The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1921-02-24
why LOCAL OIL WELLS
FAILED TO PRODUCE
Careful Study Of Geological Struc.
lures Necessary-"Logging" of
Well Important Factor
(By w. A. Bartlett.

explain the origin OF oil and gas,
show how they have travelled
through porus rocks, and accumu-
lated I'm domes and anticlines, and
how these anticlines are measured
out and located by measuring the
slope OF underground strata which
outcrop on the surface OF the
ground.
Although the travels OF oil and
gas was originally founded on the
ory and a study or the natural laws
OF rock pressure and gravity, It has
been proven to be one OF the surest
and most practical studies of natur-
al phenomena. Just as the theory or
air-pressure and resistance has made
II possible to fly through the clours;
as the study OF electricity has made
II possible to turn our waterfalls in
to electric power; and the surveyors
transit has made II possible TO re-
claim thousands of acres of arid
lands with abundant water supply;
so has the study OF oil geology de-
veloped hundreds Of producing oil
fields which would have never been
discovered by chance or accident.
In the selection OF and the drill
ing OF a successful oil or gas we'll
there are n number OF scientific and
practical operations which should be
followed. First the geology OF the
district should be studied to deter
mine whether the surface strata ma
turally cover oil-beArinE sands. Sec
ond, the woll-sito should be located
on the top OF the antioline, where
the oil will be struck az the shallow
est depth and in tho greatest guam
tity. Third, the proper drilling
equipment should be used TO go
down to tho proper depth and 10
give an accurate log" or test OF
each strata as the we'll goes down,
Why Local Wells Failed
The history OF oil well drilling In
ale-Ontario-P Payette district IN the
past fifteen years. proves that these
operations were not followed. and Il
is therefore easy TO explain why the
oil and gas resources OF this district
have not been successfully develop
cd. Wells were put down without
geological advice or structural
measurement, were put down on
some mans farm because he had a
showing OF gas, or because he had
more money IN the company than
others. or on some hill so that the
drill could be seen from railroad
or wagon road, perhaps to hasten
the sale OF stock
Washburne's United States Geo
logical Survey made OF this district
shows few. II any wells were located
on real oil structure. And few OF
them went down TO the required
depth, even II they had been proper
ly located.
T'hen there are rumors OF certain
wells having been ruined by their
drillers, who were said TO be secret
agents OF and under pay OF the Stan
dard OH Company, which at that
time did not want new oil fields de-
yeloped 50 that 1t could better con
troll the oil market, How true these
stories are cannot say, but | have
heard OF some very suspicious oc-
curances In local oil drilling, and
have seen actual evidence OF either
great Ignorance In drilling or the
actual purpose OF running an oil
well.
Why Rotary Rigs Fail
There are several varieties OF
drilling rigs, the two main differ
ences being between the rotary rigs
and Standard or churn drills In
using rotary tools, the oil well Is
filled with water from the surface
Of the ground down TO the bottom
Of the steel casing, and II the drill
Is down 1000 feet this column OF
water develops weight and pres
sure at the bottom OF the hole Of
$50 pounds TO the square inch, II
he drill should penetrate an oil
sand at that depth this water pres
'ure would drive the oil back, un-
ess the oil pressure was greater
han $50 pounds, in which case Il
would blow the water out of the
lole and be a gusher we'll The
leepest wells in this district were
Irilled with rotary tools and may
ave passed through productive oil
ands, which would have developed
ig producers II opened up with
hurn drills. The ehurn drill uses
My a few buckets of water in the
ottom OF the hole, ana this is bail
a out several times day along
-ith samples OF the sand and shale
IL