Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-17
new SURVEY CUTS
TEAPOT OIL VALUE
Found Far Below Original
Estimates by Government
Biologists.
CONTINUED From First PAge.)

originally made by Government scien-
lists. and that two parts of the Donns
originally thought to be rich in oil con-
tain nothing but natural gas or water.
The new report, 1t Is understood, will
voice general agreement with the private
BIOLOGISTS estimate OF possibly q maxi.
mum Of $4,000. 900 barrels of oil stored
IN the sands OF the Dome, but under
existing methods OF oil extraction prob
ably not more than q fraction Of tins
oil can be recovered. Experts say that
about one-flfth of the oil known to be
in the sands can be extracted commer-
cially, which would make actual pro-
duction around 100000 barrels.
Twenty-four million barrels Of oil II
worth about that many dollars, so the
Teapot really Is a prize worth lighting
for.
But when 1t is recalled that at the
time the reserve FIRST was created the
Bureau of Mines estimated the oil pro-
duction at nearly six times that amount,
or approximately 135, 1000, 900 barrels, the
disappointment at the denouement be-
comes apparent.
Moreover, there is appreciahle leakage
in the Teapot.
Tests made by Government biologists
have disclosed q drainage of oil from
WAAaG 10 AloWH - Tic ScCOnu wall
creed sand" into the adjoining Salt
Creek field. The exact amount Of
drainage Is not known. 1t can only be
estimated. But It is known there was
q significant increase OF production In
number of wells near Teapot Dome
when the Government Naval Oil Re-
serve was closed down following the oil
litigation.
OF course, the Government gets hand
some royalties on the oil removed from
the Salt Greek field, including the oil
which spills over from Teapot Dome.
Each barrel Of leakage, however, re-
duces the content In the natural oil
reservoir known as Naval Reserve No. 3.
The leakage, while said to be not
serious, is another development that has
come to light since the reserve was
established In 1918. At that time geolos
gists believed Teapot Dome was a dis
tinct field Of oil, locked up In an Inn
pervious natural container
Subsequent inquiries have shown that
the Dome Is not an entity within the
boundaries originally set up, but that
part of the oil-bearing sands extend
into the Salt Greek field.
All PROPHECIES Belied.
In the Salt Creek area, which abutS
Teapot Dome on the northwest, there
are two productive strata, known as the
first and second wall creek sands. When
Teapot Dome became the naval reserve
No. 8 is years ago, oil men and Gov
eminent cffleials were of the belief that
the two sands would be just as pro-
ductive In the reserve as they were a
few miles away in Salt Greek, and that
valuable deposits also we're contained In
other sands and shale.
The first wall. creek sand of Teapot
Dome has belied ell prophecies. In
stead of the oil looked for, it proved
to be filled with nothing more valuable
than water.
Another area, where oil was hoped
for, has turned out to be natural gas.
Gas has its value commercially, but It
is an unwelcome intruder In q field re-
served by the Government IS an un-
der ground storage tank for battlesnip
fuel.
The most productive section Of Tea
pot Dome appears to be in the north
end Of the two square miles composing
the reserve. Little prospecting has been
done in the remaining Of the area.
Although there was a large number
Of wells drilled In the property when the
Government regained possession Of y
by mandate Of the United States SUI
preme Court, only Is Of the wells have
been maintained In operative condition,
and these are used solely for test pur4
poses.
Experts Make Regular Tests.
Regular tests of oil pressure are made
by Government experts under the
direction Of the Geological Survey, ana
these tests have revealed Q fairly con-
slant underground supply.
Full results of the tests and 0ther
fR,x, ahSs Rfo4E
surveys report, which is being prepared
by Herman Stabler, chief Of the con-
servation division of the bureau. The
report is to be published about the first
of the year.
The biologists who reported in 1922
and 1923 to the Senate Pubic Lands
Committee, more popularity known Is
the Oil Investigating Committee, were
Frederick @. Clapp and James O.
Lewis
Clapp and Lewis made extensive sur
veys on the entire Salt Creek Teapot
Dome region and submitted compre-
,hensive reports to the Senate commit
tee. Some of the disclosures made in
those reports were q rude shock to many
persons who had entertained soaring
appraiSals Of the value Of Teapot Dome
Clapp stressed that most of the oil
lay in the second Wall Greek sand.
about 2,700 feet below the surface and
varying in thickness from 20 to 200 feet
He said that of the 1891 acres leased to
Harry Sinclair's Mammoth Oil Co.,
$500 acres were barren of oil and l,4OO
acres contained gas. He estimated a
possible total oil content for Teapot
Dome of 10000, 600 barrels of oil, based
on production figures per acre in other
fields. Based on what he termed
'porosity," Clapp estimated the possi=
bic maximum oil content of the sands
of Teapot Dome at 119,05S,e 1913 barrels,
of which, perhaps, 20 per cent was re-
coverable.
Agree Task Is DinIicuIt.
Lewis gave a maximum estimate of
"a 900 900 barrels Of oil. He pointed
out that the first Wall Creek sand con-
tanned water and that the center of
the Dome contained gas.
Biologists agree that fathoming and
valuing the oil content of Teapot Dome
is a difficult task, due to the peculiar
geologic formation prevailing In the re-
serve. The problem, in the final
analysis, narrowS down to guesswork.
Some Of the original optimistic
guesSes have proved wrong, and It Is
not without the realm Of reason that
some of the later guesses Of pessimistie
nature also may be happily discredited.
But even in the light of present
knowledge. it cannot yet be said that
the oil inquiry was q tempest In
teapot"
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