(oi\xA SjULftA3fcjl^ Press Bulletin Series For the Oil and Gas Industry STATE OF ILLINOIS ADLAI E. STEVENSON, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION /MPPOU NOBLE J. PUFFER, Director CO\-0 DIVISION OF THE »r\\S ^ qK'.^I TATE GEOLOGICAL SURVJi \\\AVJ W . v \&" ' M - M - l t e : g " t ° n - cuief av\^: o\ \& URBANA so^ *v No. 59 ILLINOIS PETROLEUM July 30, 1949 Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois DEVELOPMENTS IN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA IN 1948' ALFRED H. BELL, 2 R. E. ESAREY,' and B. E. BROOKS 3 Urbana, Illinois, and Bloomington, Indiana ABSTRACT In all, 3,571 wells were drilled for oil and gas in Illinois and Indiana in 1948 as compared with 2,727 in 1947, an increase of 31 per cent. Total oil production decreased a fraction of 1 per cent from 72,901,000 barrels in 1947 to 72,480,000 barrels in 1948. Wildcat drilling increased from 792 comple- tions in 1947 to 955 completions in 1948. Fifty-one new pools, 63 extensions, and 48 new producing zones were discovered in the two states in 1948. Most of the discoveries in 1948 were in Mississippian formations but the Devonian limestone produced oil in five new pools, three in Indiana (Spring Hill in Vigo County and Wilfred and Marts in Sullivan County), and two in Illinois (Assumption and Assumption North, both in Christian County)- INTRODUCTION In Illinois and Indiana, 3,571 wells for oil and gas were drilled in 1948 as compared with 2,727 in 1947, an increase of 31 per cent. Total oil production decreased a fraction of 1 per cent, from 72,901,000 barrels in 1947 to 72,480,000 barrels in 1948. Wildcat drilling increased from 792 completions in 1947 to 955 completions in 1948. Fifty-one new pools, 63 extensions, and 48 new producing zones were discovered in the two states in 1948. Most of the discoveries in 1948 were in Mississippian formations but the Devonian limestone produced oil in five new pools — three in Indiana and two in Illinois. Oil production in a Silurian coral reef was developed in the McKinley pool in Washington County, which previously produced from the Benoist sand in the Chester series. Oil production from Ordovician limestone was developed with the discovery of the Craig pool in Perry County, Illinois, and the drilling of a number of "Trenton" wells in the Centralia and Shattuc pools in Clinton County and in the old "Trenton" field of northeastern Indiana. The details of development are discussed separately for Illinois and Indiana. ILLINOIS By Alfred H. Bell In Illinois 2,489 wells were completed for oil and gas in 1948, an increase of 22 per cent from 1947. Drilling resulted in 1,285 oil wells, 10 gas wells, and 1,189 1 Reprinted from Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. 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L>OOtD «o m © ,_, at a a>«©a.rH)c l. l-*0^ O-H-OtSir-t^ WC-..C 9©<-IL.Cr»33 >»rH h • *4 9 r> f- ocmm((iiH««JHO J R W _ l-H-rt p . «- t. s taao •h vj ■ CO CO 1 a) £ W -P a S 1" i IS. it §-; HNn«IO«Dh03 0>0 OrHJCMtO^'OtOr-tOOiO'HCMtO^'lOtO^eD . '•»'•-€ * 28 ••#>*'' T-^-^'A • L-.i'._ J "»i ..*.Jy/ 40 MILES ft. JANUARY I, 1949 ILLINOIs'sTATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY -^ Fig. i -New pools discovered in Illinois in 1948. All present and former oil- and gas-producing areas are shown in black. See Table I for pool number identification. DEVELOPMENTS IN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA IN 1948 871 dry holes. Of the 628 4 wildcat wells drilled 28 discovered pools and 47 discovered extensions to pools (Tables I and II). In addition 25 wells, most of which can not be designated properly as exploratory wells, discovered additional producing zones in known producing areas (Table III). The geographic pattern of drilling mainly followed that prevalent in recent years, the greatest number of completions by counties being in Wayne (342), fol- lowed by Wabash (312), Clay (310), Gallatin (217), and White (182). Wells in Clay County averaged 200 barrels initial production, almost double the state average of 112 barrels. The pools with the greatest number of successful oil-well completions in 1948 were as follows: Clay City-Noble Consolidated, 229; Inman East, 93; Thompsonville North, 51; Maud North Consolidated, 47; Sailor Springs Consoli- dated, 45; Passport, 40. Total oil production in Illinois in 1948 was 64,669,000 barrels as compared with 66,459,000 barrels in 1947, a decrease of 3 per cent. Average daily production in 1948 was 177,000 barrels. Average daily production by months during the year ranged between a low of 170,000 barrels in April and a high of 182,000 barrels in October. EXPLORATORY DRILLING As shown on the map (Fig. 1) nearly all of the new oil pools discovered in 1948 were close to previous production. A noteworthy exception was the Assump- tion pool in Christian County, 19 miles northwest of the Lakewood pool in Shelby County and 14 miles southeast of the Mt. Auburn pool in Christian County, both of which are small. The Assumption North pool discovery well is about 3 miles north of Assumption pool. The Devonian limestone is productive in both of these pools at an approximate depth of 2,280 feet, and this discovery extends northward the region in which Devonian limestone is productive in Illinois. Two shallower zones are productive in the North Assumption pool, the Bethel sandstone in the Chester series, approximate depth 1,040 feet, and the Rosiclare sandstone in the Ste. Genevieve formation of the Lower Mississippian. The Rosiclare sand was found to be unexpectedly thick and prolific for a location this far north in the basin. Several of the Rosiclare wells in Assumption North had initial productions of about 400 barrels at depths of about 1,170 feet. Good oil production is also obtained from the Rosiclare in the Mattoon pool 39 miles east. Prospects thus appear good for further Rosiclare sandstone production in an area of several counties in the northern part of the Illinois basin. A list of some of the most noteworthy dry holes completed in 1948 is given in Table IV. Little deep testing was done. The "Trenton" was tested without success in the McKinley (No. 23) and Assumption (No. 4) pools. The only St. Peter sandstone tests were in western Illinois (Nos. 11 and 13) and extreme 4 This figure does not include wells which tested additional producing zones in producing areas classified by Lahee as deeper-pool tests and shallower-pool tests. M I C H I G A _N "i — r i r V l I , r ' STEUBEN I j ST JOSEPH LAGRANGE r N O B L I l^-v L-^STARK 1 E N T N | j CARROLL | I i H oCw A R ( >1> L J / ^ Y ^ -r— ^■-^•-v f #L ■ C L I N T N / T ' P T ° N onb/ |TIPPEC k »^l ** / IP < EXPLANATION », New fields discovered in I94S [J Old fields For pool number identificotion see loble of new field discoveries Scale 10 S 10 20 SO 40 Mile MAP SHOWING OIL AND GAS FIELDS IN INDIANA Fig. 2. — New fields discovered in Indiana in 1948 (in black). See Table VII for pool number identification. DEVELOPMENTS IN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA IN 1948 873 southern Illinois (No. 22). The only test to reach the pre-Cambrian (No. 20), located on the Pittsfield-Hadley anticline in Pike County, was drilled in 1947 but not officially completed until 1948. 5 METHODS OF EXPLORATION The principal methods used in locating exploratory wells continued to be subsurface geology and the reflection seismograph (Table V.) TABLE V Wildcat Wells More than 2 Miles from Production Classified by Method of Location Method of Location Total Producers / Geology Geophysics Geology and geophysics 179 3 24 2 2 Total scientific Non-scientific Unknown 196 32 3 28 Grand total 231 23 TABLE VI Number of Geophysical Crews Active in Illinois during 1948 by Months Months Seismograph Gravity Meter Resistivity January 6 1 February 6 1 March 6 April 6 May 6 June 4 July 5 August 6 September 6 October 5 November 5 December 3 Totals 64 9 2 Of the wildcat wells more than 2 miles from production, the 196 located by scientific methods were 14 per cent successful, whereas there were no successes among those not located by scientific methods. The amount of seismograph work in Illinois decreased 25 per cent from 86 crew-months in 1947 to 64 crew-months in 1948 (Table VI) 6 Alfred H. Bell and Ralph E. Esarey, "Developments in Illinois and Indiana in 1947," Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Ceol., Vol. 32, No. 6 (June, 1948), pp 925-27. 874 ALFRED H. BELL, R. E. ESAREY AND B. E. BROOKS INDIANA By R. E. Esaeey and B. E. Brooks Production in Indiana during 1948 increased 21 per cent over 1947, and reached 7,811,521 barrels, the highest since the peak of Trenton production in 1905. The new discoveries of all types totaled 61 of 1,173 wells drilled during the year. The new fields are shown on the accompanying map in black and are numbered according to the table of new-field discoveries (Table VII). The older producing areas are shown in outline. The most significant development in Indiana was the opening of three new Devonian fields in Sullivan and Vigo counties. Two of the fields, Wilfred and Marts in Sullivan County, were discovered on the basis of surface structure determined from coal drilling, and the Spring Hill field in Vigo County was located by non-technical means. Oil in these fields is produced from three zones in the Devonian limestones and dolomites at depths between 1,800 and 2,300 feet. The discovery wells for these fields are included in Table VII. Potentials of some wells were estimated above 1,000 barrels daily. The Salem limestone, of Middle Mississippian age, is being watched carefully as a possible good producing zone. Several wells were completed in the Salem in the Prairie Creek field. The old Riley and Siosi fields are being revived by new producing wells within the limits of the old production. Similarly, a Carter oil completion in the 10-year old Prairie Creek field reported 768 barrels per day from the Devonian. Intensive leasing, exploration, and drilling have resulted from the discoveries which create the prospect of many additional tests to the Devonian, Silurian, and Trenton in this part of the basin. In the "Pocket" area of Indiana (which includes Posey, Vanderburgh, and Gibson counties) 14 new fields and 29 extensions and new producing zones were discovered. The most important discovery in this area is the Rochester field in Gibson County. This field is a stratigraphic trap which produces from the Walters- burg sand of Upper Mississippian age. It was opened in June, 1948, and by December 31 had an accumulated production of more than 549,700 barrels. Many wells in the field produced more than 1,000 barrels per day and the daily average production during November was 3,177 barrels for the field. In Gibson County 6 new fields, 4 extensions, and 4 additional producing zones were dis- covered, all of which produce from Mississippian formations. The opening of two more Waltersburg fields caused intensive sand studies being carried out in this part of the basin in an effort to find additional stratigraphic accumulations. In Posey County, 134 producing wells were completed of a total of 240 drilled. Five new fields, 6 new pools, and 4 extensions were opened throughout the county. Most of the producing beds are Chester and Middle Mississippian, but some good Pennsylvanian saturation was found. The discovery well of the Spencer field made 1,137 barrels from the McClosky zone of the Ste. Genevieve. Daily production in Vanderburgh County was quadrupled by the discovery of 4 new fields, 7 new pools, and 4 extensions. Shallow Pennsylvanian oil was TAE'uE VII Discovery Wells of New Fields in Indiana in 1948 Pool County Company and Farm Location Total Depth Producing Formation Production 1 Darmstadt Vanderburgh 2 Last Peru Miami 3 Ford Posey 4 Ford North Posey 5 Harrison Gas Harrison 6 Lcogootee North Martin 7 Marts Sullivan 8 McGary Gibson 9 Mounts Gibson 10 Mt. Vernon E. Posey 11 Owens vi lie L. Gibson 12 Parker Posey 13 Rochester Gibson 14 Rosewood Gas Harrison 15 Spencer Posey 16 Spring Hill Vigo 17 St. James Gibson 18 Vienna i-orth Vanderburgh 19 Vienna South Vanderburgh 20 Walten Townsite Cass 21 V.'arren Huntington 22 Warrentown Gibson 23 Wilfred Sullivan Gilliam Drlg. Co., Spilker #1 A. J. Palmer, Harrison ;/l Heath U Ind. Farm Bur., Fischer HI G. L. Heasor, Justus HI hew Boston Oil U Gas Corp., Fox #2 Barrow, Crane ifl A. S. heed, Bolinger #1 Geo. S. Engle, Teel ifl C. L. Skiles, Smith ifl Ind. Farm Bureau, Hohstradt ifl Superior, Tucker ifl S. D. Jarvis, Sch'.veikart Hi Sharp, Berry ifl Albertson, McCauley HI Schock it Gallagher k Aurora, Spencer Hi C. B. Mansfield, Sutliff #1 ^ Zink, Maier HI George & Wrather, lleneisen Hi Aurora, Boeke Hi T. U. Drake, Shaffer Hi S. Vegars, Jones HI George U Wrather, Zilliak ifl F. B. Cline, Siepman HI — 12-5S-11W 2597 Ste. Gen. 198 bbls, 19-27N-5E 905 Trenton 80 bbls. 22-6S-12W 2259 Cypress 32 bbls, 15-6S-12W 2256 Cypress 104 bbls, 6-6S-5L 282 New Albany 400 HCF 4-3N-4W 1690 New Albany 280 MCF 19-9N-9W 2229 Devonian 50 bbls, 16-3S-11W 1702 Waltersburg 112 bbls, 13-3S-12W 2635 Waltersburg 20 bbls 33-6S-13W 2982 Ste. Gen. 87 bbls, 4-3S-11W 2525 Benoist 4 bbls, 1-6S-12W 2100 Tar Springs 10 bbls, 13-2S-13W 1953 Waltersburg 600 bbls, 3-6S-5E 250 Devonian 80 MCF 12-8S-14W 2975 Ste. Gen. 1134 bbls 14-11U-9W . 1803 Devonian 200 bbls 12-AS-11W 2392 Ste. Gen. 20 bbls 19-5S-1T.I 2775 Aux Vases 150 bbls 6-6S-11W 2655 Aux Vases 57 bbls 36-26N-2E 1008 Trenton 13 bbls 17-26H-1CE 1006 Trenton 30 bbls 18-4S-10U 2351 Ste. Gen. 88 bbls 30-9N-8W 2C39 Devonian 60 bbls J 7 VIII Discovery Wells of Extensions to Fields in Indiana in 1948 Pool County Coinpany & Farm Location Total Depth Producing Formation Production Bufkin Posey Cherry 4i Kidd & Ashland, Fappenmeier ifl Caborn Posey Hollingsworth & Travis, Egli Hk Columbia Gibson Lensgraf, Mason ifl Evansville Vanderburgh Tedrow, Seibert et al Ifl Martin Vanderburgh Duncan, Allen Comm. Hi Martin Vanderburgh George It Wrather, Keimann #1 Mt. Carmel Cons. Gibson 111. Mid. Cont., Puph-Grant HI Kt. Carmel Cons. Gibson Geo. Engle, Baltzell Hi Mt. Carmel E. Knox S.D. Jarvi 1 :, !!ol?en - StilK'el] iil Oliver Posey C. t. Dickens, Becker HI Oliver Posey C. E. Kickens, Becker HI Owensville K'. Gibson Superior. Brady Hi Owensville N. Cibson Gilliam Drlg. Co., Montgomery Hi Union-Bowman Pike S.D. Jarvis, Gladish HI Union-Bowman Pike J. T. Peak, Dillin #1 Vernon heights Vanderburgh Aurora & Lngle, Pride-Jones Comm. HI TAEI.E IX Discovery Welle of Additional Producing Zones in Indiana in 1948 4-6S-12W 2407 Cypress 75 bbls. 19-6S-12W 1760 Biehl sd. 15 bbls. 8-2S-8W 1253 Jacks«-n 32 bbls. 10-6S-11W 1019 Penn. 75 bbls. 6-5S-11W 2292 Cypress 130 bbls. 30-4S-11W 2218 Cypress 276 bbls. 36-1S-12W 2053 Cypress 47 bbls. 31-1S-11W 2304 Ste. Gen. 2 bbls. 13-1S-12W 2089 Benoist 104 bbls. 1-6S-13W 698 Penn. 2500 MCF 2-6S-13W 835 Penn. 332 MCF 13-2S-12U 2332 Ste. Gen. 6 bbls. 18-3S-11W 2475 Ste. Gen. 11 bbls. 24-1N-9W 1323 Jackson 14 bbls. 15-1N-9W 977 Penn. 8 bbls. 8-7S-11W 2598 Ste. Gen. 130 bbls. Pool County Company 6 Farm Total Location Depth Producing Formation Production Belknap Vanderburgh Belknap Vanderburgh Bufkin Posey Cypress Vanderburgh Evansville Vanderburgh Ford North Posey Francisco W. Gibson French Spencer Hovey West Posey McGary Gibson McGary Gibson Mt. Carmel Cons. Gibson New Harmony Cons. Posey Parker Posey Parker Fosey Prairie Creek Vigo Rockport Spencer Springfield Cons. Posey Vernon Heights Vanderburgh Vernon Heights Vanderburgh Vienna Vanderburgh West Franklin Posey Geo. S. Engle, Jourdan et al ffl comm. Geo. S. Engle, Koressel HI Cherry, Kidd, & Ashland, Boberg Hi Joe heznik, Ldmond et al #1 Maynard Rogers, Koss HI Cherry L Kidd, Esche H2 C. M. Amsler, Witherspoon HI R. Hal Compton, Montgomery-Llbe HI Coy Oil Co., P. a. Lynch HI Flamingo Oil Co., Teel H3 111. hid. Cont., Douglas Heirs #1 111. Mid. Cont., hcFarland HI George 4c Wrather, Westheiderman #1 A. J. Slagter, Kerrenbruck hrs. Hi A. J. Slagter, Felthouse Hi H. Luttrell, Strain et al H2 Garwood et al, Abshire et al #1 Cherry & Kidd, Truscott HI Johnston Drlg. Co., Keck Hi Johnston Drlg. Co., Nurrenbern ffi-h W. 0. Morgan, Hoeke Hi 6. H, Heath, Welcome Hl-k 18-6S-11W 1617 Biehl 17-6S-11W 1916 Tar Springs 4-6S-12W 2672 Aux Vases 1C-7S-11W 2439 Ste. Gen. 36-5S-11W 2374 Ste. Gen. 10-6S-12W 2651 Ste. Gen. 26-2S-10W 1931 Ste. Gen. 19-7S-7W 1708 Ste. Gen. 26-7S-15W 2481 Cypress 16-3S-11W 2278 Benoist 17-3S-11W 2176 Cypress 19-1S-11W 2356 Ste. Gen. 2-4S-14W 2887 Aux Vases 2-6S-12W 2640 Ste. Gen. 35-5S-12W 2688 Ste. Gen. 16-10N-10W 1267 Salem 17-7S-6W 1438 Aux Vases 31-5S-13W 1200 Penn. sd. 6-7S-11W 2472 Aux Vases 6-7S-11W 2194 Jackson 6-6S-11W 2609 L. O'hara 13-7S-12W 1811 Waltersburg 150 bbls. 8 bbls. 115 bbls. 75 bbls. 40 bbls. 150 bbls. 24 bbls. 35 bbls. 42 bbls. 25 bbls. 20 bbls. 150 bbls. 150 bbls. 45 bbls. 90 bbls. 4 bbls. 3 bbls. 18 bbls. 250 bbls. 30 bbls. 160 bbls. 30 bbls. 876 ALFRED II. BELL, R. E. ESAREY AND B. E. BROOKS found in the Belknap and Evansville pools, but most of the new oil came from the Mississippian. The discovery well of the Martin extension made 276 barrels in the Cypress and the Vernon Heights discovery well made 250 barrels in the Aux Vases sand. One hundred new producing wells were completed in the county. Within the old fields of Pike County, 53 new producing wells were drilled. They consist of extensions and undrilled locations in the old fields, and practically all of the oil comes from Mississippian rocks. A Silurian test reaching the total depth of 2,702 feet was drilled in Daviess County on the Swan lease by the Hagar Oil Company in Sec. 28, T. 2 N., R. 7 W. The Devonian was tested but failed to make a commercial well. The Brown well in Sec. 34, T. 2 N., R. 6 W., reported good showings in both the Salem and Devonian formations but failed to make a producer. In Martin County, a gas well reported as flowing 3,000 MCF daily, was drilled in Sec. 4, T. 3 N., R. 4 W. The gas is coming from the New Albany shale of Devonian age. Interest in Spencer County was revived somewhat by the opening of two pools, one in the Aux Vases and one in the Ste. Genevieve for- mation, respectively. Forty-four wells were drilled in the county and 15 were producers. Devonian tests were drilled in several counties around the rim of the basin, including Clay, Greene, Parke, Fountain, Vermillion, Owen, and Morgan. Con- siderable interest is being shown in Devonian, Silurian, and Trenton possibilities in this area, and it will undergo widespread exploration and testing during the coming year Five tests were drilled west of the outcrop of Devonian formations in southeastern Indiana in the attempt to find shallow Devonian or Trenton production. No commercial saturation was found in any of the wells. Search for additional oil in the Trenton area of central and northern Indiana continues with some success. In Hamilton County, 21 wells were drilled, of which 12 were producers. The wells averaged about 10 barrels each when put on the pump. Six new oil wells and 3 gas wells were drilled in Jay County, of a total of 15 tests. Miami County was the most active by far in the old Trenton area where 81 wells were drilled, of which 54 were producers. The East Peru field was the only major discovery. Wabash County which adjoins Miami on the east, had 8 wells drilled of which 6 were oil wells. Indiana has experienced one of its best years in history, during which more than 2,000,000 feet of hole were drilled and 584 wells completed as producers. In all, 23 new fields were discovered and 307 wildcat wells drilled. Exploration and leasing are increasing, and 1949 may be a still better year for the oil industry.