Evening star., 1933-01-14
TO CONTROL
OIL FLOW WATCHED
Oklahoma Interests Keep Eye
on Activities in State
Assembly.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
TULSA, Okla, January I4.-WhiIe
other areas of the midcontinent oil re-
gion scanned reports of production that
showed the disposition of East Texas
operators under reopening Of their
fields, in Oklahoma chief attention Is
centered in the investigating and legis-
lative activity of the General Assembly
now in session.
Rumblings of discomfort over the ap-
plic4tion Of Oklahoma's. oil conservation
laws have been general for more than
two years, and there have been repeated
rumors of thievery through illegal run
nlng OF wells and talk of other trregu-
larities.
committee of seven State Senator'S
was appointed to conduct an investi-
CATION OF the entire structure Of pro-
ration in Oklahoma as administered by
the Corporation Commission and con-
trolled by the State military forces un-
der Lieut.. Col. Cicero I. Murray, cousin
OF Gov. William H. Murray.
New Proration Bills.
So far no new proration bills have
been introduced in either house of the
Legislature, but at least two such meas
ures will be introduced in the Senate
shortly, one having the backing of
Gov Murray and most influential
members OF the oil fraternity, the other
prepared by Senator Knox Garvin of
Duncan. chairman Of the Senate OIL
and Gas Committee.
The administration measure concerns
/ itself principally with strengthening
the present conservation laws, putting
teeth in penalty clauses and otherwise
bringing 1t into form to cope with pro-
duction and proration requirements Of
1888.
There has been indication OF q
tendency toward abolition of proration,
and there is little likelihood Of such an
eventuality. Producers generally have
been agreed that even the present pom
derous. SLOW moving proration ma
chinery is better than none at all, and
the leaning has been toward settling
definitely and protecting the rights OF
small producers. identifying chronic
viclators and strengthening existing
statutes with good amendments.
Under present proration laws thou-
sands Of small wells in Oklahoma that
would be abandoned II forced to COM
pete with the huge volume Of flush
production possible from newer major
fields Of the State still are functioning
and producing their small allotment
daily, keeping lease employees on pay
rolls and supplying livelihood for
countless small operators. These strip
per and seni-stripper wells represent an
aggregate of almost 250.000 barrels q
day and q probable total recoverable
volume of 10000 barrels.
a., ~ RVTfAA NVH
December caused abandonment of cer-
tain stripper wells, but the example OF
1881, when q wide-open flow policy
caused the crude structures to collapse,
| is what the stripper well owners fear.
They are almost unanimously IN favor
| CT a continuation of the States pro-
ration policy as Stripper COMMITTEES
members indicated In recent statements.
Potential Flow.
The small independents. who produce
their oil from all State fields TO sell 70
refiners and pipe line companies, are
considered by larger units Of the IN
dustry to be dependent upon proration
open now has invariably resulted In
overburdening Of pipe line and storage
facilities by companies owning them,
leaving no outlet for the little fellows
production.
Statistical groups have estimated the
national daily potential flow as around
| 10 900 900 barrels daily, while consump-
ton through the Winter months n
listed as 100000 barrels daily.
National production rose last week
above this mark, due to reopening Of
the East Texas pools and to a $4,000
barrel temporary increase in Oklahoma.
Oil men were particularly interested
In the East Texas flow, which was re-
ported by the Oil and Gas Journal to
average 299, ,S72 barrels daily. This was
lass than 10000 barrels above the level
approved by the Texas Railroad COM
mission and was not generally constd-
cred radically out Of proportion.