Show NATURAL GAS NEAR SALT LAKE during the summer of 1904 natural gas was found escaping from a number of water wells in the valley of jordan river utah examination by mr G 13 richardson of the united geological survey revealed the fact that natural gas was of common occurrence in the vicinity of salt lake city about eight years ago this field was extensively prospected and for over a year the city was supplied with natural gas though the quantity obtained proved insufficient gas is still found f in greater or less abundance and sporadic attempts have been made to further develop the field it seemed to mr richardson desirable therefore to record in the surveys year book contributions to economic geology 1904 the little that is known of natural gas in this vicinity natural gas occurs at a number of localities along the eastern shore of great salt lake notably in the vicinity of brigham and corinne near the mouth of bear river and in the vicinity of salt lake city T jacent to the mouth of jordan ad river M salt lake city gas has been found defined in an a n in area extending at least ten west of the city and fifteen miles miles m 3 north far as farmington this as 3 area was fori formerly nerl occupied by lake bonneville the pleiss sto cene predecessor of great salt lake though gas has been found in numerous wells within this area the greatest develop ment has occurred about twelve miles of salt lake city in the marshy tract north the shore of great salt lake gas is near re ported to have been discovered in this region in 1892 and in the winter of a six inch pipe line was laid to salt lake city in an area of only one square mile about twenty wells were sunk gas occurs at different depths in the area developed but mostly between and feet in one well three gas horizons were struck at and feet in another well feet deep nine it good strong flows ofgus of gas are reported the gas is said to occur in sand which is underlain and overlain by clay the beds ranging from three to twenty feet in thickness the productive sands are reported generally free from water although small artesian flows were found in overlaying beds the pressure of the gas in the wells is said to have averaged about pounds and a maximum pressure of pounds has been recorded for nineteen months salt lake city was supplied from this source but the amount produced is not definitely known from the beginning trouble was caused by b y the gas coming spasmodically the supply finally decreased until it became insufficient for the cites needs and the field was abandoned the preservation of gas in quantity is dependent only on a sufficient supply of organic matter but also on the presence of porous reservoirs effectively capped by impervious material to collect and retain the hydrocarbons unfortunately in the bonneville area the presence of such conditions cannot be predicted it may be stated though that prospecting for gas should be undertaken in the vicinity of the base of the mountains where recent faulting has taken place actual occurrence of gas in this region can be discovered rediscovered on only ly by the drill |