval conditions were such as
TO produce a great quantity Of either vegetable or animal life in
oregon In only one or two periods was there an abundance Of
organic animal life. In most of them, life was relatively scarce
SO that the organic essentials of oil are lacking, and that there is
niue surprise in a lack of satisfactory indications, in the form
OF oil seeps or residues.
Inc report summarizes as follows: "a study of the rocks
wIich make up western Oregon from the e-Cretaceous metamor-
pines through the layers of Cetaceous, Eocene. Olipocene Mic
Gene ana Plocene, has shown only one horizon. namely the Acila
Shaies Oh the upper Ohgocene, that could be a possible soirca of
petroleum products in commercial quantities. Only in the New
port region were the Shales of a favorable character. and here
ehere was a lack OF a good everything porous sandstone to act . : .
reservoir ana lack OF proper folding also to make possible tbs
accumulation OF petroleum products to be Of commercial inonor
lance, even II these shales had been ovenain bv a GOOD rosorpoiu
sand and a satisfactory Gaping layer. Hopes of productive oil
aeius III western oregon are not founded on any satisfactory owl
uence that can be found by a careful study of the geology
Dt mere IS wealth enough above ground TO occunv oil +ho
energy ana capital Oregon can produce, so that there i y . oouso
q uow1,neartedness at the lack of oil resources. AS a matter
VI laet, oregon rivers are wasting more power than tba oil f;ISa
oil California are producing. 'e IA lepuS