OCR Text |
Show Sees Great Possibilities h . ForOil ForOil For Oil Oilh OilProduction Production in in MoabSector MoabSectorColumbia Moab . Sector SectorColumbia Columbia ExperienceGained enceGained Crude CruQe Coiporation COlporation Corporation Takes Advantage of Expe1 Experience ence Gained Through ' Wells 'VeIls VeIls Drilled by Others to LocatcNew Locate Locatc- Locatc - New NewField NewField NewField Field in the Great Storehouse of Petrohferous Petrolrferous PetrohferousRocks PetrolrferousRocks PetroliferousRocks Rocks in : Moab Area of Southeastern Utah . _ ( The following followmg : article arbcJe has been beenprepared beenprepared n I prepared by G , . r . , Pitts , , con consulting consultinggeologist consultinggeologist u1tmg u1tmggcowglSt gcowglSt geologist , , and discusses the geology geologyof of the Moab district and the u1tmgI pos pos- per- per pos"lbiUbes persibilities possibilities - - I " sibilities "lbiUbes lbiUbes of oil 011 production here here.The hereThe . The Columbia . Crude coryoratfon corporation corporationwith , WIth which whJch Mr . . Pitts Pats is a'ifUiated aifUiated alflliated affiliatedhas ! ' , J hao ha ' ; located looated a well wen on the apex ofthe of ofthe ofthe the Seven \ Mile l\l.1lc ll.1lc l l.1lc l1lc . structure , , at the thehead thehead I head of \ Moab l\roab l roab canyon , , and a test testhole testhole . hole has already been spudded in in.The inThe . The drilling : machine is now bemg being beingrigged bemgrigged beingrigged rigged up , , a pennament permament camp is isbeing ! isbeing s sbeing being established , and within a aweek aweek aweek week or two the drill dnll will Mol Molpounding be bepounding , , pounding away In quest of the ex- ex expected expected ex expected - pected oil 011 horizon . . The pIctures pIcturesshown picturesshown picturesshown shown herewith were taken during ' duringthe duringthe the spudding : operations at the theColumbia theColumbia theColumbia Columbia . . Crude testEditor's test Editor'sNote -Editor's Editor's Editors - Editor'sNote Editor'sNote EditorsNote ' ' ' Note ) ( BY G . L 1 . . PITTS PITI'S PITIS PIrrs ' , , Geologist . ) ) We are endeavoringi endeavorlngl endeavoring to take full fulland fulland fulland and complete ccmplete advantage advantnge of the ex- ex experiences ex experiences . - periences of other companies compames in the " , , < . , t J\ J Jl \ . ' . l ' YX & . f ' . N < of ' - I rp . . ' } . ' . , f " . , y . " 1 ' > . . I I.1 ) ' " , ( \.1 .1 \ . ' . W w wYM YM YML L } Wy Wyr Wyf WyK r f K q qk qrt k rt .rIlE rIlE THE ' . COLUlUBH COLUMBI9 . CRUDC CORPORATION'S CORPORATIONS ' TEST "fELL fELL WELL " LOCATION AT ATHEAD ATHEAD HEAD OF MOAB CANYON drilling of surface structural structmal conditions con conditions conditions ditions in m the Moab , Utah district Forthis For Forthis Forthis this district to produce there are ForI ap- ap apparently apparently ap apparently - - I parently two essential problems which whichmust whichmust whichmust must be solved correctly , , viz VlZ , the thelocation thelocation I . . location of the correct hydrostaticlevel hydrostatIc hydrostaticlevel hydrostatIcI I .1 1 .1level level in the areas open to oil 011 and gas gasmIgration gasmigration gasmigration mIgration , and correct well location to togam togain : gam a maximum possibility of en- en encountering en encountering . - i icountering countering zones of proper porosity to toI toact toact toact I act as reservoirs reserv01rs for the underground undergroundI undergroundstorage undergroundstorage undergroundstorage I storage of oil and gas which we be- be believe believe be believe - . lieve e exist .1St 1St > . in the Moab sector due to tothe tothe the erogenic orogenic and petroliferous nature natureof natureof natureof of the underlying Pennsylvanian rock rocksection rocksection rocksection section of this distnctThe districtThe district distnct districtThe The state of Utah today is in m much elude the possibility pos5Ibil1ty of majoi majOl major production produc production production productionThe tion tionThe The wells "ells ells " drilled dnlled in this Moab area areawhich areawhich areawhich which had a bearing beanng on the oil oll pro pro- producmg producing producing - ducing ducmg possibilities and from which "luch luch sshich " the theColumbia theColumbia theColumbia Columbia . Crude Corporation has beenable been beenable beenable able to work out its present hydrostatic hydrostatic hydro- hydro hydrostatic - - [ static theory , are the Prank Frank Shafer , J JL JL Jjj L Shafer and Sno\\den Sno den Snow \ \ den McSVveeney McSweeney McSweeneywells McSVveeneywells McSweeneywells wells on Cane Oane Creek anticline , and andwells andwells andwells wells on the Shafer Dome , , Lockhart LockhartI LockhartDome LockhartDome I Dome , . Indian Creek Crrek Dome , and Glb Gib GlbI Glbson Gibson Gibson son Dome to the southLogs southLogs south southLogs I Logs of these Vo wells aeils ells show a very hIgh hIghI hIghhydrostatic highhydrostatic highhydrostatic hydrostatic condition in areas open to tomigration tomigration tomigration I migration , As nearly as can be deter deter- determined deter-pruned deter pruned - . mined the hydrostatIc hydrostaticJeveUnfluencing level influencing n , . t ; 1 : ) . 9f ! 9ftt . ; ' - \tt tt \ : I " . i1- i1 i11 ' ? ' " 1 lb ' ( \ . i . ' / . f ' 4 ; " ' " " \ . , 1 , \ . < ! S ' ' - , 1 1i . . -t t - 'f f ' lux t'f i Y Yi -i i - , . , - y yK -U U - 'YY Y K 'Y Y 'YU ' " UA A CLOSEP CLOSE-LP CLOSE LP . - { , OF RIG WI WIULE LE SPUODING SPUDDING IN f the same category as was the state of ofKansas ofKansas ofKansas Kansas in the days imedlatcly Imedlately imediately follow follow- followjng following - ing Jng the first discovery of oil oU aroundthe around aroundthe aroundthe the Olathe-Paola Olathe Paola Olathe-'Paola 'Paola - ' shallow district in inEastern inEastern inEastern Eastern Kansas Geologists olog1sts of larger largercorporations largercorporations corporations going over this districtwith district districtwith with nothing but the anticlinal antic11na.l antic11nal . theory theoryin theoryin in mind , gave but little uttle or no thought thoughtto to the general hydrostatic hydr05ta.t1c hydr05tat1c . condition conditionand , and as a 3i ' result the tops of numerous numerousfolds numerousfolds folds and domes in Eastern Kansas Kansaswere Kansaswere . were drilled with the Inevitable drY dryhole dryhole hole resulting , because becau.se . they did not noti notrealize notrealize notrealize i realize that the hydrostatic condition conditionwas conditionwas was low and that the oil consequently consequentlywould consequentlywould would be found ! in n the synclinesSeveral synclines syncllnesSeveral Several years later , the writer of this this"SPUDDING ' Jc4 x f Ga * : r ' jo a . ae . , . . " ' } , < . f ' : ft -t t - . .j j . e r " I " { . ' < . 7.t 7t . kk "SPUDDING SPUDDING " IN " article with this hydrostatic idea m in mI inmind ininund I nund mind w " was "as as as able to locate several good goodoil goodoil 011 oil dryholes producing areas between the dry dryI I holes formerly formeriy condemning the area areai areaaround areaaround i around Paola a and n d Ossawattomie OssawattomieKansas OssawattomieKansasIt , , I Kansas KansasI I KansasIt It is the \ writers rlter s belief , after care careI carefur careful . ful fur study of the logs of wells weUs formelly formerly formellydr11led formerlydrilled formeilydrilled I . dr11led drilled in the Moab area , that a care care- careful careful . - ful Cul study of the hydrostatic conditlOn condition conditionand , . , and a . location in areas of faulting faultingmost faultingmost faultingmost most likely to produce reservoir con con- conditions conditions conditions - ditions will open an oil 011 producing area area1n areain areain 1n in the Moab sectorMany sectorMany sector sectorMany Many wells of this area were drilled drilledin drilledin drilledI I in the fault bounded grabens entirely entirelycut entirelycut entirelycut l entirelyl cut ' * off from irom possibilities of oil 011 and andgas andgas andgas gas migration into the area , thus re- re reI resulting resuIting re resulting - I sulting suIting in m small showings but no com com- commercial commercial commercial - mercial production These grabenswere grabens grabenswere grabenswere I grabensI were raised high geologically , . wellabove well wellabove wellabove above the ' ) hydrostatic h'Ydrostattc hYdrostattc level , . by flowage flowageand flowageand flowageand and intrusion of salt from the Paradox Paradoxor Paradoxor or lower Pennsylvanian Pennsylvaman formation , but butbeing butbeing butbeing being cut off from a migration area areaof areaof . of any size even although suitable suitablereservoirs suitablereservoirs suitablereservoirs reservoirs had been found , , would pre- pre - most possible oil of producing horizons isabout is isabout Isabout I about the position of the 4 4500 500 to4,600 to4600 to4,600ft to4,600ft to4600ft , ft contour of the Rico Permain Permaan Permaint.onnatiOns Permaanformations Permainformations t.onnatiOns tonnatiOns formations . on the surface in this diS- diS diStrict district district * - trict , and strange to say , only two foldsin folds foldsin foldsin in the entire area have any appreciable appreciableI appreciableacreage appreciableacreage appreciableacreage acreage lying above this contour , viz vizCane , . I Cane Creek Oreek anticline1000 anticline--1000 anticline 1000 anticline - -1000 1000 - - 1000 acres ; : Seven Mile M11e monocUne-2000 monocUne 2000 monocllne-2000 monocllne monocline - - 2000 acres The Thehighest Thehighest Thehighest highest points punts , , . geologically , , . on the theShafer theShafer theShafer Shafer dome , Lockhart and Indian IndianCreek IndianCreek IndianCreek Creek domes were below this contour contourand contourand contourand and reflected re1ected ! this hydrostatic hydrootatic , .oon-dition .oondition .oon oon dition . oon con- con condition - . d1t1on dition by carrying carrymg water In numerous numeroushorizons numeroushorizons numeroushorizons horizons which could oouId and possibly wlll will willhigher willprove prove productive of oil 011 ! 1 and gas in the thehigher theIt thehigher higher highergeologic higher geologic geologic areas arcns areas . It is our opinion that the Cane CaneCreek CaneCreek CaneCreek Creek and Seven Mile structures in inGrand inGrand inGrand Grand county are the only onIy two foldsin folds foldsin foldsin in the entire Moab area geologicallyhigh geologically geologicallyhigh geologicallyhigh high enough , in areas open to migra mJgra- mJgra migra- migration mJgration migration - tion , to take ta.ke . advantage of this hydro hydro- hydrostatic hydrostatic hydrostatic - - static condition , with the exception of ofthe ofthe ofthe the structural conditions conditIcns of the Green GreenRiver GreenRiver GreenRiver River district which the wrier hasnot has hasnot hasnot not studied , , and the condition atCisco at atCisco atCisco atCiscoHaving Cisco CiscoHaving Having come into the district of ofsoutheastem ofsoutheastern ofsoutheastern southeastem southeastern Utah , and made a study studyof studyof studyof of geological geolg1cal geolglcal : conditions and havIng havIngI havIngparticularly havingparticularly havingparticularly particularly noted the oversight with withicspect withicspect I 1 cspect icspect to the hydrostatic condition , , I ' Iwe we accordingly accordmgly do not feel that any anyj anycondemnation anycondemnation anycondemnation j condemnation of wells previously previouslydr11led previouslydrilled previouslydrilled dr11led drilled . , Is , in any way , , justified . Practically everybody is In accordwithin accord accordWlth accordwith Wlth respect to the oil oll source material materialwithin ofmaterial materialdistrict materialwithin within the Pennsylvanian rocks of or the thedistrict thedistrict district , , and nnd likewise every one in aposition no a noposition aposition position of knowledge relative to the thegeneral thegeneral thegeneral general area . is cfieldsc cfieldscexist convinced that one or ormore ormore generale generalmmajor more e mmajor major oilcfieldsc oil 011 fields exist and wlU will wlUeventuaUY willeventually willeventually eventuaUY eventually be found fO\U1d fO U1d \ , therefore it only remains for the wildcatter to eliminate eliminatethe eliminatethe eliminatethe the mOl moie more e simple sunple theories of geologywinch geology geologywluch geologywhich wluch winch have been disproven diproven di $ proven by theformer the thefOlmer thefoimer fOlmer former drilling efforts , , take advantage advantageof of the whys and the wherefores , , and andby andby andby by such process of elimination the thestorehouse thestorehouse thestorehouse storehouse of crude petroleum existent existentin existentin in this district will wm eventually be betapped betapped betapped tapped , , and the reward will be so sogreat sogreat sogreat great that every man , woman and andchUd andchild andchild chUd child In fn the state of Utah will wl11 beeither be beeither beeither either dire directly tly or indirectly Jndirectly benefIted benefitedin in monetary tmonetary a t\ t \ way wayMany wayMany way wayMany Many people . , Including includmg geolDg1stg geologists geologistswho geolDg1stgwho geologistswho who really should know better , . have havemade havemade havemade made condemning condemnmg statements regard regard- regarding regarding regarding - ing the oil 011 and gas possibilities ofUtah of ofutah ofUtah utah In respect to the geologists and andsocalled andsocalled andso-called andso called so-called so called - - - geologists who make such suchstatements suchstatements suchstatements statements it is well for the general public pub- pub pubUo pub-Uo pub Uo - - - Uo lic to know that some of or these very verygeolOgIsts verygeologists verygeologists geolOgIsts made condemning state- state stitte- stitte statements stittements state statements - ments relative to now great producing producingareas producingareas areas of California , , . such as the Kettleman Kettleman Kettle-man Kettle man - man Hills district , Del Rey and others otherswhile , while the entire- entire entirePermian ' - . Permian district dtstrlct of ofVo ofwestern ofwestern Vo western estern Kansas , . Oklahoma . and Texas Texaswas Texaswas Texaswas was condemned by almost all of the thegreat thegreat thegreat great geologists as late as 1917 justprior just justpoor justprior poor prior to the drilling dnUmg of Billings and andGarber andGarber andGarber Garber fields in 01J Oklahoma boma Outrlght Outright Outrlghtstatements Outrightstatements Outrightstatements statements were Vocre made that the greatPermian great greatPermian greatPenman Permian formation formatJOn wag was imperviousand impervious imperviousand Imperviousand and impossible of producing oil 011 and andgas andgas andgas gas . . But today this same condemned condemnedPermian condemnedPermian condemnedPermian Permian area is among ' the greatest greatestproducers great greatestproducers st stproducers producers of oil oU and gas In the entireworld entire entireworld entireworld entireworldIt world worldIt It was the opinion opmlon of other geo geo- geologists geologists geologists - - logists , not quite so conservative , , . thateventually that thateventually thateventually eventually brought these great ofand on of onproducing oilproducing producing districts Into beingcertain being : and md it itis Itits itis itsthe is its the the oppinionrf oppinionrfm opinion o ointoy of manyi many m intoy , that certain certaindistricts certaindistricts certaindistricts districts within the 5tnt state of Utah will willUkewlse willlikewise willlikewise Ukewlse likewise bo be brought broUg'ht ' Into production at ata ata ata a later date . The Columbia Crude Corporation's |