The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1929-02-21
BUSY YEAR TN NORTH FIELD
INDICATED AMONG OIL men
CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPLORATION WORK PLANNED
IN KEVIN-SUNBURST AREA THAN WAS CARRIED
ON LAST YEAR


Great Falls Tribune: A thaw the
last week brought visions Of spring to
many Montana oil operators. with the
result that several announcements
were forthcoming on drilling programs
for 1929. most of which had to do with
the Kevin- -Sunburst field. If all these
projects materialize the north field
is due for considerable more explora-
ton than developed last year when
contractors were attracted to other
fields
Demonstrating that the Kelvin
Sunburst field still has numerous
tricks in store, two wells in that area
have been steadily increasing pro-
duction during the last month, if un-
official reports may be accepted
Radigan- -Hungerford Adams No. l, ne
ne Sc 12-S4-2 W, complented July "a,
1927, is reported to be making more
than 200 barrels daily after having
dropped to about 100 barrels last
summer Peerless Steele No. /, e ne
NV 12-S4-2 W, drilled into production
in July, 1928, as gusher, of late has
been steadily increasing until it has
passed the 25O-barrel mark. Oil thus
far taken from this well is valued at
more than $65OOO.
Continued high oil prices in Mon
tana also has acted as spur to
operators At present Montana pro-
ducers are receiving better prices than
most domestic fields offer
In some states producers are selling
at less than 81 barrel for 80 gravity
crude, while average prices in Monta
ma are about $1.75 barrel. Some
Montana operators obtain more than
this, one Fili nee being Pondera
where crude as high as $lss5 All
the well. Some observers declare that
these prices would hold up if the state
produced three times as much oil as it
did during 1928
Among the drilling programs recent
" announced was that of the Sweeney
OH company. which is said to have
contracted for II wells on its acreage
in the north field. The Hannah-Por-
ter company also have announced
plans for an extensive drilling cam
paign in the Kevin-S -Sunburst field.
In keeping with the program, the
Maple Leaf refinery at Coutts, just
across the Montana line, has an
nounced it will enlarge its plant. A
large percentage of Montana crude
now goes to Canadian refineries at
Coutts and Alberta. A factor in this
traffic is the fact that crude may be
shipped over the line duty free, refin-
ed and placed on the Canadian mark
ct much cheaper than gasoline can be
sent to Canada. This has in effect
allowed Canadian refineries to pay
larger premiums than Montana refin-
cries can afford AS result, only re-
fineries equipped to crack the crude
can make substantial
profit. This, as a rule, limits the op-
GRAFTON Of topping plants.
Wildcat operations continue at
standstill throughout most of the
state. The heavy snow has made the
roads generally impossible to all ex-
cept the larger field camps. Isolated r
wells have been forced to shut down $
for various reasons such as fuel and 9
repairs. P
Opening of highways will see the =
of work on two interesting q
tests near Great Falls. The q. S. I
Petroleum company test on the BIanck a
Horse lake structure three miles north o
If the smelter, has set casing at 946 is
eet, where it obtained an oil showing. u
The crew is awaiting warmer weather e
% drill in The test on the McIver 81
anch west of here, taken over by q
Nike Sheehy, veteran Wyoming drill q
r, also is awaiting warm weather to a.
enew This well was spudded shortly N
'efore the first of the year. m
N n TTCFf hi