, 1922-02-15
Montana Operations.

HELENA, Mont. Feb. 1b.-Despite
the intense cold Of the last few weeks
work has been continuing without ap-
probable break in the two test wells
being drilled in the Lake Basin area,
northwest of Billings. Barnsdall. Eos
ter corporation is preparing to land u
string Of 6ss inch casing at bottom of
hole 3.430 feet. on the Big Lake or
Battle Butte location. while the Mid
Northern Oil company is drilling with
hole fun OF wate- at depth of APP
proximately 3,160 feet on the High
dome, or Big Coulee. Al the Barns
dali Foster well n fishing job, neces-
STATED by parting of the string of
SIS inch casing has been pulled and
the hole will he straight reamed from
depth OF 2.eoc feet, where sh inch is
landed 70 $40 feet. where drilling
will be resumed At present the hole
IS onen from = 9o2 feet to $3.50. but
pIacin< 81 tho GS inch should entail
only q brief ported of labor. Bit in
the Mid-Northern's High dome test
'pell is in The Top OF tho quadrant
formation, where n water sand re
comfy was cncou1te-od Showing of
oil and ras frs,n the Ts.ie N the
wen drilled hv Trel Harrison and as
sociates on the Columbus dome three
miles from the town o. Columbus.
warrant another test of that struc-
ture. Mr.. Harrison believes In the
event it can he financed. another hole
will be put down on the flank of the
structure. There is likelihood of this
well be started in the immediate flu
ture, since it involves expenditure of
only a few thousand dollars, at most.
Casing string has zen shot and is
being Pulled in the Duck Creek test
Of the Consolidated Oil and Gas Syn
dictate. is miles southwest of Billings.
This test has been definitely aban-
doned n the rig has been purchased
by former State Senator T. S. Hogan
for use on Beauvais Creek. Attempts
to nam for continuation of this
test to q point which would estab-
fish without question contact with the
Madison line have failed. Promoters
of the test believe the hole has been
carried down to the lime. That there
win be resumption Of activity on
many of the wildcat structures ada
cent to Billings in the spring seems
likely now. Lack of finances halted
a number of those operations last
fan.
Judging from the inquiries tina are
being received at Offices in Lewistown,
dealing in oil leases. seeking informa-
Tor on prospective oil areas, it would
seem that the most of the favorable
structures in hat part of Montana
will receive considerable attention as
soon as the weather is such that de-
velopment work may be probably car
ried on. There seems to be a gen
eral interest in most of the well
known areas, and it would seem that
the wor that is planned for the com
ing season will be done principally by
the larger and more substantial op-
orators in the game. A numbe- Of
the companies that are making in
quiries are known to be financially
able to carry on development work
upon a most extensive scale.
Tho total production of oil from
what is known as the Joe Miller tract,
comprising $50 acres near .Lowistown,
has been compiled and shows a val
uation of s1s5, o60.ss. according to re-
ports from that city. The Elk Ba-
sin a notified all royalty holders
having interests in that tract that
the royalties are now due and win be
paid at once. The producers on that
tract include the INCONSISTENCIES,
Cat Creek Thermopolis. Lucky Strike,
Montana Superior, Unit Petroleum
n Great Western.
An all-day event has beer
ed at Winnett on February % to cele-
brate Oil Discovery day. which viii
be h second anniversary of the dis
covery well of the F,rantz Dor
ton, and that hereafter a similar
event be held annually on that day.
The program for the day is to In
clude trips to the field by visitors, a
dinner of barbecued meats, to be fol-
lowed by n brief program of ad-
dresses. concluding with dances at
two theaters. If the celebration takes
place. Gov. Frank Frantz, whose com
Dsay brought in the wen, Geoiogist
C. T. L.pton. who made the location.
and others who took nioneer part in
drilling wells. will se ilTitod