The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-31
oil in NeIU Mexico
lRv r. n. MHITNEYN

lNY " H. w III Il i
FARMINGTON, N. NJ. Dec. 81
seeing is believing" and to the
many skeptical ones who do not be-
ueve that New Mexico has chance
,0 become prominently connected
with the production OF petroleum
should take a train and visit the
location OF the wildcat well OF the
Midwest Refining company on the
Navajo reservation. This new strik q
ia I'm the extreme northwestern por-
t.on OF the state, near the point
where Utah. Colorado, Arizona and
New Mexico meet, an immense basin
some ESQ miles In extent Here one
win find all the possibilities that go
10 make a large oil field and the
chances for the opening of wide
and exhaustive area capable OF pro-
ducing a high gravity OF paraffin
base is indeed promising.
This new locality is on what has
been termed the Hogback dome, on
the Navajo reservation, near the
lhiprock Indian agency. IS miles
west and a little south OF Farming
ton the largest railroad point and
The gateway to the reservation, This
vs. in the spacious country known as
the san Juan basin and a locality
that has structures OF enormous pro-
portions. For a good many years
exploiting for oil in New Mexicb has
been carried on, but In practically
every test drilled the sand conditions
we're found to be unfavorable, but
now with the striking OF the new
well the northwestern portion holds
out unlimited possibilities which will
be determined in a short time, as
the companies are preparing for an
active drilling campaign.
II was during the early days of
october that the Midwest Refining
company tapped a sand at approx
mately eight hundred feet on the
Navajo tract that showed come oil
and a little deeper drilling resulted
In several large flows being made
and then the new strike was spread
broadcast and the rush was on
Estimates on the production run as
high as 1000 barrels, while others
thought 1t would make at least a
250-barrel well, but a conservative
estimate would he 2 barrels. II Is
a high gravity oil OF paraffin base
testing go degrees Baume.
Although the we'll has not proven
as large as good many expected
10 IS Of great Importance and II NAV
be the fOrerunner Of one of the
largest producing areas within the
boundaries Of America. The shall.
low depth makes it very inviting
and then its high gravity is another
important feature and from a per.
sonal observation one gets the i'm.
preston right off that It Is coins
TO be rich oil country.
The oil coming as 1t does from a
sandstone above the Dakota lime.
stone, is generally believed to have
migrated from that horizon, but thi.
can only be determined by deeper
drilling. Should the conditions !r
the Dakota, in New Mexico be
similar to those in Wyoming, ther
the producers will tell you thai
this IS destined TO become one OF the
large oil fields Of the country.
Drilling of the pioneer we'll III
this new pool was in charge o
George b. Jenkinson of the es.
ploration department OF the Mid
west Refining company, and tn,
actual drilling operations have beer
conducted by Robert Widdicombe
Both OF these men have been adopt
ed by the Navajo tribe and crested
ttular chiefs The well was started
during the latter part OF 1921 OF
the 4,S00-acres lease that was pro
cured from the Navajo tribal coun
ell by the Midwest Refining com
pany. This lease that went to tn