Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-02-13

into the valley Of the Columbia
river and deliver oil to barges at
the head OF navigation at Lewis
ton, Idaho. This Is less than
400 miles distant.
Barges on Missouri
Another outlet not generally
recognized is down the valley OF
the Mardas river, which Glows
through the south end OF the Cut
Bank field to the Missouri River
at Fort Benton, the head Of navi-
CATION OF that stream. This would
provide a water grade and the dis
lance is less than roo miles. Pet
roleum products are now being
barged up the Missouri River from
Kansas City. Mo, refineries and II
may be feasible for The barges TO
haul crude oil back. This presents
some problems in costs of Operat-
ing barges but regardless OF the
length OF the pipe line a water grade
can be secured along the Marias
and Missouri Rivers to Industrial
centers where the oil can be refined.
Line to Wyoming
The third and probably the most
feasible pipe line outlet will be
via Great Falls to the black oil
fields of northern Wyoming and
from there to the western terminal
of the StandOlind Pipe Line at
Clayton tank farm not far from
Casper, Wyo. This company has
recently put into operation the
old pipe line built by Sinclair Pipe
Line Co. to move the Tea Pot
Dome oil 1t is estimated there
are 100000 bbls. of that old
oil in storage in the Clayton tank
farm but there are about 400, OOO,-
600 barrels of black oil in the nor
thern Wyoming fields.
This black oil is now being re-
fined in Billings refineTies where
a cut of so percent 20 octane gaso-
line is being secured. Out of part /
of the residue cent road oil is
obtained Road oil is finding use
in % states and it seems very
logical that when the oil in the
Clayton tank farm is moved the
pipe line can be extended to the
black oil fields. This pipe line had
an original capacity of 100000
bbls per day. 1t is now being OPP
Grated at from 5000 to 10000
bbls. daily. At an average rate OF
10000 bbls. per day it will require
about three years to remove the
stored oil but if demand increases
it may be moved in one fourth
that time if the line is stepped up
to its original capacity. In other
words the oil could be removed in
275 days. 1t Is not probable that
this viii come to pass but 1t is also
not likely that it will take three
years to move shis oil east.
VIII Need More Crude
1t therefore seems reasonable to
assume this pipe line system will
be seeking additional crude oil
to transport within the next two
years. While it is over 300 miles
from the northern Montana fields to !
the northern Wyoming black oil
fields, this is not a long pipe line
under present conditions of con-
struction and with more than 400,- rs
600 600, barrels of oil available at
tn = northern end it would provide !
revenue for transportation for many ,
years to come.
Outlook Is Good !
These may be optimistic views to /:
AXE of the future Of the northern
oil fields but the industry is now
seeking for additional reserves of a
Ill that can be produced promptly
of an estimated reserve
# 10000, 100000 barrels in this
country the critical rate at which +
his oil can be produced is rapidly
approaching the daily still demands.
ill is of little good to the owner
Unless he can get it out of the
round and sell it, With this
'ountry facing an ever increasing =
lemand for petroleum producers for
everal years to come the present +
,nown oil reserves are going to be y
axed 10 beyond their capacity to
'roduce it. So the consumers will q
'ay for oil they can get and they F
10 not mind going a long way for n
t If 1t is Immediately available and
hat fact stands out very definitely Ii
o far as northern Montana oil is Il
And if the demand is al
reated additional oil can be de-
eloped quickly in known proven K
reas which will go long way to al
Meeting the increasing refinery de- 81
hands.
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