Plentywood herald., 1927-08-12

The Bannatyne discovery well, 40
miles northwest of Great Falls, set up
new mark in Montana for precipi-
tating OIL field development recently
when four additional wells were an
nOunced for immediate drilling on the
structure. Contracts have been closed
for the drilling of q portion of the new
wells and all Will get under way within
the next 80 days IL materials can be
moved to location and the rigs made
ready for operation within that time.
No other Montana discovery well has
been followed SO quickly by announce
ment of 80 many wells within so short
a time, fact largely traceable to the
fact that the well established commercial
production is in true sand Of extra
ordinary thickness, regarded as being
uniformly present throughout the area.
The sand is 72 feet thick and distin-
guishes the field as having given the oil
industry of Montana an entirely new
producing horizon.
The new wells will be drilled by j. w.
Speer, Guy Craig, and G. M. McCutcheon,
principal owners of the discovery: the FL
deity Oil company, recently organized
by j. A. Kaufman OF Great Falls; w. s.
Hawley. head of the Big West and Big
Eleven Oil companies, and group inter-
ested in the field by Walter F. Britain,
secretary Of the Montana Oil and Gas as
oOlldblOAl, dAlu VI 4. DtSCllOl
of the Montana OIL Journal Announce
ment Of additional wells are expected
within short time. according to oper-
ators interested in the field.
Wen On Same 80
Speer, Craig and McCutcheon will drill
their next we'll on the northeast corner
of section 8-25-1 e, on the same 8O-acre
tract on which the discovery Is located
and the Hawley we'll will be to the west
Of the discovery in section 7-25-1 W. The
Fidelity OIL company's location Is on the
Bannatyne ranch, south and east of the
discovery, and the Brittan-DeSchon loca-
ton Is in section 34-26-1 W, north and
west OF the discovery. The new wells are
sufficiently scattered over the structure
to make their locations Of much import
ance In determining the extent of the
producing area and the general trend OF
structural conditions
The owners have made no estimate OF
the discovery wells production, futher
than to say that 1T is without question a
commercial producer An analysis OF the
oil made shortly after the completion
showed. 1t to have a gravity Of 274 but
Mr.. Craig said that the quality undoubt-
edly has improved one or two points since
then. The Improvement is largely ac-
counted for by the increase Of the natu-
raj gas which comes In with the oil.
Opinions expressed by the owners as
|
quate pump test have invariably cited
smaller figures than used by other op-
orators who have observed the we'll since
| It's completion. Estimates on the well g
production expressed about the rig by
operators from the n-Sunburst field
and elsewhere have ranged from 25 bar
rels daily upwards.
| Nearly all automobile travel between
Great Falls and the rig is by way of
Vaughn, Power DuttOn and Collins, but
this adds an extra 20 or as miles to the
distance. This route is 65 miles in
length. BY fording the river south of
the well and coming into Great Falls on
the Bootleggers trail the distance is 46
miles, but many cars have stalled in the
stream and only a few attempt to follow
this cutoff. 1t is reported that the Teton
county commissioners have authorized
the construction OF bridge across the
Teton river In the vicinity Of the we'll,
but that construction OF the span will
not be started until fall.