The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1926-06-17
RALPH ARNOLD WILL
SURVEY OIL STRUCT-
URES In MONTANA
CALIFORNIA GEoLoGIST REPRE-.
SENT OPERATORS IN ExTEN-
SIvE FIELD EXAMINATION

-
SIVE FIELD EXAMINATION
Investigations with the view of 10
eating new oil structure in Montana
will be begun within few dayh by
Ralph Arnold of Los Angeles, ma
tionally known geologist. Mr. Ar
mold, who arrived in Great Falls
Tuesday, said that if promising struc-
lures are found on the state and the
land owners show a willingness to CO
operate with operators, he believes
interests he represents will undertake
development.
Mr.. Arnold was a classmate and
roommate at Leland Stanford univer-
sity of Hel bert Hoover, now secre-
tary of commerce. The geologist has
an office in Los Angeles and one in
New York. He was a pioneer in the
development of the Wyoming fields
and located wells in the Kevin-Sun-
burst field for the Kalispell-Kevin
syndicate, on which he has an inter-
est, Governor Erickson also being a
member of the syndicate.
The Montana oil area, Mr.. Arnold
pointed out, stretches diagonally
across the state from the Kevin-Sun-
burst field to Carter county in the
southeastern corner He is interest
ed in a drilling operation on the Car
ter county structure, where depth
of about 1000 feet has been reached
with favorable indications of oil. He
said Tuesday that Montana offers
exceptional opportunities for oil ex-
ploration and development, and he
predicted that undoubtedly many
more productive structures will be
found.
Structures Easily Defined
One advantage in oil exploration in
Montana SO far as the primary in
vestigations of the geologist are con
cerned is that in the oil territory
in this stat the country is not COW
cred with vegetation, as result of
which it is easy to define the bounds
of structure. Contrasted with Cali
fornia fields, where depth of of g.,
900 feet is often required or more for
drilling we'll Mr.. Arnold pointed
out that experience in the Kevin-Sun-
burst field has been that 500 feet will
usually reach the oil pools. Likewose,
the formation in Montana has not
been found SO very difficult to drill,
whereas in California the drilling
cost is increased not only in the
depth but by the alternating soft and
hard strata.
Present depths in Montana should
not be accepted conclusive evidence
Of what the requirements will be in
new fields in this state, the geolo-
gist asserted. He emphasized that
there may be three or four chances
of finding oil, and sometimes what
is an apparent failure is merely fail
ure to drill deeply enough.
Persistency and courage is the
rule for success in the oil business,
Mr. Arnold said The fact that a dry
hole has been drilled on a structure
does not necessarily mean that the
structure has no oil pool, he declared |
Each field is a new experience, he
said. and while the experience of |
other fields are valuable in reaching |
only actual experience |
with the new field is conclusive. and |
then only when the development has |
been undertaken on scale suffi- |
GENTLY complete
Recommnded Big Muddy
In California, where Mr.. Arnold |
has located many producers, the ex-
nerience has heen that oil pools have
been developed in many instances af-
ter several of the largest companies |
have drilled without success. The |
Big Muddy field in Wyoming, where
further development was undertaken
On Mr.. Arnold's recommendation after
large companies had failed, is the
same story.
If the land owners in Montana will
lake chance with the operators and
not seek to take advantage by impos-
ing burdensome conditions for the
obtaining of leases, steady and prac-
fical development can be expected in
tn geologist said He ex-
pressed pleasure with the manner in
which the northrn Montana field is
being developed, pointing out that
The gradual tapping of the oil re-
sources without an attempt toward |
1velopment beyond the demands for I
the nroduct would keen the indus
Fr-r thriving for wears to come. He
said that the Kevin-Sunburst general
structure is the largest in tn world.
Referring to the we'll recently
brought in near Calgary, Mr.. Arnold
said in some way5 it is the most re-