New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1921-02-05

cracks would open up on the
land portion of the dome to
give an exhaust for the accum-
uIating gas. l believe this
would hold good for every
Gulf salt dome.
In prospecting for petroleum
in the swamps of South Louis
lana classify the permanently
bubbIing gas pools as gas ex-
hausts or vents of sunken salt
domes. and whersl have locat-
ed one or morex these gas
pools on any particular terri
tory, I search for the a6ppIe
bubbles which, l BELIEVES are
the markers for the outer
edges of the submerged dOmcs.
If | succeed in finding reason
able number of these ripple
bubbles near or within the
bounds of one or more perman-
emily bubbling gas pools, ! sup
ply the distances between the
ripple bubbles and plat the sup
posed bounds of the newly To-
Gated submerged salt domes.
When these are eventually
drilled, | believe they will
prove up the salt masses. My
next step in this work is to
search the outer edges of the
submerged dome for a distance
of a half mile i'm all directions
for indications of oil seepages.
Drilling Inadvisable Before
Enough Data have been
Collected
As all petroleum pros1acting.
surveying, tying in of Mia to
section lines, and similar work
in this region must be carried
on for the most part in swamp
territory. covered with from
several inches to 3 feet of
water the year around, it re-
quires time and patience. But
the hardest part of my work.
after officials have gone over
my reports and seen SO much
bubbling gas on their proper
ties, is to prevent them from
making futile drilling attempts
i'm and around these indications
of escaping gas, until l have
recorded sufficient data to war
rant making drilling locations.
As this requires time, they have
in some instances disregarded
my advice in the matter, and
have drilled and are now drill
ing over these gas pools, which
work will probably result in
nothing more than a series of
dry holes.
My Interpretation of the data
when COLLECTED is plated, and
with written report of the
work in hand, the parties inter-
ested make an inspection trip
to all permanently bubbling
gas pools; all ripple bubbles
are traced out on the surface
Of the waters if those interested
have the inclination and time
to wait for them to appear lin
some gases several weeks are
required; and such data as 1
have supplied in connecting up|
this work are made known
and pointed out on the ground.
If oil seepages have been re-
corded on any part of the lands
these are given the highest rat
ing of all data recorded, and
additional time is devoted toi
further exploration work in
their immeuiate vicinity with |
the view of obtaining telltale
data through the escaping gas
or OIL on the water surface that |
will point to the direction and
extent of the probable produc-
tive area.
AS the escaping gases and
oil from the salt domes do not
some to the surface along per-
pendicular lines directly above
where they are really located in
volume, it would not show
good judgment to drill directly
where such indications are |
found with the expectation of |
into the oil pools |
this has been proven by the |
drill and I have the logs to ne
fer toy, for these more or less
volatile substances in their up;
ward journeys of several thous-
and feet have been proved to
have Travelled in their zigzag |
courses as far along horizontal
lines before reaching the sur
face. To drill a test near or