The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-09-06
GAS AND OIL PROSPECTS
ARE NOT GOOD IN IDAHO
Report Of Investigations by the State
Bureau of Mines and
Geology.

t+AtNA NAN''i'teN AA ARRllNi AtlOI WIN the
United States Geological Survey The
pamphlet gives results of Investigations
i'm the following sections: Weiser, Pay
cite, Boise Nampa Caldwell, Cam
bridge Council Long Valley Horse
shoe Bend-Jewsalem Valley Murphy
lOrea na-Castle Creek Grand View,
Goose Creek, Raft River and Noun
tain Home Gooding-Twin Falls. The
report throughout gives little encour-
agement to prospecting for oil and gas
in the sections OF Idaho covered Elk
thacts from Mr. Buwalda's report fol-
low:
Between Weiser and Boise.
IL appears that of the three requisite
conditions favorable to the existance
of petroleum and natural gas in
region, namely, a source rock, porous
reservoir rock and a proper structure;
the last two seem to be fairly well
realized in that portion of the Snake
River valley between Weiser and Boise
1t is quite certain that porous sand
stone strata occur in sufficient abund-
ance in the Payette beds to serve as
reservoirs for gas and oil if present
Also the gently folded beds seem to
satisfy the requirements for structure,
even though the folds are not as large
as might be desired. A satisfactory
source formation is however apparent
ly absent as the formations are all
of non marine origin. While oil might
of course originate in marine
strata, we have no proven case so far
as the writer is aware of its having
done so in commercial quantities. No
oil seeps have been found in the region
and while the reputed oily sandstone
found % miles southwest of Payette
might be cited as evidence, it is so
very different from the ordinary type
of oil seep that it does not lend much
encouragement.
The presence of gas at such high
pressures and in such notable guam
tity might be construed as evidence
for the presence of oil. The gas is,
however, almost entirely methane or
marsh gas" which is the character
istic type found in fresh water depos-
its; and it lacks the rich ethane con
tent commonly found in oil field gases.
Methane is known to form the decay.
without oxidation. of vegetable matter
buried in sediments; considerable
abundance of such material is known
to be present in the Payette forma-
ton.
The question might be raised wheth-
er marine strata may not underle the
fresh water Tertiary beds The posi-
bility is undeniable. but it is improb-
able because unmetamorphosed marine
strata do not outcrop at any point so
far as known, around the margins of
the valley Their mere presence in the
bottom of the basin would not of
course assure an oil supply, for only
"a small fraction of all marine forma-
tons produce oil.
SO far as the petroleum possibilities
of this district are concerned the writer
is forced TO express an unfavorable
opinion. The bases for this Judgment
being that marine strata are lacking,
true oil seeps have not been discovered.
the gas is almost entirely marsh gas.
and the considerable number of wells
put down have made no favorable
for oil production
The case for a gas supply appears
slightly better. Already a well or two
in the district has produced gas on
scale approaching that necessary for
utilization. 1t is clear that
if wells should encounter gas pockets
Of somewhat larger size and the wells
were handled judiciously they might
become a commercial venture. Enough
wells have been put down, however to
Indicate that such gas pockets do not
inderle a large fraction of the terri
.ory, and it must be confessed that the
chances Of securing a paying gas well
10 not appear to be good, even if
somewhat better than the chances for
securing producing oil well.
Mountain Home Gooding Twin Falls.
The vast area of relatively flat
country extending eastward from Boise
including the Mountain Home, King
liI, Gooding and Shoshone districts
md the large area south of the River
Usually referred to as the Twin Falls
country do not appear to include ex-
ensive exposures of sedimentary
-ocks. Sections seen in the walls of
he canyon through which the Snake
River flows indicate that these regions
ire underlain by lavas mainly. The
thickness of the lavas is not known to
he writer, but so far as he is aware
.hese large areas exhibit none of the
favorable indications ordinarily ex-
)ected in promising oil territory
Conclusions.
The outcome of this investigation is
'egretfully an unfavorable judgment
the possibilities for securing
4 commercial supply of petroleum or
natural gas in the uarts of southwest
srn and south central Idaho examined.
Although structures occur which would
presumably be satisfactory the sedi-
nentary formations are practically all