Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-09-19

Events are moving swiftly in Montana
these days The groundwork Of fortunes Of
five years and 10 years hence is being laid
in the developments of recent weeks.
OF least Importance 10 investors is the
completion of the largest wen of recent years
in Cut Bank field. This well was drilled in
supposedly doubtful gas area. 1t is in an
area where we did our royalty buying 10
years ago. II was certainly the ruOst dis
cOuraging area Of the last decade and we
were recOnciled to getting our investment
out Of gas development
Within half mile of the Glacier PrOduc-
tiOn-McGuiness No. flowing well our mem
bers own royalty on 100 acres known as the
Tenney farm. It was one Of our first pur-
chases in Cut Bank field, made at the time
The Texas company entered Cut Bank, TAX
ing over the holdings of William O'Haire
of Sunburst together with an uncOmpleted
well on the Small farm. Everyone thought
the Small well was probably too low struc-
turaIIy, so we chose royalties higher on
structure, including the Tenney, on the adj
vice of the best authorities Of the time.
Then followed years Of Encouragement
in which there was no drilling on or around
the Tenney farm. Everyone conceded years
ago that it was gas land. However, we bought
it on the basis of gas land--S1.5O percent
per acre-sO we felt certain that it would
pay out from gas production. 1t was included
in gas unit and our members gladly joined
the unit.
Glacier Production drilled a well on the
adjoining gas unit with the idea of getting
a gas well The result is well known: flow
ing well with an initial of 800 barrels per
day. 1t is the largest well since the famous
Lander No. /, completed in January, 1896,
and likewise the second largest well ever
completed in the Sunburst and in northern
Montana. There is every probability that the
advice under which we bought the Tenney
entirely sound. The Tenney now looks
like oil land because the sand thickness at
the McGuiness would indicate that the pool
will be of considerable extent.
After the completion of the McGuiness we
beIatedly made a study of wells drilled in
the area. We found the story clearly written
in the logs Of wells Tell tale shOwings Of
oil in the Sunburst and in wells in the inn
mediate district told everyone that there
was probability of a pool in the region by
reason of the fact that oil does not occur
in mere drops or bucketsfulI or even in de-
posits of one barrel Oil occurs in pools and
the presence of shOwings over a given area
is pretty good evidence of a pool in the
district. Science has not yet found a better
way to IOcalize such a pool than by drilling.
We read with interest account in PURE
OIL NEWS house organ of Pure Oil Co..
of the development Of the Reed field in
Michigan. That field was found because of
the confidence Of Alvin Weber in two
theories:
/. The presence of a SHOWING of oil in
his first well led to additional drilling.
2. That where there are small amounts OF
oil in upper lime horizons, there is prob
ability of greater amounts in lower horizons.
Weber's first well very discOuraging
to anyone who is not able TO interpret the
significance of a showing of Oil Later de-
velOpments proved his first well to be half
a mile from the southeast edge Of the field.
But on the theory that this Gil was marker
directing him to a pool, he moved higher
on structure and drilled a second we'll two
miles from the first test. The well had
SHOW OF OIL AND WATER in the Dundee
limestone, depth of 1899 feet Had it been
the average Montana operator, the Reed
City field was washed up" with that failure,