V**.- &>;:!• . tiROLEUM G.OLOt,Y SB HG WY'jM.N L M "RUIVBUt.L rai ^*S i ■ ■ 13891 dUbbMBH HOI BHBBBBbI ■BHHBBBBBBBBBnDB Hi H H| Bra nm n ■_ JHI HHRli HH BSjaiwt.i:.: KffiK OHi H BfflH mmffimm nliEfl BVHH ■ m Hoi | Hill '.::.- : ' . . , 8shH»Hk5 •• 77/ T& Ufuritell llniucrsitit SJihranj BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME »F THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF HENRY W. SAGE 1891 ENGINEERING LIBRARY The date shows when this volume was taken. To renew this book copy the call No. and give to the librarian. HOME USE RULES IT ..JAM1..1932. All Books subject to Recall All borrowers must regis- ter in the library to borrow books for home use. All books, must be re- turned at end of college year f or inspection and repairs. Limited books must be re- turned within the four week limit and not renewed. Students must return all books before leaving town. Officers should arrange for the return of books wanted during their absence from town. Volumes of periodicals and of pamphlets are held in the library as much as possibte. For special pur- poses they are given out for a limited time. Borrowers should not use their library privileges for the benefit of other persons. Books of special value and gift books, when the grver wishes it, are not allowed to circulate. Readers are asked to re- port all cases of books marked or mutilated. r Do not deface books by marks and writing. Cornell University Library TN 872.W8T86 Petroleum geology of Wyoming, 3 1924 004 685 826 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924004685826 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING BY L. W. TRUMBULL State Geologist of Wyoming Formerly, Professor of Geology State University Published by G. G. BOVEE Capitol Building CHEYENNE, WYOMING 1917 PRICE, $5.00, POSTPAID S A.3W52 JUL TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE List of Illustrations 5 Introduction and Acknowledgments 7 Geologic History 8 Pre-Cretaceous 8 Upper Cretaceous 9 Tertiary 13 Time of Mountain Formation 13 Erosion 14 Structure 14 Nomenclature and Correlation 17 Table of Correlation and Thicknesses 18-19 Benton 20 Niobrara 21 Pierre 22 Younger Cretaceous Formations 22 Oil Productive Horizons 23 Oil Fields of the State 26 Tables- List of Cretaceous Oil and Gas Fields 26-27 Characteristics of Several Domes 29 Salt Creek 30 Shannon 31 Brenning Basin (Douglas) 32 Basin .". 34 Greybull 34 Elk Basin 36 Grass Creek 36 Pilot Butte 38 Big Muddy 39 Lost Soldier 41 Dallas 41 Lander 42 Sage Creek 42 Spring Valley 43 Byron 43 Gas Fields 44 Favorable Prospective Districts 46 Non-Productive Prospected Areas 49 Well Logs 52 Alkali Butte 52 Big Muddy 52 Brenning Basin 53 Buffalo Basin 53 4 CONTENTS Well Logs — Concluded Byron 54 Cottonwood Creek 54 Dry Lake 55 Grass Creek 55 Lander 55 Lake Valley 56 Oregon Basin 57 Pilot Butte. 58 Rocky Ford 58 Sage Creek 59 Salt Creek 59 Shannon 60 Pipe Lines and Refineries 60 Production by Years 61 Land Titles 62 Public Lands 62 Withdrawn Lands 64 State Lands — Forms of Leases 65 Other Lands 73 The Map of the Areal Geology of Wyoming 74 Bibliography 75 Index 79 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 1. Plate 2. Plate 3. Plate 4. Sketch No. 1. Fig. 1. Plate 5. Plate 6. Plate 7. Fig. 2. Cross Sect] Fig. 3. tt tt Fig. 4. it it Fig. 5. it a Fig. 6. a tt Fig. 7. tt tt Fig. 8. tt a Fig. 9. tt tt Fig. 10. a it Fig. 10a. it tt Fig. 11. tt n Fig. 12. tt it Fig. 13. a tt 4 Fig. 13a. tt tt Fig. 14. tt tt Fig. 14a. tt it Fig. 15. It tt Fig. 16. tt tt Fig. 17. tt It Fig. 18. tt tt Map of Areal Geology (Fc Comparative Columnar Sections, East-West central part of Wyoming ... 10 Elevation Map of the State of Wyoming .... 15 Comparative Columnar Sections, Northwest to Southeast 21 Key Map of Cretaceous Oil and Gas Fields ... 25 Ideal Dome ' 28 Cross Section, Salt Creek 30 Comparative Columnar Sections, Colorado- Wyoming-Montana 35 Comparative Columnar Sections, North-South central part of Wyoming 37 Comparative Columnar Sections, Bighorn Basin 45 Basin (Torchlight) 33 Greybull 33 Grass Creek 36 Pilot Butte 38 Big Muddy 40 Rawlins Uplift 40 Lander-Hudson 40 Byron 44 Spring Valley 43 Hanna Coal Basin 51 Rock Springs Uplift 48a Northern Albany and Carbon Counties 47 Central Natrona County 48a Powder River 47 Big Sand Draw— Alkali Butte . . 47 Sketch, Section Goshen County 51 Moorcroft Oil Field 49 Rattlesnake Mountains 48a Central Albany County 48a Cody 48a PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS No attempt has been made to refer by footnotes to the many geologists who have worked and written upon different areas in the State. A bibliography is given elsewhere, and the writer acknowledges his indebtedness to each and every writer and work in the list. When the writer began his geologic work in Wyo- ming in 1904, the published data were very meager. The surveys of Hayden and King covered the south half of the State in a reconnaissance way, but were not, for obvious reasons, tied to the public land survey. During the past dozen years the work of the United States Geological Survey on coal, oil and phosphate has given us many splendid detailed surveys of different areas within the State. This volume, especially the accompanying map, could not be compiled, were it not for these Government reports. It is not expected nor intended that this volume will take the place of the reports of detailed surveys. It is intended rather" as an index to the various detailed reports. To those geologists who come into the State to work for the first time, such an index and 8 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING introduction to the geology of the State should be of great assistance. To those who wish to acquire a general knowledge of the oil geology of the State, without going into the details of specific areas, there has heretofore been no publication available. The desire to fill these needs has prompted the publication of this volume, and should it do so in some fair degree, the writer will feel vindicated in having added his share in "the making of books". GEOLOGIC HISTORY Pre-Cretaceotjs The earlier history of Wyoming's geology may be passed over with the statement that erosion reduced the area practically to a peneplain in pre-Cambrian time. Upon this leveled surface were laid in practi- cally parallel strata the Cambrian, Ordovician and Carboniferous. Although great time intervals are miss- ing in the record, there was no warping in the surface of sufficient extent to break the parallelism. In Mississippian time a far-reaching thick limestone (Madison) was laid down, which has some evidences of being petroliferous, but no well has ever found oil in quantity, nor are there any considerable brea deposits along its outcrops. The Carboniferous consists (naming from the bottom up) of the Madison lime, the Amsden shale, the Tensleep sandstone and the Embar lime and shale members. It is the top member, the Embar, which is the important asphaltic oil-producing zone m the State. This member in its typical limestone type extends over only part of the State. To the PETBOLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 9 north and east it thins out and loses its limey character, gradually grading into red shales and sands which are with difficulty distinguished from the overlying Chugwater Red Beds. In the western part of the State it is the Park City phosphate-bearing limestone member. Above the Carboniferous lie the "Red Beds" (Tri- assic or Permian or both) and above them the Jurassic marine Sundance, followed by the Morrison and a thin lower Cretaceous (Comanchean), and upon that the basal sandstone (Dakota) of the Upper Cretaceous. This sandstone is very widespread, evidently being present wherever the Cretaceous Sea reached. It is invariably a watersand in the southern two-thirds of the State, but contains oil and gas in the northern part of Bighorn Basin, and is the principal gas sand of Montana. At many points in Wyoming its outcrop is oil-saturated. Twenty years ago it was named as one of the probable oil-producing sands of the State, but is not now so considered. Upper Cretaceous Whatever may have been the geologic history during Lower Cretaceous time, it is quite certain that in earliest Upper Cretaceous time the Dakota sand- stone was laid down over a vast area in practical parallelism with the lower sediments. This means that a vast leveled land surface extending from eastern Idaho to western Iowa was slowly depressed, causing the Cretaceous Seas to invade gradually from the north and from the south until they met and isolated the western land area from the eastern part of the continent. It would seem that the western land area was mmmm * tmd 5* a Or (0 o / / ■::•.'■■ BJf ill ^j-jiai i 1R| f'liiii z«n. Q o *> ul , Z (P J PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 11 lifted to great height while no such upwarping occurred upon the eastern side of the great Cretaceous Sea. This resulted in a vastly greater amount of erosional debris being produced from the western shore than from the eastern. While it is impossible to chart ocean currents of the Cretaceous Sea, it seems probable that there was a very pronounced northward current in the western part. This caused the sands, derived from the Idaho highland area, which were laid down as Bear River and Frontier, to spread to the north and northeast much more than to the south. The sinking of the sea bottom continued intermit- tently till the close of Cretaceous time, as evidenced by the occasional sands and even fresh water fossils and coal beds which were laid down during periods when the sea became filled with sediments to sea level. A succeeding period of subsidence then again broadened the sea, and marine shales with marine fossils were again laid down. This intermittent sub- sidence is especially evidenced by the Frontier forma- tion. On the western border of the State this is 2,500 feet thick, consisting of sandstones and innumerable coal beds with occasional beds of carbonaceous shales and marine fossils. This very rapidly thins to the eastward, the coals entirely disappearing, the sands becoming fewer and thinner, and separated by increas- ing thicknesses of shale, until on the eastern border of the State the last sandstone has disappeared. As these Frontier sandstones are the most richly productive of hydrocarbons in the State they are of particular interest. Numerous comparative geologic sections (Plate 1) are illustrated in groups, which show the rapid thinning near the western "edge of the State, the more gradual thinning across the central 12 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING half of the State, and the final absence of them along the eastern border. The attention of the reader should be drawn to the very excellent paper of Willis T. Lee, entitled "Relation of the Cretaceous Formations to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico". (U. S. G. S., Professional Paper 95-C.) As conditions in Colorado and New Mexico during Cretaceous time were similar to those in Wyoming, a study of that paper will be of great help to one interested in the geology of the petroleum-producing horizons in Wyo- ming. Any such are urged to secure and use that paper as a supplement to this publication. The great span of Upper Cretaceous time is evidenced by a total deposition of about 8,000 feet of shale (in addition to the more rapidly deposited sand- stones) over the south central part of the State. Coal was formed under favorable shore swamp or delta conditions throughout the whole period, but, of course, more abundantly during the close of the period when the whole area had become practically filled to sea level and subsidence had become so slow that sedi- mentation kept pace with it. That local subsidence continued till a very late time is proven by the finding of marine fossils of Cretaceous type in shales over- lying fresh-water sediments that had been accepted as Tertiary because of the fresh-water fossils of Tertiary type found in them.* Cretaceous time thus passed into Tertiary time by such easy stages and with so little change in conditions that Cretaceous marine and freshwater Tertiary life existed side by side and actually alternated in certain areas. * The Cannonball Marine Member of the Lance Formation. Loyd & Hares. Journal of Geology, Vol. 23, p. 523. petroleum geology of wyoming 13 Tertiary While the division line between Cretaceous and Tertiary cannot be drawn with certainty upon fossil evidence as in some localities, one dovetails with the other. In general the line is one of marked unconform- ity, for the mountain ranges received their first up- lift at the close of the Cretaceous, and the debris brought down by erosion was different in character from the underlying material and was often laid down at an angle with the underlying strata. Time of Mountain Formation The main ranges, and probably the minor folds, were formed at this time. But further folding and uplifting occurred after the first folds had been heavily eroded. This is probably best illustrated by the Pilot Butte anticline, where the lower Tertiary strata are found dipping at about five degrees, while the Cretaceous beveled strata dip at about twenty-five degrees and the overlying younger Tertiary are still practically horizontal. The time at which a particular fold was formed may be of vast importance. If it were not formed till late in Tertiary time, after the hydrocarbons had collected and migrated, that fold, although form- ing a perfect trap, might never have had an oppor- tunity to catch and hold any gas or oil. Also if the folding was increased after migration of hydrocarbons had ceased, various changes in the reservoirs and their contents would be expected according to the size and shape of the structure, both before and after the final changes took place. 14 petroleum geology of wyoming Erosion During later Tertiary and recent time the State has been heavily eroded. Main drainage streams have cut canons across major mountain ranges as the general surface has. lowered; vast valleys or basins have been cut out of the soft younger rocks between the mountain ranges; all sediments have been removed from the main ranges, leaving the core of granite or crystalline schists exposed; and the smaller folds and anticlines have been eroded in varying degrees. Some have been^eroded so deeply that the oil-bearing horizons have been entirely removed, others eroded so slightly that the oil horizon still lies too deeply covered to be reached by a drill hole; and possibly others exist, unsuspected, under areas whose surface rocks are horizontally-lying late Tertiary. STRUCTURE The Rocky Mountains cross the State, in a direc- tion roughly thirty degrees west of north, in two main ranges. The front range, the eastern, consists of the Laramie and the Bighorn Mountains; the second, of the Medicine Bow, Seminoe, Wind River and Ab- saroka Mountains. In addition to these are the Black Hills Range in the northeast with its axis lying parallel to the Bighorn Range and the Salt River Range on the Idaho line, which with the Teton Moun- tains forms a nearly north-and-south barrier along the Idaho-Wyoming line. The Owl Creek and the Sweetwater Ranges extend east and west between the two great north- 16 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING and-south ranges, dividing the great trough between the two into valleys, the most northern of which is known as Bighorn Basin, that in the middle of the State as the Wind River Valley, and that farther south as the Hanna coal fields and the Laramie Plains. An east-and-west range, the Gros Ventre, connects the Wind River Range with the Salt River Range and separates Jackson Hole from the Green River Valley. Both the geologic map and the elevation sketch map show the main mountain uplifts. The lesser folds, anticlines and domes usually parallel the north-south ranges, at varying distances from them. Such a secondary fold almost encircles the Bighorn Basin. At many places the folds are domed into structures which have entrapped and held pools of hydrocarbons. The first fold paralleling the Wind River Range on the east contains black asphaltic oil in the Embar formation in several domes. The second fold has proved to contain Cretaceous oil on the Pilot Butte field. Other domes along this second fold may be found and drilled later. It is unfortunate from the oil geologist's stand- point that so much of the State's surface is Tertiary covered. That the later Tertiaries lie horizontal over structure in the Cretaceous is proven, but the earlier Tertiaries frequently show lesser dip, but in the same direction, as do the Cretaceous rocks below. It will probably become worth while to work out from the general geology of a region and the slight dips to be found in the Tertiary, the probable position of folds, in the underlying Cretaceous, and take the chances of drilling test wells in such wildcat locations. That some such locations will prove successful, the PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 17 writer does not doubt. Of course, many will be failures. From the tabulation of domes (page 29) it is evident that the relief of Wyoming structures, at least of those now known, is much more pronounced than those of Oklahoma and Texas. As the shale areas of this State have never been surveyed for obscure structure it is probable that as the search becomes more intense, folds of much less dip will be found and prospected. NOMENCLATURE AND CORRELATION To the newcomer to the State there is a hopeless and needless confusion and duplication of geologic names. But the reason is not hard to understand, if one remembers that many of the names have been brought in from the adjoining States. The earliest geologic work was done along the Missouri River, and the nomenclature there established was carried across Wyoming by Hayden and King. Later geol- ogists named formations and subdivisions in their work in Colorado and in Montana, and as the work extended into Wyoming, two sets of names for the same formation were frequently brought in and used, until in the central part of the State one used either or both. The following table shows the correlation of the Upper Cretaceous as named in different parts of the State by various geologists. 18 tetroleum geology of wyoming Table of Correlation SYSTEM ROUTT COUNTY COLORADO RAWLINS SPRING VALLEY PILOT BUTTE Tertiary Wasatch 4000 + Wind River 250 Evanston 1600 Tertiary (?) Laramie 900 + Missing Montana Lewis 1200± Lewis Adaville 4000 Mesaverde 300 + Mesaverde 3500 ± Mesaverde 1500 + Mancos 2500± Pierre 3800 Hilliard 6000 Pierre 4100 Colorado Niobrara 680 Niobrara 1200 Upper Cretaceous Carlile 111 Frontier 180 Frontier 2500 Frontier 430 • Mowry 380 Aspen 1600 Mowry 400 Thermopolis 200 Cloverly i Cloverly 150 Dakota Bear River 500-5000 Dakota 40 Lower Cretaceous Beckwith 4000 Fuson and Lakota 360 Cretaceous (?) Morrison 240 Jurassic Twin Creek 3700 Sundance 350 Triassic Chugwater 1500 Permian Embar 340 petroleum geology of wyoming and Thicknesses 19 GRASS CREEK BYRON BUPFALO BLACK HILLS DOUGLAS SALT CREEK LARAMIE PLAINS Wasatch White River 1000 + Fort Union 3000 Fort Union 5592 De Smet 3000 ± Fort Union Fort Union Fort Union Ilo 900 Ilo 1790 Piney 2000 Lance Lance 4000 + Lance 3200 Meeteetse 1000 Meeteetse 1110 Fox Hills 75-150 Fox Hills 1650 Fox Hills 1700 + Mesaverde 500 Mesaverde 1100 Parkman 350 Parkman 150 Parkman 350 Mesaverde 1280 + Cody 1250 Cody including Niobrara 2200 Pierre 3500 Pierre 1250 Pierre 3300 + Pierre 2300 Pierre 3000 Niobrara 1200 Colorado 1400 Niobrara 200 Niobrara 100 Niobrara 735 Niobrara 180 Carlile 700 Carlile 300 Carlile 220 Frontier 450- Frontier 550 Greenhorn 50 Graneros 1000 Wall Creek 100 Wall Creek 120 Shales 870 Shales 760 Benton 550-1300 Mowry 450 Mowry 420 Mowry 175 Mowry 300 Thermopolis 450 Thermopolis 415 Shale 175 Shale 270 Cloverly 100-300 Part Missing 150 Cloverly 110 Dakota 50-100 Cloverly 115 Cloverly 125 Fuson 25 Cloverly 150 Lakota 175 Morrison Morrison 570 Morrison 150 Morrison 150 Morrison 200 + Morrison and Sundance 700 Morrison 160 Sundance Sundance 550 Sundance 250 Sundance 350 Sundance 300 + Sundance 0-150 Chugwater Chugwater 1000 + Chugwater 1200 Spearfish 500 Chugwater 1500 Chugwater 1300 Chugwater 1200 115 20 petroleum geology of wyoming Benton The type locality of this formation is Fort Benton on the Missouri River. The shales of this age were everywhere deposited in the Cretaceous Sea. Lime- stones were deposited in places and not in others. Darton's divisions of the Benton in the Black Hills area were Graneros shale, Greenhorn limestone, and Carlile shale. The Greenhorn limestone in its type locality is a heavy forty -foot member; in the central and western part of the State it has not been found; in the Laramie Plains it is only a few inches thick; while in northwestern Colorado a heavy limestone member occurs in about the Greenhorn position. Along the eastern side of the State the Frontier sand- stones are missing, while at the western edge of the State this formation is twenty-five hundred feet thick. The Mowry shale member is recognized nearly everywhere in the State, being known as the Aspen, or part of the Aspen, in the southwestern portion. On the southern boundary of the State it lies very close upon the top of the Dakota, but gradually rises in the geologic column toward the north, till in the Bighorn Basin there are hundreds of feet of shale and sandstone between the two. The various illus- trations of the columnar sections show this plainly. The Frontier sandstones form the principal oil reser- voirs across the central part of the State. Niobrara The type locality of the Niobrara is Fort Niobrara on the Missouri River. In the eastern part of Wyoming this formation is similar to the type locality, being very limey and having the typical lemon-yellow color. o Q w ri Hi .2 a. 02 £3.3 §2.9 SS to s -^ 3 rl co as 03 a •2 g §2 p 13 ftj- -8 T3 9 o Q 9P-9 o o Q O 9 3 ft o 3 o ® a bO g '3b o 3 T3 " > i — < i — i Ph Ph H 53 . 3-^:3 -g °-& S 3 ho 3 "£3 ft CO M o H O 3 O Ph a Ph 3 ° bJD 3 03 a pq B ca a J > .1 P4 3 ■3 s 3 o ■3 3 03 bC 3 '£ ft CO 3 O Q o ■a 3 03 P4 1 to 03 r-i IN CO 00 OS O -H 3 O O T3 O 3 o ho 03 ft -3 3 c3 bC 3 ft CO o tH K„ M fe P= U PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 27 o 5 3 o -o 3 03 ■a § -a o o o o o o EO ^H O Cj fell £ £ a, 3 I 2 P i^ ^ " in & & fe !> v3 -3 CO CO O . o3 "^ o o o co O 03 is ■s-« O SjW s *s .a i*a 113 ft<°3 rt P 3 T3 O .3 to -t^ ^H ft Ol OJ ,3 ^H 13 ft in T3 A ■^ o OJ c8 o 00 o o T3 a 03 GO 1 i -a CO 1 P o J3 A P. cu. ■a o 3 o ■3 03 T3 3 03 O u 3 t» tn i O a 0) ■a ■S 03 CO si Tl o bX XI 3 13 03 bO 3 a 3 -^ & rs ^ w O H O (-1 o I s Ml a ■a 13 3 03 a o T3 -3 M a •2 5 PL, P W T3 O a o P. 1? P5 ft o 3 O o Q a o p p. o a o p a o p 1 ! p p o w Q p ft co O bo 3 ft CO O O O O bl) bn 3 3 ft ft CO CO •3 03 ,3 CD M 3 o a; o -3 ft co I? o O o w be (3 03 Ph 03 Ph Ph 15 * h a & < o a a a 3 03 3 O pq pq o "3 3 03 pq 3 O bO pq co O l> 00 35 O i-l ,-H .-H ,-H CM CN 03 3 O 15 3 pq CM 03 3 O +^ 03 15 03 Ph 3 3b O O ~ a a 8 g £ .a Sm p^ J CO o 03 3 O tH c3 15 o I o -^» o O O 3 pq fe pq pq S S 3 pq Ph P ft CO o 1-1 28 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING Q -J 2 Q 01 Z X u Ml 1^ 1 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 29 CD B a o Q w > S C/2 Eh O 02 O M H 00 M « B H O w -u a o. a ■*^ a 0) C '■+3 .a a 53 w T3 T3 a 5] o CO CO o in CO 5? 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CO O CO '1 pq o •a -a 1 1 '3 53 pq a o bo 1) a o .a 03 m T3 a 6J0 a CO CO a PQ _o 0Q H o pq H ►3 O a m w s O £ 30 petroleum geology of wyoming Salt Creek T. 40 N, R. 79 W., Natrona County The Salt Creek structure lies in Townships 39, 40 and 41 N., R. 79 W., about fifty miles north of Casper. The productive ' area, in which the Wall Creek (highest Frontier) sandstone is productive, is about 5,000 acres in extent. The productive area in the lower sands will probably prove larger. The Niobrara formation is exposed over a small area along the crest of the dome. On the crest of dome, the /=ia. / 5sn r Cxetrx 0/j. /v£lz> depth to the Wall Creek is slightly more than nine hundred feet. The structure is shown in cross-section (Fig. 1) and stratigraphy in columnar section (Plate 1) and well log (P. 59). The first well drilled in the field was brought in a gusher in 1908 at a depth of 1,175 feet with an initial production of 600 barrels. Previous to this oil had been obtained in the shale at depths ranging less than 100 feet at many locations. Oil had been oozing from a spring, and locators had filed over the area twenty years earlier. Both Aughey, Territorial Geol- ogist, and Knight, Professor of Geology at the State University, had visited this spring years before, but it remained for Dr. Porro, a Milanese geologist, to recognize the possibilities and recommend drilling to the underlying Benton sands. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 31 In spite of the infamous Federal land withdrawals and the persecution of operators by government agents under the pretext of fraudulent entry, the field has been developed to exceed 5 million barrels annual production. Two pipe lines carry the crude to Casper where the Standard refineries (Midwest and Indiana) skim and crack it, producing a process gasoline from a blend of about 50% motor spirits and 50% gasoline. As the crude is sulphur-free and with but a trace of asphalt, high grade products are produced at minimum cost. That this field can be caused to produce much more heavily is beyond question. That the lower sands of the Frontier series will be found productive when drilled is not doubted. In view of the fact that the ownership of the lands can not be split up into small holdings, it is reasonable to expect that over- drilling will not occur, and that under the efficient field management, which now seems certain, the life of the field is sure to be a long one. Shannon T. 41 N., R. 79 W., Natrona County The Shannon sandstone of the Pierre formation forms an escarpment about the Salt Creek Dome. This sandstone formed, at one time, an oil reservoir and the outcrop still shows saturation. Beginning in 1889 wells were drilled back of this outcrop and for many years a small amount of heavy paraffine oil was secured from them and freighted by teams fifty miles to Casper;, where the crude was worked up into lubricants. The field is not now producing. Its structure 32 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING precludes the possibility of economic production. Its structure and oil are similar to Moorcroft and Rattle- snake Mountain and differ from Brenning Basin (Douglas) only in that at Brenning the Cretaceous outcrops are covered by a thick layer of horizontally- lying White River Tertiary. Brenning Basin (Douglas) T. 32 N., R. 72 W., Converse County The Brenning Basin field lies to the southwest of the town of Douglas, which is on the Chicago & North- western and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- roads in Converse County. This field has long been annually exploited as one of great possibilities. Even so great an authority as Sir Boverton Redwood once signed a most glowing report upon its geology. Many wells have found a little oil, others some gas, but to date the total production is not sufficient to warrant the building of a pipe line to the railroad. The geologic structure is such that a large pro- duction is not to be expected. Many wells drilled during the past ten years have failed to find large production. It is probable that thirty days' pumping would exhaust the best well in the area. The Cre- taceous rocks dip rather steeply to the northeast; have been beveled by erosion, and several hundred feet of White River Tertiary cover the one-time out- crops. What oil is found, occurs in the lower sandy layers of the Tertiary, above and surrounding the outcrops of the Benton oil-bearing sandstones. That these sandstones were fairly well drained of oil during the Tertiary erosion period, would seem certain. (Plate 1). S3 34 petroleum geology of wyoming Basin (Torchlight Dome) T. 51 N., R. 93 W./Big Horn County The Torchlight dome lies a little east of Basin City in Bighorn County. Erosion has exposed the uppermost Of the Frontier sandstones, but oil and gas are obtained from the lower Frontier and the Mowry. The pool is not large and all lands, with the exception of a half section on the crest of the dome, have been withdrawn by presidential order. Small folds lying northeast of Torchlight dome are producing gas for the towns of Greybull and Basin. (Fig. 2 and Plate 7.) Greybull T. 52 N., R. 93 W., Big Horn County The Greybull field is structurally good, although erosion has cut through the Frontier sands. Oil and gas have been and are being produced from the Mowry and Dakota which is known locally as the "Greybull sand". The pool is spotted, probably due to faulting, which has resulted in the escape of the hydrocarbons from certain fault blocks and their retention in others. A boom in the winter of 19J5- 1916 caused drilling on city lots. The wells were shot with heavy charges, and each well broke through, destroying the one next to it, until the area in question was ruined. A steady production is being made from the field in general, however. A refinery and a crack- ing plant at Greybull handle crude "from Torchlight, Elk Basin and Grass Creek, as well as that being pro- duced locally. (Fig. 3). 36 petroleum geology of wyoming Elk Basin T. 58 N., R. 99 W., Park County The Elk Basin field lies partly in Wyoming and partly in Montana. It was drilled during the winter of 1915-1916 and oil found in two of the Frontier sands. The pool is about four hundred acres only, in size. A six-inch pipe line was built from the field to Frannie and by November, 1916, the production was up to the capacity of the pipe line. Much of the crude goes direct to Canadian refineries. The productive area of this field is controlled by the Stand- ard Companies. This is considered one of the good, permanent fields of the State. Grass Creek T. 46 N., R. 98 W., Hot Springs County Grass Creek field in Hot Springs County, in the southwestern part of the Bighorn Basin, was drilled in the spring of 1914. It, like Elk Basin, Big Muddy, Lost Soldier and Buffalo Basin had been covered by the federal geologists years before and reports pub- lished, but withdrawals were not made until drilling operations were begun on a large scale. Fortunately, r/& 4 <5/S/JSS C&eEK 0/L /y£-LD PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 37 38 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING enough patented lands and state owned lands lie along the crest of the structure to permit of many wells. The production is now up to the capacity of the six-inch pipe line to the Burlington Railroad. The oil is found in the various sandstones of the Fron- tier formation. ' Of the fields in the State so far de- veloped, this field is second only to Salt Creek in size and probable length of life. (Plate 7). Pilot Butte T. 3 N., R. 1 W., Wind River Meridian Fremont County This field was drilled in the fall of 1915, oil being obtained at the Shannon horizon in the Pierre or Cody shales. The structure is pronounced but is so closely surrounded, and in part covered by Tertiary rocks, that an exact determination of its form is impossible. The field lies on both sides of Big Wind River, about thirty miles upstream from Riverton, in Fremont County. The lands along the crest of the dome, are largely allotted Indian lands. Some on the ceded portion of the Indian Reservation north of the river are being leased by the general government under a special act passed by Congress in 1916; others on the south side of the river are leased by the Shoshone Indians as tribal lands. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 39 The present potential production of the wells drilled to the Shannon horizon is estimated at two thousand barrels per day. A deep test well, to pros- pect the underlying Wall Creek and other Frontier sandstones, has just been begun early in 1917. A pipe line from this field will probably be built to both the Burlington and the Northwestern lines near the town of Shoshoni during the season of 1917. As the structure is good, and the Frontier sands likely to prove productive, this field is expected to enter the list of important producers during the year 1917. (Plates 5 and 6). Big Muddy T. 33 N., R. 76 W., Converse County This structure was surveyed and recommended by V. H. Barnett of the U. S. G. S. in 1913. The Federal Government did not, however, follow the report by a withdrawal. But in 1916, after drilling operations had proved the presence of oil, a blanket withdrawal was ordered. The structure is better than the map accompany- ing the U. S. G. S. report shows. There is a trap of about two hundred ninety feet depth. Oil is being produced from lense pools in the Shannon sandstone along the north side of the dome. The Shannon along the crest of the dome does not seem to be econ- omically productive. Oil has also been found in the Wall Creek two thousand feet stratigraphically below the Shannon at a depth of 3150 feet. As the dips in the enclosed portion of the fold are low, the pool will be large if it proves that the whole trap contains oil. The water line is not known, nor is it yet known whether the crest of the pool contains a gas cap or not. II ■§1 !l $ § $ K ^ J o N vu/ co & % «e PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 41 As the Shannon is here very shaley, carrying only lenses of coarse sand, and has a total thickness of less than sixty feet, it is not thought possible that the production from that horizon will be very large or of long life. Should the whole trap in the Wall Creek sand contain oil, its production will rival that of the Salt Creek field. (Fig. 6). Lost Soldier T. 26 N., R. 90 W., Carbon County The Lost Soldier dome is in Twp. 26 N., R. 90 W., about forty miles north of Rawlins in Carbon County. This structure is small, but oil under pres- sure has been found in several wells at very shallow depth. There seems to be a difference of opinion among the geologists who have worked in this area, as to the position of the sands in which oil has been found. Some claim them to be Frontier, others that the oil is from the Shannon horizon. During 1916 much prospecting was done on various parts of the Rawlins uplift, which extends from south of the Union Pacific Railroad to Lost Soldier, but no oil was found except upon the Lost Soldier structure. Further drilling is planned for 1917 and should any structural trap be found, it should prove productive. The columnar sections (Plate No. 5) given elsewhere show the great- thickness of the shales and the favor- able position and thickness of the Frontier sands in this part of the State. (Fig. 7). Dallas T. 33 N., R. 99 W., Fremont County The Dallas field lies in Twp. 32 N., R. 99 W., about twelve miles southeast of Lander in Fremont 42 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING County. This area was reported as a probable oil field long before its structure was recognized, because of the brea deposits on the surface. It was mentioned by Washington Irving as having been visited in 1833 by Captain Bonneville, and was drilled in 1883, fifty years later, when gushers of black asphaltic oil from the Embar were struck. Production from this field has never been large, due to lack of railroad facilities, and of recent years to litigation which placed the wells in the hands of a receiver. It is rumored that during the years of delay water has been allowed to enter the oil sands and that it will be difficult to put the field again into a producing condition. Lander T.2S,R. IE, W. R. M., Fremont County The Lander dome on the Shoshone anticline lies about three miles northeast of Lander. During the past three years (1913-1916) the Hudson Oil Company has drilled a row of wells along this narrow fold and got oil in each well. The wells have to be shot before they make an appreciable quantity of oil. In January, 1917, a well considerably off the crest of the structure was brought in with a reported production considerably greater than that of the . wells drilled near the axis. (Cross section Fig 8.) Sage Creek T. 1 N, R. 1 W, W. R. M., Fremont County This is the most northerly of the Shoshone anti- cline structures, lying in Twp. 1 N., R. 1. W., Wind River Meridian. It shows brea deposits on the sur- PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 43 face, and drill holes have found oil in the Embar horizon, but the field is not yet in the producing list. The structure is such as to warrant the expectation of a considerable production. Spring Valley T. 15 N. " R. 118 W., Uinta County This field in Uinta County along the Union Pacific Railroad is of interest from an historical standpoint rather than from its economic or prospective value. The field was drilled in 1900 and still makes about two cars per month. The oil is probably present, due to migra- tion, along the great fault which extends north and south for a hundred miles. Byron T. 56 N., R. 97 W , Park County The Byron-Garland structure is a double fold, or really a lesser fold up- on the side of the greater. Oil was found in a small area on the crest of the large, or Garland, fold in the Frontier sands. Gas in great volume has been encountered in the Morrison in wells lo- cated almost exactly along the axis of the fold. Gas has also been found in smaller quantity on the secondary fold in the higher horizon. The surface of the Garland dome is eroded nearly to ^ k k 44 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING „*«""*"" /VS. 3 &S//eLffND /7/VD S/S>OZV J>Oflf£S the Frontier, but on the Byron dome a little Mesaverde still remains. (Plate 6). GAS FIELDS Gas has been obtained in large quantities in the following domes: Garland-Byron, Oregon Basin, Little Buffalo Basin, all in the northern part of the Bighorn Basin; and in less amount about Grey bull and Basin in the same region, and on the Dry Lake dome on the Rock Springs uplift in Sweetwater County. (Fig. 11). The various oil fields are also, of course, making vary- ing amounts of casing-head gas. The horizon at which gas has been found is not the same in the various big fields. At Byron the heaviest producing horizon is either the Rusty Beds of the Thermopolis shale or the Morrison immediately below, the Cloverly being here absent due to erosional unconformity. At Oregon Basin the Cloverly is the big gas reservoir, at Buffalo Basin (Plate 7) one of the up- per sandstones of the Frontier formation, and at Rock Springs the gas horizon seems to be even higher than the Frontier. While gas is at present of slight economic value, these vast stores of gas will eventually become of great importance. It is hoped that further prospect- ing both down dip and in lower strata will develop PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 45 •/noug fNvjNOM ctnovg oovvoioj < Z « O a o m « s p o o •< OS m a ft. 48 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING dips have never been found, so far as the writer knows. In Lincoln County two rather indeterminate domes along the LaBarge anticline seem promising. On the southern, known as the LaBarge field, oil seeps into post holes dug to secure it for lubrication of ranch machinery. On the northern, or Dry Piney dome, oil was found in the shales at a depth of a hun- dred and eighty feet. "(Plate 1). The old Carter oil spring in Twp. 15 N., R. 118 W., while probably escaping along a fault plane, would seem to warrant intelligent prospecting. In the central part of the State several undrilled structures appear promising and are now (February, 1917) either being drilled, or preparations are being made to begin drilling in the early spring. The Powder River, or Tisdale dome (Fig. 13 a) , has long been known and is now being drilled. There is every reason to think that this area will prove productive of asphaltic oil. The Wheeler, or Midway dome, Twp. 35 N., R. 79 W., is being drilled and the Shannon should be reached at about 1,900 feet, the Wall Creek about 2,000 feet deeper. North Casper Creek, Twp. 36 N., R. 82 W., is eroded into the top of the Frontier, but the lower sands may form a trap along the apex of the dome. Form- er tests on this dome were not well located. (Fig. 13). Big Sand Draw, Twp. 32 N., R. 95 W., should contain hydrocarbons if the structure closes. From the general structure of the region it would appear that this is an enclosed dome paralleling the larger uplifts, rather than a pitching anticline, or nose, run- ning from the larger uplift to the east. The strati- graphy and depth here should be similar to those of Pilot Butte. It may in fact prove that Big Sand Draw Afs r,*.//_ Feck Sr/e/A/es. II s.jy. /Vo. Cnsf^/z Crick ^irrtcunk- /*/§ 1 =s * i bi 1 i\ 1 1 1 1 \ u k K / * 4 •> 1 m ^ ? Jr// * r W ^ 7u/ «*! w , '* %/ ^ fc J > />> N •*) ''// r *<0 « / ■4? .« ^ • X ! s •» « 3 t^. ^ V. .Vl » «*> §>/ § 52 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING ologists because of its position with reference to the other folds in the district. It was finally drilled by- people who accepted the favorable report of a county surveyor. WELL LOGS The following well logs are chosen so as to give one or more typical logs of each of the different parts of the State. This is done so that one may have a more detailed knowledge of the stratification than is given in the columnar sections, as well as to give some idea of the difficulties encountered and the different strings of casings required. The logs given are not necessarily those of particular wells; in some cases portions of two or more logs have been combined to form the log printed. ALKALI BUTTE, FREMONT COUNTY T. 33 N., R. 94 W. Oto 35 Soil and clay 35 to 174 Dark shale 174 to 177 Hard sand rock 177 to 184 Soft sand (some oil and gas) 184 to 230 Soft muddy sandstone 230 to 825 Soft dark shale 825 to 1070 Hard shells of dark sand rock 1070 to 1190 Hard dark shale 1190 to 1900 Soft dark shale 1900 to 2017 Soft shale, lighter color 2017 to 2947 Shale without change This well . is entirely in Pierre shale. ' BIG MUDDY LOG. (Crest of Dome) T. 33 N., R. 76 W. Surface Pierre shales. Oto 190 Shale 190 to 215 Water sand 215 to 870. Shale 870 to 920 Cavey shales (very bad) PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 53 920 to 965 Shannon 965 to 2990 Shale ~ 2990 to 3000 Fine sand 3000 to 3035 Shale 3035 to 3040 Fine sand 3040 to 3160 Wall Creek BRENNING BASIN, DOUGLAS, CONVERSE COUNTY T. 32 N., R. 72 W. Sur: face White River Tertiary. Oto 325 Gray shale (surface water at 50 ft., more water at 120 ft.) 325 to 335 Muddy sand 335 to 370 Sticky dark shale 370 to 385 Light red rock 385 to 420 Gray sand 420 to 490 Black sand (oil show) 490 to 705 Black shale (heavy oil at 550 ft. to 625 ft.) 705 to 790 Gray sand (water at 710 and 740 ft.) 790 to 795 Dark shale (oil show) 795 to 796 White water sand 796 to 810 Hard limestone with shells 810 to 812 Light soft shale (oil show) 812 to 820 White water sand 820 to 848 Artesian water sand 848 to 855 Very hard limestone 855 to 863 Dark red shale 863 to 870 Light sandy shale 870 to 881 Blue and brown shales 881 to 883 Coarse gray sand 883 to 936 Bluish gray shale 936 to 940 Pink shale 940 to 951 Maroon shale 951 to 955 Very hard green rock 955 to 960 White rock mixed pink and green shale 960 to 990 Mottled pink, brown and yellow shale This well passed through the Tertiary and 200 feet of Mor- rison. , Well abandoned as worthless, typical of area. BUFFALO BASIN, PARK COUNTY T. 47 N., R. 99 W. Surface in Cody shales (Pierre) Shale where not sand. 480 to 505 Greenish sand (dry) 1220 to 1235 Black sand (dry) 54 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 1465 to 1475 Black sand (water) 1475 to 1495 Hard sand (dry) 1495 to 1510 Hard sand (water) 1510 to 1540 Hard sand (dry) 1688 to 1702 Sand (dry) 1730 to 1735 Sand (dry) 1735 to 1750 Sand (gas) 1750 to 1767 Sand (gas and water) 1767 to 1792 Sand (big gas) 924 feet of 123^-inch casing. 1475 feet of 10-inch casing. 1756 feet of 8J^-inch casing. Estimated to make 30,000,000 feet of gas^ per day. BYRON, BIGHORN COUNTY T. 56 N., R. 97 W. Surface in Pierre shale. to 40 Clay 40 to 425 Shale 425 to 456 Green sand and shell 456 to 1085 Brown and blue shales (Water at 764 and 810 ft. Gas at 964 ft.) 1085 to 1180 Sand (base of Frontier) 1180 to 2068 Shales and sands (Oil and gas at 2028 ft.) 2068 to 2082 Red rock and shale (Morrison) 2082 to 2101 Red shale 2101 to 2169 Sandstone (oil and gas) 2169 to 2170 Hard shell 2170 to 2180 Red rock COTTONWOOD CREEK, NATRONA COUNTY T. 37 N., R. 85 W. The surface is here a little below the Wall Creek sandstone. Oto 30 Earth 30 to 80 Dark sandy shale 80 to 125 Second, Wall Creek sandstone 125 to 255 Dark shale 255 to 275 Gray sandstone 275 to 365 Black shale 365 to 395 Sandstone 395 to 600 Black shale (Carlile) 600 to 700 Shale 700 to 800 Soft shale (two beds Bentonite 8 ft.) 800 to 910 Light sandy shale (Mowry) 910 to 970 Sandstones (artesian, hot sulphur water) Dakota 970 to 975 Drab shale PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 55 DRY LAKE, ROCK SPRINGS, SWEETWATER COUNTY T. 18 N., R. 103 W. Surface some 2,000 feet below the Mesaverde. to 1535 Brown shale 1535 to 1536 Hard shell (lime) 1536 to 1690 Brown shale 1690 to 1850 Shale 1850 to 1851 Shell 1851 to 1857 Shale 1857 to 1885 Gas sand 1885 to 1887 Shell 1887 to 1904 White shale (talc) 1904 to 1914 Sand (little water) 1914 to 1957 Shale 1957 to 2008 Sand (oil showing) 2008 to 2390 Dark shale with many hard shells 2390 to 2396 Sand Log incomplete, still drilling. GRASS CREEK, HOT SPRINGS COUNTY T. 46 N., R. 98 W. Surface in Niobrara shales. 423 to 460 Gas sand 530 to 550 Gas sand 640 to 681 Oil sand 728 to 804 Oil sand 1426 to 1441 Small amount oil and gas 1443 to 1463 Gas sand 1685 to 1688 Gas sand 1688 to 1695 Dry sand 1700 to 1715 Big gas sand (6,000,000 ft.) 1739 Water sand LANDER, FREMONT COUNTY T. 33 N., R. 99 W. Beginning in the "Red Beds." to 15 Soil 15 to 30 River gravel 30 to 60 Red sandstone 60 to 70 Water sandstone 56 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 70 to 85 Gray sandstone 85 to 170 Red sandstone 170 to 220 Water sandstone 220 to 495 Red sandstone 495 to 510 Gray sandstone 510 to 630 Red sandstone 630 to 640 Lime shell 640 to 1010 Red sandstone 1010 to 1100 Lime cap rock 1100 to 1160 Sand oil 1160 to 1245 Shale and slate 1245 to 1285 Sandy lime 1285 to 1320 Soft white shale 1320 to 1355 White shale 1355 to 1362 Sandy shale 1362 to 1372 Oil sand 1372 to 1400 Shale Well productive, after shooting, about 50 barrels per d LAKE VALLEY, RAWLINS, CARBON COUNTY T. 20 N., R. 88 W. Oto 8 Clay 8 to 75 Black shale 75 to 1020 Shale 1020 to 1030 Limestone shell 1030 to 1200 Black shale 1200 to 1310 Sandy shale 1310 to 1450 Sand and sandy shale 1450 to 1775 Brown shale 1775 to 1880 Sandy shale 1880 to 1930 Shale 1930 to 2000 Sandy shale 2000 to 2915 Black shale 2915 to 3085 Sand, dry (top of Frontier) 3085 to 3140 Shale 3140 to 3180 Sand, dry 3180 to 3190 Shale 3190 to 3245 Sand, dry 3245 to 3440 Black shale 3440 to 3460 Sand (about 10,000 ft. of gas) Well stood open two weeks and began to make water which drowned out the gas. Water from below. This well located on pitching anticline south of Rawlins. A former nearby well had found oil in the shale at shallow depth. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 57 OREGON BASIN, PARK COUNTY T. 51 N., R. 100 W. Surface Pierre or Cody shales. Oto 50 Dark shale 50 to 70 Greenish sand 70 to 115 Shales 115 to 125 Water sand 125 to 163 Shales 163 to 185 Sand (oil and gas) 185 to 208 Muddy sand 208 to 237 Dark shale 237 to 261 Water sand 261 to 277 Dark shale 277 to 285 Water sand 285 to 288 Bentonite 288 to 290 Green gravel 290 to 295 Firm hard sand 295 to 370 Dark sandy shales 370 to 374 Dark sand (oil and gas) 374 to 415 Shales 415 to 419 Hard lime and sand 419 to 430 Black shale 430 to 433 Bentonite 433 to 507 Hard sandy shales 507 to 582 Dark shales 582 to 585 Bentonite 585 to 621 Lighter shales 621 to 630 Hard black sand 630 to 777 Shales (oil and gas at 72 ft.) 777 to 797 Black sand 797 to 907 Dark shales (oil and gas at 784 ft.) 907 to 917 Light muddy sand 917 to 1077 Dark shales (gas in sand streak at 1039 ft.) 1077 to 1250 Light shales 1250 to 1328 Broken sands (increasing gas, estimated 5,000,000 _ ft.) 1328 to 1340 White sands (more gas) 1340 to 1357 Pink shales 1357 to 1361 Hard black sand (black oil) 1361 to 1430 Variegated shales 1430 to 1470 Grey and white shales 1470 to 1478 Red and pink lime 1478 to 1480 Hard red sand 1480 to 1495 Broken pink lime 1495 to 1498 Red shale 1498 to 1540 Red and white 58 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING PILOT BUTTE, FREMONT COUNTY T. 3 N., R. 1 W. Wind River Meridian Surface in Pierre shale. Oto 25 Gravel 25 to 40 Gravel with water 40 to 110 Shale 110 to 175 Gray shale 175 to 260 Light blue shale 260 to 530 Blue shale 530 to 615 Sandy shale with sand streaks (oil and gas) 615 to 620 Shale Oto 22 Gravel 22 to 32 Sand (water) 32 to 41 Shale 41 to 570 Dark and blue shales 570 to 685 Sandy shale (oil showing) 685 to 770 Shale 770 to 815 Dark shales (oil at 790) 815 to 865 Sandy shale 865 to 875 Blue shale 875 to 1028 Sandy shale and slate 1028 to 1040 Gray sand (oil) 1040 to 1067 Shale ROCKY FORD, CROOK COUNTY T. 52 N., R. 62 W. Surface, "Red Beds" Minnekahta limestone Opeche redbeds Sand (with oil 10 to 20 ft.) Lime Lime, sand and gypsum Oil zone, 5 ft. deep Lime shale Sand and shale with gas Sand and gypsum with oil White lime Sandstone (oil and gas show) Lime, shale and gypsum Sand (oil show) Black shale Lime, gyp and black shale Sand and soft shale Not on structure and of no economic importance. Oto 20 20 to 50 105 to 175 175 to 235 235 to 247 247 to 285 285 to 345 345 to 369 369 to 383 383 to 402 402 to 417 417 to 470 470 to 560 560 to 565 565 to 600 600 to 635 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 59 SAGE CREEK (TAR SPRINGS) FREMONT COUNTY T. 1 N., R. 1 W. Wind River Meridian In the "Red Beds." to 25 Soil and gravel 25 to 65 Red rock 65 to 165 Soft blue -clay 165 to 171 Lime (water) 171 to 300 Soft blue clay (water and oil showing) 300 to 350 Blue shale (water) 350 to 355 Lime (warm sulphur water) 355 to 405 Blue slate 405 to 420 Brown sandstone 420 to 500 Slate 500 to 540 Lime (warm sulphur water) 540 to 555 Soft blue clay 555 to 570 Lime 570 to 575 Flint 575 to 600 Lime with oil 600 to 625 Lime 625 to 675 Sand (stronger flow of oil) 675 to 800 Very hard formation 'Well was abandoned without shooting SALT CREEK, NATRONA COUNTY T. 40 N., R. 79 W. Surface in the Niobrara shales. to 15 Loose surface sand 15 to 90 Dark blue shale (shale oil at 90 ft.) 90 to 700 Dark blue shale (shale oil in quantity) 700 to 1220 Dark blue shale 1220 to 1295 Sand (much gas and little oil) Shot with 180 quarts of nitroglycerine, produced over 200 barrels. * to 1123 Shale 1123 to 1202 Oil sand Sand was shaley. Did not show much gas until in sand 75 feet, when it started to flow every fifteen minutes, making 600 barrels. There was no shale oil. Show of oil at 90 feet Shale to 1015 feet At 300 feet produced 3 to 4 barrels of oil per day Oil sand at 1015, bottom at 1115 Several small pockets of gas struck while drilling Production 100 barrels per day 60 PETHOLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING SHANNON, NATRONA COUNTY Surface in the Pierre shales. Oto 700 Shale 700 to 745 Water sand 745 to 1082 Shale 1082 to 1090 Sand 1090 to 1145 Water sand 1145 to 1160 Shale 1160 to 1180 Oil sand (Shannon) Cased with six and five-eighths-inch casing to 1145 feet. PIPE LINES Name not known Dallas to Wyopo Mont.-Wyo. Pipe Line Byron to Cowley Natrona Pipe Line Salt Creek to Casper Midwest Pipe Line Salt Creek to Casper Illinois Pipe Line Grass Creek to Chatham Illinois Pipe Line Elk Basin to Frannie Illinois Pipe Line Muddy Creek to Casper Small lines from Torchlight and Greybull wells to Greybull Refin- ery. To be Built Season 1917 Pilot Butte to Shoshoni 6-in. 40 mi. REFINERIES Midwest Refinery Co., Casper. Handling crude from Salt Creek and Big Muddy. Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, Casper. Cracking residues from Midwest Refinery Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, Greybull. Cracking residues frorn_ Greybull Refinery. Greybull Oil and Refinery Co., Greybull. Handling crude from Grass Creek, Greybull, Basin and Elk Basin. Mont.-Wyo. Oil and Refinery Co., Cowley. Crude from Byron and other Bighorn Basin fields. 4-in. 10 mi 4-in. 8 mi 6-in. 50 mi. 8-in. 50 mi 6-in. 30 mi 6-in. 30 mi 6-in. 18 mi PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 61 PRODUCTION BY YEAJRS, 1894-1916 EAR BARBELS PRICE PER BBL. VALUE 1894 2,369 S6.72 $ 15,920.00 1904 11,542 7.00 80,794.00 1911 186,695 .664 124,037.00 1912 1,572,306 .507 798,470.00 1913 2,406,522 .493 1,187,232.00 1914 3,560,375 .472 1,679,192.00 1915 4,245,525 .522 2,217,018.00 1916 6,700,000 It is certain that the production of 1917 will make a larger percentage increase over that of 1916 than 1916 did over 1915. Elk Basin was making production during only part of 1916, and Big Muddy and Pilot Butte should make themselves felt during 1917, as well as possible production from other now prospective fields which may be making a production during the year. Of black oil production the Lander field will show an increase, while Sage Creek probably will not produce during the year. The old Dallas field may get back into production, as it is reported that the legal difficulties have been removed. There are no statistics available regarding gas production. Basin City, Greybull, Lovell and Cow- ley are now using gas for domestic purposes. The sugar mill at Lovell operates on gas, and a casing-head gas and lampblack plant is reported to be building at Cowley. Other large manufacturing plants are rumored, but the public does not know of a certainty that such will be built. Several attempts have been made to interest the zinc smelting industry in the large gas fields, but without success to date. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING \ LAND TITLES PUBLIC LANDS Until Congress passes a leasing law the public lands may be claimed under the placer law. The Act of February 11, 1897 (29 Stat. 526) provides: "that any person authorized to enter lands under the mining laws of the U. S. may enter and obtain patent to land containing petroleum or other min- eral oils, and chiefly valuable therefor, under the provisions of the laws relating to placer min- eral claims". A placer claim usually consists of 160 acres located by an association of eight individuals, but may be of smaller area in multiple of twenty, by using as many names as there are twenties in the claim. Under the Federal law, discovery of mineral in place is prerequisite to location. Regarding discovery on petroleum placer claims Lindley says in part: "Discovery is just as essential in case of placers as it is in lode locations. The supreme court of California at one time expressed the view that neither the federal laws nor the local rules and customs of miners required that a dis- covery should be made as a prerequisite to a placer location, but this is obviously a mere dictum; it is also opposed to the current of judicial authority. The land department has uniformly held that discovery is essential in the case of placers, going so far at one time as to hold that such discovery was essential in each twenty-acre tract within a location of one hundred and sixty acres located by an association of persons. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 63 "In the case of petroleum deposits the courts in California have in recent years been confronted with some serious problems upon the subject of what constitutes a sufficient discovery which will sanction a location of a claim to oil lands under the laws applicable to placers. It is well known that the natural habitat of this class of mineral hydrocarbons is in stratified rock some distance below the surface, and except for the occasional appearance at the surface in the form of oil seep- ages, springs, or other indications of the subter- ranean existence of petroleum, there is nothing to guide the miner in making his location. It requires more or less extensive development in the nature of well boring and prospecting to determine the nature, extent, and permanency of the deposit. "Of course, exploitation on adjacent lands might raise a strong presumption that a given tract contained petroleum. An oil-producing well within each of four sections of land surrounding a fifth would produce a conviction that the oil deposit was underneath the fifth section. This fact might justify the land department in classify- ing the section in the category of mineral lands, or the government surveyor in returning it as such, but it would not dispense with the necessity of making a discovery." The local courts in Wyoming have been protecting locators in their possessory right previous to discovery, where they were at work drilling in an effort to make discovery. Recent decisions have upheld the so-called "val- idation discovery", i. e., the finding of "colors" or "rainbows" in the drillings from shale holes only a few feet deep. Should the Supreme Court affirm such decisions, the difficulties of the "discovery" 64 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING clause of the law will vanish, for it is possible to secure such "colors" or "rainbows" from almost any of the black shales in the Colorado and Montana formations. The Interior Department is, of course, attempting to make the legal definition of "discovery" to read "oil in commercial quantity". After discovery has been made (but not before) it is necessary to do the annual assessment work to the amount of one hundred dollars per claim, until work to the amount of five hundred dollars has been per- formed, when the claimant can make application for patent, and upon payment of fees and acreage charges may eventually receive patent from the Government. Theoretically the procedure is very simple; practically, the Government bureaus have been able to prevent almost every claimant from receiving his patent. WITHDRAWN LANDS* While a vast area of land within the State has been withdrawn from all forms of entry by presidential order, such withdrawals are not really affecting the production of the State to any appreciable extent. The greatest harm has been done on Salt Creek, but even here there are enough drilled lands to entirely drain the pool, given time enough. The Teapot dome at the south end of the Salt Creek field is the only Naval Reserve in the State. It has never been drilled, so its contents are not known. Titled, State and unquestioned claim lands on Grass Creek make it possible to drain the field in spite of attempted prohibition by the Federal Govern- ment. Elk Basin had bona fide "discoveries" on every valuable claim before the withdrawal was made. *Petroleum Withdrawals and Restoration affecting the Public Domain. Max W. Ball, U. S. G. S. Bull. 623. " PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 65 Many of the areas withdrawn are not attractive at all to prospectors. In fact it is a puzzle to understand why certain withdrawals were made. Of the recent withdrawals at Elk Basin, Big Mud- dy, Lost Soldier, Rock Springs, and even Little Buffalo Basin and Grass Creek, although the U. S. G. S. had made surveys and published reports years before, no withdrawals were made until after certain interests had secured well-located lands, or had investigated the area and decided not to secure lands and prospect them. This peculiar series of coincidences is one of the main reasons why the smaller oil men of the State have so strenuously fought the passage of a Federal lease law. They consider that they would have no chance of securing leases on promising wildcat areas even, and certainly none on proved areas. Should a lease law pass it is not probable that the withdrawn lands would be available for drilling very soon after its passage. The law making the lands of the ceded portion of the Shoshone Indian Reserva- tion subject to lease, was passed in September, 1916, and in February, 1917, the lands are still unleased. The Department of the Interior, either through intent to delay or because of inefficiency, has not yet completed its rules and regulations to govern the leasing of such lands. It is a mistake which costs the West very dearly that when Congress passes land laws, it leaves so much "to the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior". STATE LANDS Sections Nos. 16 and 36 in each township were patented to the State of Wyoming as public school lands. Besides these there is much other land which 66 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING has been selected without regard to section numbers or township location. These "State lands" are all leasable under the two forms of lease which follow. OIL AND GAS PROSPECTOR'S LEASE This Indenture, Made and entered into this day of , A. D. 19...., by and between the State of Wyoming, through its State Board of ..Land Commissioners, party of the first part, and of the County of _ , State of Wyoming, party of the second part: Whereas, Said party of the second part has made application for an oil and gas prospector's lease, under the provisions of the laws of the State of Wyoming, on Now, Therefore, This Indenture Witnesseth, That the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the appli- cation aforesaid, the representations therein made and the cove- nants and agreements hereinafter mentioned to be kept and performed by the said party of the second part, his legal represen- tatives or assigns, and upon the further consideration of the sum of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars rental paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, has demised and leased to the said party of the second part the lands hereinbefore described for the purpose of prospecting for oil and gas. To Have and to Hold the said above described premises, with the appurtenances, unto the said party of the second part, his executors, legal representatives or assigns for the term of one year from the day of.. , 19...., and the said party of the second part, in consideration of the issuance of the prospector's lease on the premises aforesaid by the said party of the first part to the said party of the second part, does covenant and agree to and with the said party of the first part to expend in development work, buildings or machinery during the term of this lease not less than Five Thousand ($5,000.00) Dollars in prospecting said lands for oil and gas, and the said lessee herein especially agrees that he will, on or before the.. day of.... , 19...., commence the active work of drilling upon PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 67 said lands, such drilling to be diligently and continuously pursued to the extent that during the term of this lease, a standard oil well shall have been drilled on the said lands to a sufficient depth to thoroughly prospect and test said lands for the discovery of oil and gas thereon, and if the said lessee shall discover oil or gas on the said lands sufficient for commercial production, that the said lessee shall have the right to a five-year lease on the said lands upon such terms and conditions as may be fixed by the Board. That if oil or gas shall be discovered in commercial quantities on the said lands, the lessee agrees to protect the oil and gas that flow from said lands from waste and immediately surrender this lease and take out a development and operating lease on the said lands, upon such terms and conditions as may be fixed by the Board. It is understood and agreed that if oil or gas is discovered in commercial quantities on the premises described herein and this prospector's lease shall be surrendered to the State Board of Land Commissioners and an operating lease taken out under the preference accorded said second party, that the annual rental to be charged under the terms of such operating lease shall not be in excess of Dollars, and the royalty to be paid to the State upon the oil or gas produced from the premises described herein, under said operating lease, shall not exceed per cent, of the oil or gas produced from said land. The said party of the second part shall keep a correct log of each well drilled under the terms of this lease, showing the important formations passed through, the depth at which each formation was reached, the thickness of each formation, the water bearing formations and the character of the water therein, elevation to which the water rises, the number of feet of casing set in such well and where placed, its size and the total depth to which such well was drilled, and shall, within thirty days after the completion of each well, file a copy of said log certified to by the person who made the log, in the office of the Commissioner of Public Lands. The party of the second part further agrees that if oil or gas shall not be discovered in commercial quantities on said land but water is encountered which flows in such force as to flow out of the top of the well, then in that case the party of the first part shall have the right to elect to pay the cost of the casing that is 68 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING in the well, and the party of the second part agrees to leave the casing in the well, in so far as is necessary to protect the flow of water from such well, upon the payment by the party of the first part to the party of the second part of the cost of such casing. It is especially understood and agreed by and between the parties aforesaid that no assignment of this lease shall be made by the party of the second part except with the consent and approval of the party of the first part. It is understood that this lease is made subject to all legally established rights of way heretofore granted, or that may be hereafter granted, over and across said lands, lessee herein to close gates and otherwise protect property and rights of grazing lessee. It is expressly understood that this lease carries with it the power to enter upon, occupy and enjoy such surface areas of said described tract as are necessary for the prospecting, developing, mining, drilling wells and for the construction of all buildings and other surface improvements incidental to the work contem- plated by this lease. Default in and of any of the covenants herein contained shall render this lease subject to cancellation at the option of the State Board of : Land Commissioners, and upon thirty days' notice by the party of the first part to the party of the second part that the term has been declared ended, the said party of the second part agrees to surrender the peaceful possession of the premises to the party of the first part. In Witness Whereof, Said party of the first part hath caused these presents to be signed by its President and countersigned by the Commissioner of Public Lands, and its seal to be hereunto affixed; and the party of the second part has hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written. President State Board of Land Commissioners. Lessee. OIL AND GAS LEASE This Indenture of Lease, Made and entered into this day of..... ...., 19.—, by and between The State of Wyoming, through its State Board of. .Land Com- PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF "WYOMING 69 missioners, party of the first part, and , of the city of , State of , party of the second part, (1) Witnesseth: That the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of an annual rental of ..Dollars ($ ) to be applied upon a royalty hereinafter specified and agreed to and payment of which shall be made as hereinafter provided, does hereby lease unto the said party of the second part, his successors and assigns, containing acres, more or less, for the purpose of drilling, boring, operating for and producing therefrom, mineral oil and gas, with the right and privilege of using so much of the surface of said land as may be necessary for rights of way over said premises for pipes, pipe-lines, roads, trails, flumes, ditches, and right to use and place on said premises oil and water tanks, machinery, derricks, buildings and telephone lines, necessarily used in connection with the development and operation under this lease and for all purposes connected with the business or work that may be carried on by reason of, or in pursuance of the rights and privileges granted by this lease. (2) To Have and to Hold the said above described prem- ises, with the appurtenances, unto the said party of the second part, his successors and assigns, for the term of five years from the beginning of the day of the day of , 19 (3) The said party of the second part, in consideration of the issuance of this lease on the premises aforesaid by the said party of the first part to the said party of the second part, does covenant and agree to and with the said party of the first part, to pay a minimum annual rental unto the State of Wyoming, payable in advance at the office of the Commissioner of Public Lands of said State, of the sum of Dollars ($ ) to apply upon a royalty hereinafter specified and agreed to. (4) The said party of the second part further agrees, in consideration of the granting of this lease, to pay unto the State of Wyoming, at the office of the Commissioner of Public Lands, as royalty on the production of oil and gas from said described land, ten per cent. (10%) of the market value of the crude oil and gas produced from said land at the mouth of the wells thereon, 70 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING or, at the option of the party of the first part, to deliver to said party of the first part, at the mouth of the wells on said lands, as royalty on the production of oil and gas from said land, ten per cent (10%) of the oil and gas produced therefrom; the payment of such royalty to be made on or before the 20th day of each month for the oil and gas produced during the preceding month. (5) As a further consideration for the granting of this lease, the said party of the second part agrees to commence drilling on said land within sixty days from the date of this lease and drill upon the premises described herein a sufficient number of wells to thoroughly and completely drain the oil from said land, and a sufficient number of wells on the premises described herein to offset producing wells, by whomsoever drilled, upon adjoining, contiguous premises, such competing wells to be drilled within such a distance of competing wells upon adjoining and contiguous premises and to the same oil sands penetrated by such competitive wells as to fully accomplish the offsetting of said competitive wells; all wells shall be driven to such a depth as will penetrate the oil bearing sands penetrated by wells in operation on adjoining lands, and all wells shall be so drilled, cleaned and, if necessary shot, and shall be so operated as to produce the greatest production of oil possible, consistent with the safety of said wells; provided, however, that if fire, or other unavoidable casualty shall destroy the refinery or storage tanks used in connection with the handling of the products from the land described, or if for any other reason the lessee shall not be able to market the oil from said land, then, upon a proper and satisfactory showing to the State Board of Land Commissioners by the party of the second part of his inability to handle and care for the product from the land herein described, the State Board of.. Land Commissioners shall authorize the reduction of the production of oil from the land described herein, to such extent and for such time as the facts and conditions shall warrant. (6) The said party of the second part shall keep a correct log of each well drilled under the terms of this lease, showing the important formations passed through, the depths at which each formation was reached, the thickness of each formation, the water bearing formations and the character of the water therein, the elevation to which the water rises, the number of feet of casing set in such well and where placed, its size, and the total depth to PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 71 which such well was drilled, and shall, within thirty days after the completion of each well, file a copy of said log, certified to by the person who made the log, in the office of the Commissioner of Public Lands. (7) It is further agreed by the said party of the second part, that no casing shall be removed from any of the wells heretofore drilled, or which may be hereafter drilled on the land described, without the consent of the party of the first part; and that upon the abandonment or the cessation of use of any well on the said described lands, said party of the second part shall securely plug such well, in conformance with the provisions of the laws of the State of Wyoming. (8) It is specifically agreed by the party of the second part that in the drilling and operation of wells on the land described, he will exercise the greatest care and diligence to prevent the flow of water into the oil sands, to prevent the escape of gas, and to protect and conserve the oil from waste. (9) The said party of the second part agrees to keep the oil produced from the land described herein entirely separate from any other oil until the same has been gauged or measured, that he will accurately measure the oil produced under the terms of this lease and keep a record of such production separate and distinct from the records of production of oil from other lands; and it is understood and agreed by and between the parties hereto that the party of the first part, through its Commissioner of Public Lands, or any other duly authorized agent, or agents, shall have the right to measure such oil or observe the measurements made by the party of the second part, and shall have the right to examine the books and records of said party of the second part pertaining to the production of oil from the land described in this lease, and shall at all times during the term of this lease have a right to go upon the said premises and into every part thereof for the purpose of inspecting the same and of examining the books of accounts and records of workings thereon, and of ascertaining whether or not the lessee, or any party holding thereunder, by or from said lessee, is carrying out the terms, covenants and agreements in this lease contained; and the party of the second part agrees to render to the agent of the party of the first part every assistance in his operations under the provisions of this clause. (10) The party of the second part agrees that, on or before 72 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING the 20th day of each month, he will send to the Commissioner of Public Lands, with the remittance of the royalty, a verified state- ment of the production of oil and gas under the terms of this lease, for the preceding month, itemizing the production from different wells as nearly as possible. (11) This lease is to be construed under the provisions of the laws of the State of Wyoming; and in case, at the expiration of this lease, the said lands are leased to another party than the lessee herein, then and in that event, the improvements placed on said land, under the provisions of this lease, will be controlled as provided in Section 622 of the Compiled States 1910 as amended and re-enacted by Chapter 80 of the Session Laws of 1915. (12) It is expressly understood and agreed by and between the parties hereto, that if the payments hereinbefore provided for, or any part thereof, shall be behind or unpaid on the day whereon the same should be paid as aforesaid, or if default shall be made in any of the covenants or agreements herein contained to be kept and performed by the said party of the second part, his successors or assigns, the said party of the first part may declare the term of this lease ended and terminated, and cancel the same and re- enter into the said premises, or any part thereof; in case of de- fault in and of any of the covenants herein contained, by the party of the second part, upon thirty days' notice by the party of the first part to the party of the second part that the term of this lease has been declared ended and the lease terminated and canceled, the said party of the second part agrees to surrender the peaceful possession of the premises to the party of the first part; and that neither the party of the second part or his legal representatives, or his successors or assigns, will permit any loss, or permit or cause to be permitted any waste or destruction in, to or upon said premises or any part thereof, or remove any improvements placed thereon, without the consent of the party of the first part. (13) It is understood and agreed by and between the parties hereto that no assignment of this lease shall be made by the party of the second part except with the consent and approval of the party of the first part. (14) It is further understood and agreed that this lease is made subject to all legally established rights of way and subject to the granting of rights of way under the provisions of Chapter PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING 73 85, Session Laws 1905, but all rights of way granted shall be upon the condition that the use made thereof, or structures to be erected thereon shall be of such character as not to interfere with the operations and improvements of the party of the second part which are being had or are in existence at the time of the granting of such rights of way. In Witness Whereof, said party of the first part has caused these presents to be signed by its President and countersigned by the Commissioner of Public Lands, and its seal to be hereunto affixed, and the said party of the second part has hereunto set his hand and seal. Done in the city of Cheyenne, State of Wyoming, this day of , A. D. 19 [seal] President State Board of Countersigned: Land Commissioners. Commissioner of Public Lands. Lessee. OTHER LANDS Aside from the Government lands and the State lands, there are, of course, in certain parts of the State, lands which have passed into private ownership. Such owners are usually willing to lease at 12^ per cent, royalty. Certain lands, known as "grant lands", were given to the railroads. These are the alternate sections (the odd numbered sections) for twenty miles upon either side of the railroad right of way, extending across the whole State along the Union Pacific Railroad. In many cases the railroad com- pany has sold the surface rights to such lands, retaining the mineral rights to themselves. As the original grant to the railroad excluded "all lands valuable for mineral, except coal and iron" from the grant, there is some question as to whether the railroad can own 74 PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF WYOMING the rights to oil which may be found under such lands. There is also one Indian Reservation in the State, the lands of which are leased by the Indian Agent, by and with the consent of the Tribal Council and the Secretary of the Interior. Also, a portion of the reservation ceded to the General Government will be leased by either the Department of Indian Affairs, or the Land Office, after the Department of the Interior has decided which bureau shall administer the law passed in 1916. THE MAP OF THE AREAL GEOLOGY OF WYOMING This map has been taken from a general areal map of the State compiled by the writer during the past four years. In its compilation all available records have been used, United States Geological Survey work being the greater part. The Hayden and King maps have been used where no later surveys were available. Surveys by the State Geologist's office and unpublished personal notes and records have been incorporated wherever applicable. To make acknowledgment to everyone whose maps have been used would be to copy the list of names in the bib- liography elsewhere given. This large scale map is unpublished, being in manuscript form only, at the State Geologist's office, but there available to public inspection and use. The reduced-size map accompanying this book does n'ot show the subdivisions of the geology older than the Colorado, nor does it subdivide the 'Tertiary. Its purpose is only to show the areal distribution of the Upper Cretaceous formations, as the great oil- producing horizons of the State occur in these formations. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Adams, G. I. Geology of Patrick and Goshen Hole Quad- rangles. U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 70. 2. Aughey, Samuel. Territorial Geologist's Report 1885. 3. Ball, M. W. The western part of the Little Snake River Coal Field, Carbon County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 3a. Petroleum Withdrawals and Restorations Affecting the Public Domain. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 623, pp. 75-76- 77-78. 4. Barnett, V. H. The Douglas Oil and Gas Field, Converse County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 541-C. 5. The Moorcroft Oil Field, Crook County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 581-C. 6. The Big Muddy Dome, Natrona and Converse County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 581-C. 7. Blackwelder, Elliott. Phosphate Deposits of Western Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 470-N. 8. Bowen, C. F. Stratigraphy of Montana Group, Judith River Formation. U. S. G. S. P. P. 90-1. 9. Dake, C. L. An Area in Western Park County. State Geologist. (In preparation) 11. Darton, N. H. Geology and Underground Water of Central Great Plains. U. S. G. S. P. P. 32. 12. Geology of the Big Horn Mountains. U. S. G. S. P. P. 51. 13. Geology of Northern Black Hills. U. S. G. S. P. P. 65. 14. Coal of the Black Hills. Page 429 of U. S. G. S. Bulletin 260. 15. Geology of the Laramie Basin, Albany County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 363. 16. Paleozoic and Mesozoic of Central Wyoming. Bulletin Geological Society of America, Volume 19. 17. Geology of the Owl Creek Mountains. 59th Congress, , U. S. Senate Document 219. 76 BIBLIOGRAPHY 18. Davis, J. A. The Little Powder River Coal Field, Campbell County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 471-F. 19. Fenneman, N. M., and Gale. H. S. The Yampa Coal Field, Routt Co., Colo. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 285, p. 226. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 297. 20. Fishek, A. C. Geology of the Big Horn Basin. U. S. G. S. P. P. 53. 21. Coal of Big Horn Basin. Page 345 of U. S. G. S. Bulletin 225. 22. Gale, H. S. Geology of the Rangely Oil Field, Colorado. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 350. 23. The Buffalo Coal Field, Johnson County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 381-b. 24. Coal Fields of N. W. Colorado and N. E. Utah. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 415. 25. Phosphate Deposits, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 430-h. 26. Hague, Arnold et al. Geology of Yellowstone National Park, U. S. G. S. Monograph 32. 27. Hares, C. J. Anticlines of Central Wyoming, U. S. G. S. Bulletin 641-i. 28. Hayden, F. V. Survey of the Territories of Wyoming and Idaho, 1878. 29. Hewett, D. F. Sulphur Deposits of Park Counts, Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 540-r. 30. The Shoshone River Section, Park County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 541-c. 31. Hintze, F. F. The Basin and Greybull Oil and Gas Fields, Wyoming State Geologist, Bulletin 10. 32. The Little Buffalo Basin and Grass Creek Fields, Wyoming State Geologist, Bulletin 11. 33. Irving, J. D. Economic Resources of the Black Hills. U. S. G. S. P. P. 26. 34. Knight, W. C. University of Wyoming Bulletins, Oil Series, No. 1. 35. Lee, W. T. Cretaceous Formations of Colorado and New Mexico. U. S. G. S. P. P. 95-c. 36. Lee, W. T. et al. The Overland Route. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 612. 37. Ltjpton, C. T. Oil and Gas near Basin, Big Horn County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin "6444. 6 * /«^f BIBLIOGEAPHY 77 Quadrangle Folios, U. S. G. S.: 38. Yellowstone National Park, No. 30. 39. Absaroka (Western Park County), No. 52. 40. Hartville (Platte County), No. 91. 41. Newcastle (Weston County), No. 107. 42. Sundance (Crook County), No. 127. 43. Aladdin (Crook County), No. 128. 44. Bald Mountain (Sheridan County), No. 141. 45. Cloud Peak-Ft. McKinney (Johnson County), No. 142. 46. Devil's Tower (Crook County), No. 150. 47. Laramie-Sherman (Albany and Laramie Counties), No. 173. 48. Schultz, A. R. Geology of a Portion of Southwestern Wyo- ming. U. S. G. S. Prof. Paper No. 56. 48a. Coal Fields of Central Uinta (now Lincoln) County, Wyo- ming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 316-d. 49. The LaBarge Oil Field, Uinta (now Lincoln) County, Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 340-f. 50. The northern part of the Rock Springs Coal Field. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 51. The eastern part of the Rock Springs Coal Field. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 381-b. 52. Deposits of Sodium Salts in Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bull- etin 430-i. 53. Potash Rocks of Leucite Hills, Sweetwater County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 512. 54. Geology of a portion of Lincoln County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 543. 55. Shaw, E. W. The Glenrock Coal Field, Converse County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 56. Siebenthall, C. E. Coal of the Laramie Basin, Albany County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 316-d. 57. Smith, E. E. The Eastern Part of the Great Divide Coal Field, Carbon Co., U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 58. Stebinger, Eugene. The Montana Group of Southwestern Montana. U. S. G. S. P. P. 90-g. 59. The eastern part of little Snake River Coal Field, Carbon County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 381-b. 60. Stone, R. W. 'The Powder River Coal Field, Campbell County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 381-b. 61. Coal near the Black Hills, Wyoming -South Dakota. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 499. - 62. Taff, J. A. The Sheridan Coal Field, Sheridan, Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 78 BIBLIOGRAPHY 63. Veatch, A. C. Geology of Southwestern Wyoming. U. S. G. S. P. P. 56. 64. Coal and Oil in Uinta County, Page 331 U. S. G. S. Bulle- tin 285. 65. Coal fields of East-central Carbon County, Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 316-d. 66. Washburne, C. W. Gas Fields of Bighorn Basin, Wyoming. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 340-f. 67. Coal Fields of northeast side Big Horn Basin. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 68. Wegemann, C. H. The Salt Creek Oil Field, Natrona County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 452. 69. The Powder River Oil Field. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 471a-3. 70. The Sussex Coal Field. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 471-f. 71. The Barber Coal Field, Johnson County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 531-i. 72. White, C. A. The Bear River Formation and Its Fauna. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 128. 73. Winchester, D. E. The Lost Spring Coal Field, Converse County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 471-f. 74. Woodruff, E. G. The Lander Coal Field. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 316-d. 75. Coal Fields of southwest side Big Horn Basin. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 341-b. 76. Sulphur Deposits near Thermopolis, U. S. G. S. Bulletin 380-m. 77. Coal Fields of southeastern Big Horn Basin. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 381-b. 78. The Lander Oil Field, Fremont County. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 452. 79. Coal Fields of Wind River Region, Fremont Co. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 471-f. 80. Oil Shale of NW. Colorado and NE. Utah. U. S. G. S. Bulletin 581-a. 81. Ziegler, Yictor. The Pilot Butte Oil Field. Wyoming State Geologist, Bulletin 13. 82. Gas Fields of Oregon Basin, Garland and Byron. (In preparation) INDEX Acknowledgments 7 Baain oil field 34 Shales 45 Benton 20 Frontier member of 20 Mowry member of 20 Bibliography 75 Big Muddy oil field 39 Columnar section of 10 Cross section of ; 40 Well log of 52 Brenning Basin (Douglas) 32 Buffalo Basin 44 Columnar section of 45 Well log of 53 Byron off and gas field 43 Columnar section of 37 Cross section "of 44 Well log of _ 54 Carboniferous (Geologic History) 8 Amsden 8 Embar 8 Madison 8 Tensleep 8 Correlation, table of 18 Cretaceous, Upper (Geologic History) 9 Benton 20 Niobrara 20 Pierre 22 Younger formations of 22 Shales, thickness of V . . . 12 Dallas oil field 41 Douglas oil field :• 32 Columnar section of 10 Well log of : 53 Elk Basin oil field 36 Pipe line 60 Embar, oil in the 8, 43 Extent of the 23 Erosion 14 Frontier 11, 20 Variation in the (See columnar sections) Correlation table 18 Productive wells in 24, 30, 34, 41 80 INDEX Gas fields 44 Byron 43 Oregon Basin 44 Little Buffalo Basin 44 Rock Springs 44 Grass Creek oil field 36 Columnar section 35, 45 Cross section of 36 Well log of 55 Greybull oil field 34 Sandstone (see Dakota) 34 Refinery 60 Illustrations, list of 5 Lander oil field 42 Cross section of 40 Well log of • 55 Land titles 62 Public lands 62 State lands 65 Other lands 73 Leases, state land 66, 68 Lost Soldier oil field ^ . 7 . . 41 Columnar section (Rawlins) 35 Cross section 40 Map, areal geology (folder in back) Key, of oil and gas fields 25 Mountain formation, time of 13 Niobrara 20 (See cross sections and columnar sections) Correlation table 18 Non-productive districts 49 Oil and gas fields, list of 26 Some characteristics of 29 Key map of 25 Pierre 22 Correlation table 18 Production from sands of 38 Pilot Butte 38 Columnar section of 35, 37 Cross section of 38 Well log of 58 Pipe lines 60 Pre-Carbonif erous 8 Productive horizons 23 Embar 23, 43 Frontier 24, 30, 34, 41 Wall Creek. ..'. ; 30 Shannon 39, 41 Tertiary 24, 32 Prospective districts 46 INDEX 81 Refineries 60 Sage Creek 42 Production from 43 Salt Creek oil field 30 Columnar section of 10 Cross section of 30 Well log of 59 Correlation table 19 Sections,' columnar and cross — (See list of Illustrations) 6 Shannon oil field 31 Sandstone 31 Well log of 60 Sands, production from 39, 41 Spring Valley oil field 43 Cross section of 43 Structure 14 Tertiary , 13 Oil in sands of 24, 32 Thickness of members, Table of 18 Columnar sections (see which) Torchlight (see Basin) 34 Well logs 52 Alkali Butte 52 Big Muddy 52 Brenning Basin 53 Buffalo Basin 53 Byron 54 Cottonwood Creek 54 Dry Lake (Rock Springs) 55 Grass Creek 55 Lander 55 Lake Valley (Rawlins) 56 Oregon Basin 57 Pilot Butte 58 Rocky Ford 58 Sage Creek 59 Salt Creek 59 Shannon 60 KH ■n ma nun SwfflBnH mm i uB/BmasSBKSm 1 H ^smmm HfflHBf H •>■'■.'■'■■■■''■■■:■■■■'■'■.■•■■ BOTH ■hmB El HMHHHI BBSM IfflfiSlfl MMbmBIwbMBH HHHHH ESI BRBM n ■■ ■B ¥ .'■-'■■•'■■.■'■ is ■■■-■' - Irawlffftw isH/sffassHisBiJit MB P ■M