White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-26

ID. G. Mcdonald, Fred T. West Jr
aud A. J. Proctor. as the mining and
business mems committee of the Ely
Chamber OF Commerce, have issued
the following report relative 10 &C.
tivities in the Illipah oilfield. the re-
port being later adopted by the com
merce body:
The ulipah basin cilfield lies about
thirty-eight miles west from the town
OF Ely, in White Pine county. Me-
vada. and the possibility OF develop
ing oil was noted by various engi-
neers and men familiar with oil-bear-
ing formations. In 1920 the first ac-
tual work OF drilling commenced,
since which time several companies
have been organized and drilling op-
erations continued, through the many
yicissitudes incident to the pioneers
ia any field, until a depth of $40 feet
was attained by the Illipah Petroleum
Company.
The reports of various biologists
and engineers and recent disclosures
in the deepest hole aroused consider
able interest by demonstrating the
prospective merits OF the field. The
Chamber of Commerce, realizing the
importance of the work under way,
instructed the mining committee. as
sisted by representatives of the bust
ness interests OF the city, to visit the
field and report on the general con-
ditions as they found them.
This report does not attempt 10 &C
into the technical phases of the oil
prospecting operations and geological
conditions. rs these subjects have
hnax nnvoen1 hv unnAsalsuto III. II
lipah Petroleum Company Is situated
on the anticline running north and
south of the basin in an open sage
brush country. The Consolidated H.
iipah Oil Company is also situated
and drilling on a monocline in the
basin. and both are close to the Lin
coin highway. Wood and water are
plentiful and easily obtained. Ade-
Quate housing facilities are provided
for the crews and the district is not
Handicapped by extreme isolation.
The rigs in use are capable of going
farther than the depth estimated by
biologists for proving the oil bear
ing stratum and are well supplied
with tools and equipment. Costs per
foot OF holes drilled compare favor
ably with what can be learned OF
costs in other fields for pioneer work
OF this kind. Including the cost of
equipment, the cost per foot is in the
neighborhood of s23. Deducting tho
equipment cost. the expense for drill-
ing. labor and supplies is considerably
less.
There are many obstacles to be
overcome by the management in
starting work in a new field. which
of course add to the expense. but this
committee believes that. considering
all the vicissitudes encountered. the
interested parties are having their
money applied to the work in a bust
nesslike manner. The log OF the Ii.
lpah Petroleum well, which, by tht
way, is reported to be the deepest oil
well in the state. shows that n tota
depth of $50 feet has been attained
o short distance west of the apex o
the anticline,
At a depth of 255 feet a flow c
gas vas encountered. which was pho
~tographed by ONE local people Will.
it, burned at the top of the casing
At 401 feet the first oil seep was en-.
countered in 2 sandstone lying un.
der a bed of shale. At 526 feet =
stratum of chocolate-colored sane
was penetrated, which produced q
small quantity of high-grade lighi
colored oil of asphaltum base. A
CTS feet a stratum of sand was pen
etrated, which would produce prob