Montana oil and mining journal., 1942-04-11
Remember It in Your PRAYERS

surface geology is that the seismOgraph re-
cords the irregularities of folding. Thus II
the Devonian "high" does not correspond
with the geological "high" on the surface or
at the top of the Madison lime, the geo
physical survey reveals that fact.
1t is our understanding that the Tarrant
well is located on the DeVOnian "high,"
slightly west of the center of the uplift
bowl with flat bottom.
While the idea of testing the DevOnian
has always suggested "deep test" and has
deferred drilling below the top of the Madi-
son, Cut Bank field has removed the terrOrs
of S,OOO-fOOt drilling for north Montana Op-
orators. There viii be no question Of swift
development, should this Tarrant well get
big production in the DevOnian. Not only
will it mean the swift development Of q
new field which may provide much-needed
oil for the war-crippIed Pacific northwest,
but it will mean that every oil field and
every known structure in northern Montana
viii be tested to the Devonian. The DevOnian
win replace the Madison contact as the
bottom" Accordingly, this unpretentiOus
3,OO0-foOt wen southeast of the town Of Cen-
rad may be the greatest histOry-maker IN
Montana.
There are many who would Like to see
the first DevOnian test drilled in Kevin;
others think it should be in Bannatyne;
others say Pondera and still others think
that the Pendroy fault is the proper place.
However, all must confess that Midway has
advantages over the rival areas enumerated.
Again, this test brings to mind the adj
vantage of royalty investments.
AT the time the MOntana-Pacific well was
drilled, we bought three royalty tracts. When
the MOntana-Pacific was dry, we charged
them off for income tax purposes and carry
them at 81. We owned some stock in Mon
tana-Pacific. That has long since been
charged off, also. Even If Midway were to
become the greatest Oil field in the world,
the MOntana-Pacific stock would remain
worthless, since its leases have all expired.
But the royalty is stfII good. We have DEEDS
to these mineral interests which are per-
petuaI Should the Tarrant well come in,
these royalties wiH have instant market
value. While they are considerably west, they
may yet prove productive. 1t is possible that
fortunes viii come from those royalties which
we now carry on our books as worth 81.
The average person does not appreciate
this situation Fortunes will be made by
those who have comprehension of the sig
nificance of a DevOnian test and of a De-
vOnian discovery To the vast majority Of
people, DevOnian producer at Midway
would be just another producer" But to q
few who know something of the history Of
other oil fields, this viii mean the greatest
of a lifetime.
The need of petroleum for Alaska and the
makes everyone want to pray for
. big producer at Midway. 1t win take only
Dne big well to bring the big companies,
Standard and Independent, back into Mon
lana with peII-melI rush. 1t will not take
eng to relieve the pain in the northwest
when that time comes. Let us all remember
Midway in our prayers.
Members of this organization this week
eceived maps and complete geological data
N Midway structure. 1t will be sent to those
yho request it.