Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-12-09

The well made not a few quarts OF oil
like the "showings" in many wells in
Kelvin before acidization-but many bar
rels of oil but it was not commercial 1t
found it's oil below the customary oil
horizons and so it was regarded as
a "freaky" 1t is not impossible that
a geophysical survey would reveal
Devon,an high" at this point-else
there is so much oil in the Devonian that
it can be found in the syncline. The Dry
Greek district is decidedly in a syncline,
on the basis of the elevation of the Madi-
son lime. In theory, there should be no
oil in the syncline
Our visitors were astonished that none
has used geophysics to locate wells in
Montana. We told them how seismograph
methods were proven out, west of Pom
dera oil field and they were all the more
astonished when they found that so
far as Is known to us, no shooting
has ever been done in a producing oil
field, especially in Kevin-Sunburst.
To this came a very logical question
which seems apparent to all put those
of us who live here:
"Tben whv drill wildcat wells in doubt
full areas when you KNOW there is oil.
quite probably in large quantities. In
Kevin-Sunburst?"
They INQUIRED about our drilling costs
and shook their heads. "Too high. they
said. They are accustomed to light TO-
tarv drilling and can see no reason
they said, why this economical method
cannot be introduced in Montana They
could see no apparent reason why the
Texas-P Pacific deep test in Kevin-SunDurst
field was abandoned. We explained care
fully how the "poison gas heaVed the
tools out of oil as fast as they could
renlace the wrecked derricks. but when
we gave the figures on the small vol
ume of gas and relatively low rock
pressure they commented that such gas
could be easily mudded off with rotary
tools.
Looking from a long distance, these
people seemed to see Montana as
brand new oil state where the develop
ment thus far has merely served to FUR
nish the needed information on which
to base serious development
From them we learned that throughout
tho oil industry. eyes are turning to
Montana. This results from the two rae
tors:
/. The ice decision on the gasoline
crude rates into Spokane.
O. The publicity in national trade
journals on completion of the Glacier
Production plant at Cut Bank.
A great many oil operators realized
for the first time that there was oil in
Montana when they learned OF the
granting of a rail freight rate from Cut
Pank fo Spokane-a rate which upset
for the first time the undisputed north
west market territory of California pro-
ducers and refiners. 1t became apparent
throughout the industry that Montana is
taking It's place in the industry and has
enough production, reserves and refinery
capacity TO command group rates, never
before regarded possible.
The publication in the national trade
az a detailed aceooLt of the
of the Glacier Production
company's refinery, together with the So
conv Vacuum unit, awakened the reali-
zation among many that there MUST
he some oil in Montana to justify such
an investment The mere entrance OF So
cony Vacuum was enough to arouse the
interest of other operators to the point
OF making an investigation.
Our visitors told us that it is generally
understood in the industry everywhere
fexcept here In Montana) that at least
one other major company has definitely
decided to enter Montana, doubtless with
a view to participating in any advantage
over the California market that may re-
sult from the upbuilding of new group
ate structure around Montana refining
centers.
After an hours visit with these people
ve realized that after keeping our "ears
II the ground and nose to the grindstone"
,ere in Montana for the past IT years.