The Glasgow courier., 1922-12-08
MONTANA SECOND
IN MOUNTAIN OIL

Eissoula.-It is little realized in the
western and southern parts of Mon
tana that this state is now producing
great quantities of oil, ranking second
in the Rocky mountain field, says a
resume issued by the Lauzier- Wolcott
company. Although it is not yet four
years since the first producing we'll
was completed in Montana, this state
in that time has produced more than
3,500,000,O00 barrels of petroleum.
This is considered to be a re-
markable record as Wyoming was un-
der development for nearly 20 years
before producing like amount of the
commodity.
Besides producing this great guam
tity of oil, the Montana product is
said to be the highest in gasoline con-
tent of any oil produced in the world.
On this account it is a commercial
proposition to ship it as far as Whit
ing, Ind, for refining.
Gordon Campbell, operating for the
Van Duzen Oil company, brought in
the first we'll at DEVILS Basin in 1919.
This we'll was followed early in 1920
by wells in the Cat Creek field of
Fergus county. A little later on, the
Soap Creek field, south of Billings,
came into production and this was fol-
lowed in March, 1922, by completion
by Gordon Campbell in the Kevin-Sun-
burst field in Northern Montana. All
of these fields have been actively de-
veloped since the initial wells were
brought in and Cat Creek boasts today
Of 1875 producers from the first and
second sands. The Kevin-Sunburst
field has 25 producers, DEVILS Basin
three producing wells and Soap Creek
five producing wells. The oils frotl
Cat Creek and the northern field are
being piped to the railroad and sold
to the refineries.
It is believed that some arrangement
will be made this spring to take the
oil from the Soap Creek field where
it is said the five wells are capable
Of producing around 5000 barrels per
day. Should developments bring to a
completion additional wells in the
DEVILS Basin field, pipe line will
probably be installed to the railroad.
Montana has six Independent refin-
cries capable Of treating about 1000
barrels per day. These refineries pro-
duce mostly gasoline and residue fuel
oil. This latter product is ideal for
heating builings and residences as it
is cheap, easily handled and means the
elimination of coal firing, ash hand
ling and a great amount of SCOT and
dirt.
It has just been learned that the
Observation-Disclosures we'll on the Genou
structure has completed well which
is said to have commercial production.
This structure lies in the Sweetgrass
arch, 40 miles north of Great Falls
and about 80 miles from any other
producing we'll. Should additional
structures on the Sweetgrass arch pro-
duce oil, this structure is expected to
be the largest oil structure discovered
In the state. The Kevin-Sunburst
structure on the Sweetgrass arch is
now practically proved for length
of Is miles and width of eight miles
ranking among the largest structures
in the United States.
1t is possible that within the next
few weeks official announcement will
come that another new structure
known os the Flatwillow anticline
south of Winnc'-. contains oil in COM
mercial quantities.
Already the larger companies, such
as Ohio Oil company, Carter Oil
company, Standard Oi company OF
California, tandard Oil of Indiana
Sinclair Oil and Transcontinental anc
Mutual are very active in Montana oil
fields.
If developments prove present con.
tentions of well-known geologists
Montana will be one of the largest oil
producers in the United States and ir
time it is believed that the value Of
this oil production will eclipse tho val.
ue of all it's other naturel resources
put together.
Japanese financial interests are now
negotiating for 100,000,O00 barrels o1
oil per annum from the United States
and it is believed that an appreciablt
portion of this oil may be furnished by
Montana and Wyoming.