The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-01-21
ANTICLlNES AND SYNCLINES EX-
IsT IN THIS COUNTY WHICH
MAY YIELD OIL
MAJOR SYNCLINAL DEPRESSION
RESPONSIBLE FOR BROADus
ARTESIAN BASIN

That structures indicating oil ex-
list in Powder River county, such as
anticlines and synclines, is cleaned
from the report of government Pc
troleum geologists, published in it's
entirety herewith.
without a detailed examination Of
the field after reconnaissance work
last fall the government geolosists
found an anticline extending from
near Stacey through Coalwood to
above Powderville and synclines in
the vicinity of Piniele, .Boyes. Ridge
and Broadus. 1t is the conjunction
Of an east-west syncline with a syn
cline followed by Powder river that
creates the Broadus artesian basin.
While in Broadus last fall, the
geologist in. charge, stated that it
was extremely difficult to determine
the probability of oil here for the
reason that surface formations we're
not persistent, appearing in one To-
cality only to be lost and no further
trace found of them.
of territory embraced in major
syncline or basin, extending west to
Hardin, south to Sheridan md New
castle. but the slightest reference is
lacking concerning the gas deposits
in the vicinity of Moorhead where
tests have proven its. existence IN
G nsiderable volume. At one time
gas emanating from an artesian we'll
became ignited and before 1uen'hed
nearly caused a serious fire. Other
wells in the vicinity have gas indl-
cations.
The fun text of the geologists' re-
port is rs follows:
OH Possibilities :" southeastern Mont
"rhe Wolf Mountain area Of south
eastern Montana. which lies Wlthin
the drainage basins of Powder; Tongue
and Rosebud rivers, has not beeh eN-
amnea in detail for ;hat are ikei tx
contain oil, but in october. 1920. T. -.
Dobbin and w. I. Thorn Jr. of the
United States Geoioslcal surNes, go 80
nartr,ent Of the Interior. made rec
onnaissance study Ct the principal Et
ologic features in this region, when
is Included within the wide. shallow
aync!inal depressio1 corresponding TO
the drainage basins CT these thfes
rivers. Several broad low arches ana
minor hexures We're noted Wlthln " ~ =
known oil fields of adjacent regions IN
Montana and Wyoming are associated
with rocks that dip much more steep
ly than those observed in the Wcii
Mountain area. In this aren the sands
that may yield oil or gas lie at srea
depth. for IA great thickness OF coal ,,l-
bearing rocks covers asae the supsaee. oraas
ually toward the east owing 70 tne
thinning ef the geologic formations
but this same thinning must aiso oe; 9;
crease the number and thickness OF
the sands in the eastern part OF the
field.
selimcntary Formations
From the Wyoming line nOrthWard
for considerable distance the Fort
Union is the surface formation IN the
center cf the major syncline. In THIS
burning of coal beds are the most con.
spicuous features. These clinkers are
persistent over large areas and anord
isapi In the '"vs valley 20 Of Rosebud river the
lowest persistent clinker which lies
about 1b0 feet above the base OF ths
Fort Union. caps continuous lines 81
southeast Of Rosebud to the vicinity
Of Lame Deer. Similarly. along
Tongue river this clinker Is traceablt
where 1t dips beneath the level Of the
river near Birney. Remnants Of an.
other clinker. estimated to lie IS feet
intervals from the Miles City -Mizpah
road southwark along the divide be-
tween Pumpkin and Mizpah creeks
ciinker cutcrop continues practically
without interruption southwark and
crosses the Wyoming :ine in 81
f. where it t T. to be rr cGrreiRfsd 'sa, wlti cnn
I'm the vicinity of Miles City tn.
Lebo member which underlies tbs
consists Of about 800 feet Of oarl
shales that contrast markedly with tho
everything lighter-colored beds in thu
and in the Tongue River valley ne rtf
Maxwell Rutte the Iebo is eonspicu'
Gus Gus but south Of Powderville it il
nation. which lies below the Lebc
consd,t;n consists Of iiEht-oolo ored sandy shale.
ceons sones. In the Powder five Tive,
valley somewhat below the middle q q
dae. dne ISTm,ation lSa,,n. there is a persistent
extensive though thin coal bed whici
is being prospected near Boyes. A
Broadus the photographic interva
# from IT. the sd base Of the Lance to the ba:'
about S25 feet. Near Miles City tn,
Lance formation is lithologically sim
ness IL not definitely known. In til,
drainage basin Of Tullock Creek anl
Gn M the divide east Of the Little Bit
s pryat1ingly OF q yellow color AM
ccntatns thin Goals. The base OF tn
formation In this vicinity 10 marked bs
above which are dark ciays Contain
ing thick lenticular sandstones. M,
total thickness Of the formation II
feet. 'N~ A''0'