The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1920-06-04
MEDINA OIL FIELD
LARGEST IN STATE.

The Medina county oil field, extend
ing mainly from Lodi to Chatham and
beyond, is the largest, in the state,
producing during the month of April
1900 barrels daily. The field is in
what is known as Berea grit which
outcrops at Rerea.. Developments
started years ago but the low price
of crude oil caused an abandoning of
the few wells that had been drilled.
Late in 1918, e. r. Edison of Lake
wood, started drilling near Chatham,
obtained options on considerable prop
erty and the boom started.
H. r. Wood, oil expert, writing in
the National Petroleum News, Cleve-
land, says:
"In Medina county the sand is
found at a depth ranging from $50
feet to 450 feet, overlying the Clinton
lime, which produces gas in Medina
county at 5000 to 5000 feet and at
Wooster, Wayne county-20 miles
south of Lodi--at relatively the same
depth, it produces gas and oil
"As the Trenton rock underlies the
Clinton lime about 1900 feet and pro-
duces oil in northwest Ohio and in
Indiana at around 1000 to 1,100 feet,
the relative possibilities Of the three
producing formations may be readily
understood.
"The Lodi field in April showed its
greatest production, the Buckeye Pipe
Line Co. running in the 80 days AS
900 barrels, or 1900 barrels day.
At times a little oil goes out of the
| field for one or two other companies,
so that 1900 barrels day is not an
exaggerated estimate.
"Of the II counties comprising
what is known as the Central Ohio
dist, with a total Of 92 compilations,
Medina county reported II compile
tions, the new production totaling g.
900 barrels, of which Medina county
contributed 2,040 barrels. One com
pletion was gas and 20 failures were
reported,
"Further analyzing Of the produc-
tion OF Ohio, in March 1877 compile
tons were reported for the entire
state and the new production was 81,
lao barrels, indicating that Medina
county contributed one-taird of all
completions and tWo-thirds Of The
states new production. II is thus
seen that the initial production Of HE
Medina county wells, with 225 bar
rels for the best one, is much greater
than in any other field. Drilling ac-
tivity, with approximately 70 drilling
machines running, easily overshadows
other Ohio fields at this writing.
Eighteen years ago number OF
wells were drilled just north of Lodi,
but the low price of crude oil and the
absence of pipe line connection caused
the work to subside and the wells, to
be abandoned. E. r. Edison of Lake
wood late in 1918 or early in 1919,
started drilling near Chatham, getting
good wells for the depth, and other
operators soon obtained acreage and
started work.
Perhaps 80 to 100 individuals and
companies are operating in the field
and others are coming in to procure
a slice of the good stuff, although
close-in acreage is very scarce.
"Four or five of the main natural
gas distributors in Ohio have held
much acreage in Medina county and
have been drilling gas wells for some
years, for Clinton lime gas at 5000
to 5000 feet, the wells ranging from
100000 to 100000 feet.
"The late Cleveland gas excitement
was based on the same producing for
nation, all of Central Ohio from Lake
Erie to the Ohio river showing good
gas and in places some oil.
"E. r. Edison & Son and E. r.
Edison G. Co. have the largest produc-
ton in the Lodi Chatham field, esti-
mated as high as 1000 barrels.
"The Kirk Oil Co., Findlay, pro-
cured acreage near the north line of
Chatham township on the Dague
farm, which is farther northwest than
other production.
"On another Dague farm south three
good wells have been finished by the
Ohio Fuel Supply Co. The Buckeye
Pipe Line Co. laid line to these wells
a week ago and the oil is being run.
"The surface for miles in Medina
county is broken with rather abrupt
ravines leading to Black river, with
considerable timber, and looks like an
oil country. The nearest production
is at Wooster, 20 miles south, in the
Clinton lime, and at Mount Vernon,
Knox county, about 80 miles south
west, also deep.
"The Ohio Fuel Supply Co. holds
more acreage than any other COM
pany because of having taken it years
ago for gas. The Medina Gas & Fuel
Co., supplying gas also, has consider
able acreage. The Chatham Oil Co..
with headquarters in Cleveland, is an
active developer around Chatham, as
is the Wiser Oil Co., E. A. Durham
Of Sistersville, w. Va, being heavy
stockholder.
"Lee A. Watson & Co., a Kentucky
operator, now of Cleveland, is active
Edison & Son, the largest producers;
Ohio Cities Gas Co., now the Pure
oil Co., Columbus, have considerable
production; the Cleveland Fuel Oil
Co., Dempsey & McGrath, Elyria Oil