The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-11
OIL BOOM HITS
!. BARREN PLAIN
IN PANHANDLE
$50 Wells Start FlOwing-Ex.
pcrts Say Field Will Break
All Records

Editors Note: The oil field now
being developed in the Panhandle
region Of Texas is expected to be the
greatest in the world. Below is the
first Of three articles by Charles
M. Hall, special correspondent for
NEA Service, who has been oil
through the oil section and made an
extensive study Of Conditions there.)
BY Charles NJ. Hall
Special Correspondent, NEA Service
Copyright, 1926, by NEA Service,
Amarillo, Texas, June 1.-THE
greatest oil field in the world!
That is the title that experienced
oil men are comforting on the vast
Panhandle region of Texas, where
black dcrricks are sprouting over
night like new corn in Iowa. and
where one of the greatest booms in
the history Of the country is on in
full blast.
The new oil field is undoubtedly
the worlds greatest as far as actual
area is concerned. And astute OPP
orators like T.. w. Marland. presi-
dent Of the Marland Oil Co., arc de-
claring that it is potentially the
worlds greatest field in oil produc-
ton, as we'll.
The proven field is 80 miles long
and 10 miles wide. This in itself is
an area large enough to enclose the
great fields of Texas like the Spindle
top, Mcxia and Ranger. But this
provcn field is surrounded by q
much larger tcrritory-1OO miles
long by Is miles wide-in which new
wells are being sunk by the score.
40 Producing Wells
There are upwards of 14O producing
wells now in operation, with ESQ
more drilling and more than SO loca-
lions announced. Wells are flow
ing in Hutchinson, Carson, Potter,
Moore, Gray and Wheeler counties.
and numerous wells are being drilled
in Hartley. Oldham, Sherman and
Hansford counties.
The Prairie Oil & Gas company ap-
parently holds the largest acreage,
with holdings amounting to 425.OOO
acres.
The Panhandle's boom came on with
a rush, as booms do. Oil was first
discovered in this section in 1921
by the Gulf Production Co., but no
one seemed to get very excited about
it. Matters floated along, with >
little, sporadic drilling here and there.
until about five months ago.
Then, without warning, the lid
came off. Operators began to dis
cover that the sand underneath the
almost barren cattle ranches was
fairly saturated with oil. Towns
sprang up, railways laid spurs and
extension lines, and great influx
Of men descended on the thinly-popu-
lated Panhandle.
II was not 50 long ago that the
Biographies referred to this region
as part Of "thc great American des-
ert"-but now
Boom towns are dotting the plain.
towns Of mushroom growth, frontier
towns with wild west, moving pic
turc atm ospherc. Operators, drillers.
Spectators, prospectors, gunner
confidence men. gamblers, DIFFERS
all are flocking in for their share Of
the liquid gold. =
In total production this new field
is already beginning to take first
rank. It is now averaging $4,000
barrels a day and this output il
steadily increasing. The oil Is Of the
highest grade, rarely ranging below
20 specific gravity. which brings thu
highest price on the market.
Operators Are Amazed
| Operators are getting startling re.
velations as to the great extent Of
| the new field. Offset wells in or.
binary fields are sunk three or four
hundred yards away; here the opera.
tors are laugh}ngly accusing each
other Of sinking them two or three
miles off. In most fields IN extern.
sion by discovery, . It j. called. Of
half = mile 10 hailed with delight;
here an extension goes almost nm
noticed unless II Is matter Of four
or five miles. So
The city Of Amarillo, on the edge
Of the field; Is getting In on til
boom, too. It's population has d
ready jumped from $4,000 to 4O,OO(
and each train brings more.
In addition to the oil wells, -,
wells 81 uncommon productivity arl
being brought IN. The Phillips
Petroleum Co, to cite one instance
10 receiving l26 900 900 cubic feet Q,
eas daily from its two plants.