Scioto Township (part 14 of 14)

Another shallow test, also reported Berea, was drilled just east of Jefferson Furnace, in Section 14, Jefferson Township. This welTwas unproductive. Mr. Davis stated that the sand, 6 feet in thicknesB, was found at a depth of 610 feet, but it likewise furnished only a small flow of gas. In one of the higher sands a strong flow of salt brine was encountered. Here the top of the Ferriferous limestone is 130 feet above the head of the well, or the interval from the limestone to the sand is 740 feet. This is much too short to reach the Berea sand. Both this and the above well may have been drilled only to the Hamden sand.

In the Hamden sand, in the northeastern part of Washington Township, there is a small field which has produced a good volume of gas for several years, and is not yet exhausted. South of this, small flows of gas from this horizon are noted in a few wells; hence there is some hope that the area of production may be extended. In the ^eil near Moriah Church, in Section 21, Madison Township, gas w^s found in a sand 147 feet above the Berea. Near Oak Hill and Jackson, small flows of gas are found on this horizon, while in the Willard wells near Bartles, in Lawrence County, a sand with gas lying on an average 185 feet above the Berea is well defined, and probably correlative with the Hamden sand. As previously stated, the Hamden sand in northern Jackson County, lies about 100 feet above the Berea. The mam facts regarding the wells in Washington TowTiship were kindly '^^' nished the Survey by C. H. Garard, of the Ohio Fuel Supply Company; Wellston, Ohio. A brief account of the field follows:

Seven wells that penetrated only the Hamden sand have been drilleo in Section 12, Washington Township. In the eastern part south oi Johnson Run, on the land of E. C. Wortraan, the Hamden sand was found at a depth of 695 feet, and it gave a good flow of gas. Near the central part of the section three producing wells were drilled, one 686 feet deep on the land of Minnie E. Walker, one 685 feet on that of Thomas Hogan, aiid another 702 feet on that of James W. Harbarger. On the ridge, in the northern part of this section, production was also obtained in the Hamden sand at a depth of 757 feet, on the property of Stephen M. Tripp. In the western part of the section, also on the ridge and on the farm of Minnie E. Walker, the drill released gas at a depth of 697 feet. In the southern part, on the James W. Harbarger farm and near the head of Johnson Run, production was obtained in this shallow sand at a depth of 714 feet.

South of Johnson Run, in the eastern part of Section 11, on the property of T. M. Kinsel, the Hamden sand which gave a good flow of gas was struck at a depth of 697 feet. Farther up the stream on the same property, production was obtained at a depth of 723 feet. Near the center of the section west of where the road crosses Johnson Run, 712 feet were drilled before the shallow sand, which gave a flow of gas, was reached. Just west of the road in the southern part of Section 11, on the property of Jane Cox, .a flow of gas was secured 702 feet below the surface.

Just Vast of the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern Railroad, in the southern part of Section 10, on the land of Robert S. Wilcox, only a small flow of gas was obtained in the Hamden sand at a depth of 726 feet, and the well was soon abandoned. A dry liole was secured on the land of J. M. Leasure, east o{ the railroad in the central part of this section. The producing sand was struck at a depth of 740 feet, but the flow of gas was too small to pay for piping. Only a short distance north of this, but west of the railroad, on the farm of William Walburr, production was obtained at a depth of 742 feet.

Just south of the railroad, in the northeastern corner of Section 9, on the L. W. Poland property, a test of the Hamden sand gave only a small well which was soon abandoned. Near the village of Byer, four wells, which went onl}^ to this gas bearing sand, were drilled. For information concerning these the Survey is indebted to Guy Stevenson, W. H. Conway, T. W. Hupsicker, and L. S. Peoples, residents of the village. The depth of the well, located just east of the Christian Church, is between 600 and 650 feet, which depth would reach only the Hamden sand. The work was done in 1890 or 1891, by the Southern Ohio Oil and Gas Company. Neither oil ror gas was secured in paying quantities. This company in 1892 also drilled the test located in the street near the residence of Guy Stevenson, and reported to have a depth between 600 and 650 feet. The Hamden sand at this place yielded small flows of both oil and gas, which at present x( 1915) are found escaping from the casing, but only in trifling quantities. Just south of the village, near the mouth of the eastern tributary of Pigeon. Creek and on the land of A. J. and W. J. Doles, a well about 500 feet deep was drilled in the year 1895 or 1896, but the results "were unfavorable. Another well was drilled on the east bank of Pigeon Creek, in the southem part of Section 8, H)n the farm of S. M. Winters. The test was put down to a depth of 590 feet, which reached the Hamden sand, but it gave neither oil nor gas in commercial quantities.

On Sand Run, in the southwestern part of Section 13, a dry well was drilled on the property of Juliet Campbell. The Hamden sand was found at a depth of 690 feet. Another test was tried north of Sand Run, in the central part of Section 14, on the farm of J. A. Funk. A small flow of gas was secured in this sand at a depth of 705 feet. In the southeastern comer of Section 15, on the property of J. H. Biamer, a well was drilled in 1901. The drill penetrated only the Hamden sand, for the dtpth reported is 768 feet. The test was unproductive.

Two tests, reported Berea, but evidently only Hamden, were drilled for gas by Edwin Jones. They are located just east of the station of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railway at Jackson. TJiese wells started near the horizon of the Sharon coal. Mr. Jones states that in the well in the rear of Darlings' store 4 feet of sand which produced gas, but which had water in the base, was reached at a depth of 550 feet, while in the other test at the same depth a fine flow of gas was found in the sand which also soon flooded with water, thereby ruining the well. This test was then drilled 100 feet deeper, but nothing of interest was found.

Big Injun Sand

In drilling for water at Milton Furnace, in Wellston, a small flow of gas, which yet escapes, was found. Concerning this well, H. L. Willard, Jr., reports, that it is between 400 and 450 feet deep. At about 300 feet a small flow of fresh water was struck, and at about ^50 feet a strong flow of salt brine was obtained. The drijl in this well stopped in the Big Injun sand.

The search for oil and gas in Pike County, began about 1860, and has continued in a desultory way to the present time. The early wells drilled by a spring pole penetrated only the earth below to a depth of a few hundred fret at most, but the test drilled, near Waverlv, in 1908 and 1909, extended into the pre-Cambrian rocks.* In several other wells the drill has reached the horizon of the Clinton sand, but has failed to reveal productive fields.

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and, so far, has produced neither oil nor gas in paying quantities. The few records obtained show that the horizon of the "Clinton" sand is about 170 feet below the base of the massive Devonian and Silurian limestone beds, which here are only about 450 feet in thickness. The Bedford and the Ohio shales are also somewhat thin, so that the interval from the Berea sand to the horizon of the "Clinton," which interval in Vinton County is about 1,640 feet, is in this locality only approximately 1,250 feet. A brief survey of the search for oil and gas in the "Clinton" sand in eastern Pike County follows:

On the W. A. Wyim farm, near Riverdale, Newton Township, a deep test well was drilled. The drill, which stopped at a depth of 2,300 feet in the Mohawkian limestones, failed to release the desired products. A small flow of gas was found near the top of the Devonian limestone, at a depth of 500 feet, and another flow on the horizon of the "Clinton" sand. Below this, however, no showing of either oil or gas was secured. For these brief notes the Survey is indebted to Mr. Wynn.

East of Piketon, a "Clinton" well was drilled on the land of C. K. Patterson, in the year 1896 or 1897. The well head is near the top of , the Ohio shale. The main items concerning this test were furnished the writer by Mr. Patterson. The great beds of Devonian and Silurian limestone seemed to be full of water, for although the drillers cased seven times, yet they failed to secure a dry hole until they had drilled through this formation and cased in the shales below. In these limestones there was found considerable gas, the pressure of which for maijy years was sufliciently strong to force the gas through the 900 feet of water that filled the hole. At a depth of about 1,025 feet, a light amber oil, which was evidently from the horizon of the "Clinton" sand, was found and was pumped for several months. Small quantities of oil and gas as well as brines are yet issuing from the well. The rocks penetrated were approximately 80 feet of glacial drift, 425 feet of different kinds of shale, 425 feet of Devonian and Silurian limestones, and 85 feet of shale, below which was found the "Clinton" oil bearing sand at a depth of 1,015 feet.

In the California Valley, south of the village of Beaver, on the farm of Watson Gilliland, in Section 10, Marion Township, a deep well was drilled in the year 1899. The log of this test on file at the office of the Survev follows:

The great beds of Devonian and of Silurian limestones, shown in the above section, are below the average in thickness, while the interval from the Berea sand to the "Clinton'', here 1,366 feet, is nearly 300 feet shorter than it is in rorthern Jackson and southern Vinton counties. The Berea sand has exceptional thickness, but this appears to include a part of the underlying Bedford formation.

In the hollow, rorth of the cemetery at Stockdale, in Section 33, Marion Township, Strctton and Cole of Lancaster, Ohio, drilled what is reported to be a "Clirton" well. No record of the test was obtained. Neither oil nor gas was found in paying quantities.

Bedford Sand Wells

The Bedford formation, which outcrops along the Scioto Valley in Pike County, is made up of shales with a few widely spaced, thin to medium bedc'ed sandstones, which in most respects are quite similar to those of the overlying Berea formation. Along in the "sixties" a shallow test known as the Taylor well was drilled with a spring pole on the B. Hammond property, in the central part of Section 30, Scioto Township. The head of this well is just above the top of the Sunbury shale. The depth reach( d by the drill is reported by J. W. Brand to have been about 300 feet. Oil was found, and the well, which was pumped for a time, produced about one barrel of oil per day.

On the II. H. McAuley farm, which adjoins the Hammond property to the west, a well 108 feet in depth was drilled for water, and it gave a showing of both oil and gas in sufficient quantities to spoil the water for domestic use. This well, Mr. McAuley states, was drilled all the way in sandstones, with shales intervening. Along the stream at this place there is found a thick outcrop of the Berea formation which passes below cover only a short distance east of his residence. The McAuley well started near the top of the Berea formation, which in this locality is not more than 60 feet in thickness. The oil found in this test, and also in that on the Hammond property, therefore, appears to be in the sandstone layers near the base of the Bedford formation.

Search For Oil And Gas 685

below drainage by the time it reaches the eastern boundary of the county. So far, no productive fields have been located in this formation. However, it usually gives a showing of oil or of gas wherever penetrated. In the year 1868 a shallow well was drilled to the Berea sand on the land of William and Fred Sohn, in the western part of Section 28, Marion Township. Mr. Sohn states that this well was about 450 feet deep and gave a small flow of high-grade oil. The well was pumped only for a short time as the production decreased rapidly.

A search for oil and gas began in Scioto County soon after their discovery in Pennsylvania in 1859, and has continued in a desultory way to the present time. So far, productive fields have not been found, although either oil or gas in small quantities is secured at some horizon in nearly every well that has been drilled. Although the tests of the deep-seated rocks are relatively few and quite scattered, they are sufficient to indicate that no large pools are present. The surface rocks have a rather uniform dip to the east and south, and the deepy covered strata appear to conform to the same general inclination. Map XI, Part 2.

The "Clinton'' sand has been penetrated by the drill at a number of places in Scioto County, but it has yielded no products of value. In a few localities small flows of gas are encountered on the horizon. A study of the drill records that have passed this formation indicates that the sand lacks definite development and persistent continuity.

In 1910, Stretton and Cole, of Lancaster, Ohio, drilled a well on the Erwin farm, now owned by J. C. Boggs, and located in Section 34, Jefferson Towrship. The drill started near the base of the Cuj''ahoga formation, and Mr. Boggs states that it penetrated the rocks to a depth of about 2,700 feet. The test was miproductive. Small flows of both gas and brine are issuing at present (1915).

Several attempts have been made in the western part of the county to locate oil or gas in the ^'Clinton" sand, but sof far the results have been discouraging. In 1865 or 1866, J. A. Sands drilled four wells in the vicinity of Bear Creek, and his accoimt of the work is embodi(Hl in the following discussion: Two wells were drilled on the Boot en farm, which is located about 3 miles up Bear Creek in Morgan To^Miship. In the first well located near the stream a strong flow of salt water was struck at a depth of about 700 feet, but the work was continued until approximately 1,000 feet was reached. The second well, which was drilled on the side of the hill, was practically a duplicate of the first. No gas was found in either test. These wells are listed as ''Clinton" tests, for if they did not reach this sand they came very closi* to it. The ''Clinton" bed in this locality is between 1,200 and 1,400 feet below the Berea formation, which outcrops on the hills. However, these tests may have stepped in the Niagaran limestones, only a short distance above the "Clinton" formation. On the G. F. Lauman property, near the mouth of Bear Creek, a test was also made^ At a depth of 675 feet there was found a strong flow of gas which ignited and burned the derrick. A new rig was built, and the drilling continued to a depth of 1,150 feet. This test was unproductive. On the Russel farm, now owned by William T. Dever, a well was drilled near the bridge that crosses the Scioto River west of Lucasville. Here the drill went to a depth of 1,188 feet, but it released neither oil nor gas in paying quantities. These two wells are also doubtfully "Clinton," but the drill at least was very close to this formation.

Besides the wells elrilled by Sands, three other tests have been made on the G. F. Lauman property. The main points regarding these were furnished by Mr. Lauman. In the year 1890, about onethird mile west of his residence, a well was drilled to a depth of 1,535 feet. A flow of' water was encountered at 535 feet, and a second flow at 635 feet. At a elepth of 1,050 feet a small flow of oil, which is reported to have made about 2 barrels per day, was found. Below this the drill released a small flow of gas, estimated at 50,000 cubic feet per day, and* used by Mr. Lauman for lighting and heating his residence, and also for lighting the premises. This gas is supposed to come from the "Clinton" sand, the position of which is near the bottom of the well. About one mile west of the Lauman residence a test, in which the drill is reported to have penetrated the rocks to a depth of 2,230 feet, was made, and it was productive of only a small flow of gas, which was struck in the "Clinton" sand at about the same depth as that in the well now producing. No oil was found during the entire descent of the drill. Another well about 1,300 fe(t in de»pth was drilled near the residence.

In Morgan Towrship, near the mouth of Sunfish C-reek, on the Starr farm, now o\\aied by Mrs. Henry Stabler, a well reported to have reached the "Clinton" sand was drilled, but no production was obtained. On Rocky Fork, in Brush Creek Township, six miles south of Otway, a test was drilled to the deep sands in search of oil and gas. Dr. G. W. Chabot, Portsmouth, Ohio, gave the main facts regarding this work. The drill started immediately below the Bcrea sand anel reacheel a flow of salt water at 400 feet. Below this the rocks were dry. There was a showing of oil in limestone at 1,600 feet, and a small flow of gas, which is still issuing, at 1,908 feet. Below this, at a depth of 2,045 feet, 10 feet of sand was struck, but it gave no showing of either oil or gas. The total depth of this wdl was 2,055 feet.

Search For Oil And Gas 687

From samples of drillings, obtained at 885 feet in reaming the well, which are unmistakably water lime or Lower Helderburg, it is judged that the Corniferous limestone is still excluded from the section by the overlap of the Ohio shale. The limestone was found full of salt water, the strongest and most persistent vein being struck at 1,000 feet. The casing was necessarily set deep, viz., 1,120 feet. The well was carried down into the Hudson River, or Cincinnati group, but it stopped short of the Trenton. No gas bearing rocks of high-pressure were found in the descent, though more or less gas was struck in every stratum.

So far, the only deep drilling in the eastern to^aiships of Scioto County was done on Frederick Creek, in Section 20, Bloom Township, in the year 1898, by T. N. Barnsdale. The well is located on the property of the Harbison-Walker Refractories Company. The drill started in tlie Sharon conglomerate, close to the contact of this stratum, with the Logan sandstone below, or about 35 feet below the Sciotoville clay, and reached a depth of 2,317 feet. Paul Williams kept a carefully made record of the rocks penetrated by the drill in its descent, and his report is used freely in the following description: The hole was begun with a 13-inch bit and was spudded down to 100 feet, passing tlirough soil, gravel, conglomerate, and sandstone with water. The 13-inch bit was used to 160 feet, after which a 10-inch bit was employed. It passed through the dark colored Waverly shales, and at 520 feet struck the Berea sand, which produced gas in sufficient volume to give a flame 10 feet high. The gas was cas?d off and an 8-inch bit used. It passed rapidly downward, sometimes at the rate of 200 feet per day, as it was now in the great Ohio shale stratum, which varied from a soft white substance to one that was dark, hard, and san(h'. At 1,200 feet, in a dark hard stratum, a little oil was seen.

At 1,300 feet, the great body of Ohio shale ended, and the Devonian limestones were struck. At first, the material was soft and shelly, but it grew darker, harder, and more compact as the drill descended. Within the limestone deposits there was found a great quantity of exceedingly salty water, which was strongly alkaline, and which filled the well nearly to the top. At 1,500 feet, a flow of crevice gas was struck, and, even on the following day, it forced the water from the hole to a height of 20 feet, at intervals of 2 or 3 minutes. The hole was cased with 6-inch tubing to a depth of 1,710 feet, but this failed to cut ofT the water. At 1,840 feet the limestones ended, and the drill entered the Niagaran shales. The casing was reset, and the hole remained drv.

Drilling was now rapid. At 2,040 feet the '^Clinton" sand, with its characteristic red sands, was found, but it was wholly barren of gas. At 2,160 feet tlie red shales of the Medina, the red rock of the drillers, were found, and they continued for 40 feet. Thence came dark shales of the Richmond formation, and at 2,317 feet the drilling ended. The drillers' record, simplified somewhat, follows:

In the (astern part of Scioto County the Berea sand has been exploited in a few places for oil or gas, but so far it has yielded little return for the n^oney and labor invested. The early drilling began about 1860, when the spring pole was the tool employed. The sand has excellent continuity, for it appears in all the well kept records that have been extended to or below this horizon. The Berea sand lies from 600 to 800 feet above the upper surface of the thick beds of De- vonian limestones, and from 500 to 600 feet below the base of the Pottsville rocks. However, on the whole, the tests of this sand are disi^oUraging. A list of the wells drilled to the Berea sand follows:

In the city of Portsmouth, on Jackson street, near Campbell avenue, a test well was drilled by Grove Brothers of Tionesta, Pennsylvania. Herman Spitzer reports that the drill reached a depth of about 800 feet, which is much below the horizon of the Berea formation. Neither oil nor gas was secured in paying quantities. North of Portsmouth, in an attempt to develop a small oil pool in the Berea sand, a number of shallow wells have been drilled, but the results are not especially successful. The work in most part has been done by Grove Brothers. Aaron Bobst reports that the oil sand is found at a depth varying from 380 to 390 feet, while a salt sand, lying above, occurs from 350 to 360 feet below the surface. The wells mapped are given below:

In 1890, Overturf and McCall put down a well to the Berea sand, on the land of Martin Scherer, in Pleasant Valley, Section 3, Clay Towrship. Mr. Scherer states that this well was about 300 feet in derpth and that it gave a showing of oil. Another well was drilled north of this, on the farm of R. P. Siler, in the northwest comer of the same section. In this test also a showing of oil was obtained. Along in the "sixties," a shallow test, which evidently reached the Berea sand, at least, was drilled with a spring pole on Munn Run, just north of the Portsmouth-Ironton pike. No oil was obtained, but small quantities of gas are yet emitted.

In 1875, on the site of the Lower Yard of the Scioto Fire Brick Company, at Sciotoville, W. Q. Adams made a test which went below the horizon of the Berea sand. Charles Turner states that the well was first drilled to a depth of 1,000 feet, but later extended to 1,500 feet. About 500 feet down, a small flow of gas was struck in the Berea sand and was used under the boilers for a time, but, owing to imperfect casing, the water was not excluded, and the well was finally abandoned. Near the old stack of Bloom Furnace, in Section 30, Bloom Township, a shallow well was drilled many years ago. It produced a small flow of gas which was used for a time in lighting the east house

The high market price of crude oil during the "sixties*' started drilling in Lawrence County, but the rewards, so far, have not been equal to the expenditures. Although the tests are widely scattered, there yet exist large areas in which there Ls some hope of securing these valuable natural hydrocarbons. Moreover, there are several w^ell defined sands in this area, which have ample covering and the necessary physical structure to act as storage reservoirs for oil or gas. The Iroiiton Portland Cement Company, near its plant at Ironton, developed a small gas field which is an asset of considerable value. A showing of oil was obtained near Willowwood, while small quantities of gas have been struck by the drill at a number of places. The general dip of the surface rocks is 25 feet to the mile east, and 9.5 feet to the mile south, while the strike is 20° 48' east of north. Abnormalities in the dip of the surface strata are found, for in some localities for a short distance the rocks dip at a rate as high as 45 feet or even more to the mile, while at other places for a few miles they dip not more than 15 feet. The general trend of these structural features is nearly parallel with the strike of the rocks. As yet no detailed work has been done to determine with accuracy the configuration of either the surface or the deep-seated rocks. Map XI, Part 2.

Trenton Limestone

The Trenton limestone, which is one of the most importart oil rocks in Ohio, was reached by the drill at one place in La^\Tence County. This was in the Belfont well at Ironton. The history and description of this well as given by Dr. Edward Orton follows:^

The record of the Ironton well (in the Ohio Valley, in Lawrence County), upon which a large expenditure has been made, is of considerable interest as marking the deepest point at which the Trenton limestone has been reached in the State (1887). It se ms probaljle that this great stratum was struck at a depth of 3,440 feet. The upper portion of this record is very clear and intelligible, but the record of the lower half is less satisfactory. The latter condition results from lack of material and not from any anomalous or unexpected facts. The section appears to be normal throughout.

The well was begun in the Conglomerate Coal Measures near the upper Mercer coal level and 145 feet below the level of the Ferriferous limestone. It is a little less than 550 feet above tide

It was not originally directed to the Findlay gas-rock, but it was simply drilled to test the ordinary range of rocks of this region. After the Berea grit, which was struck at 1,028 feet, had proven unproductive, the bold plan was formed of drilling the well to the Trenton limestone, this last horizon having become prominent at this time. The record is as follows: _..

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The rocks of the "Cv lint on'' formation have been reached by the drill in Lawrence County, but, where penetrated, have been wholly barren of either oil or gas. The sand of this formation is not sharply defined but its horizon appears to lie on the average about 200 feet below the base of the massive body of Silurian limestones. Besides the Belfont well, where the drill reached the Trenton limestone, only two tests have been made in Lawrence County to or beyond the horizon of the ^'Clinton" sand. One of these is at the plant of the Ironton Portland Cement Company southeast of Ironton, and the other is at Mount Vernon Furnace in Decatur Township.

In 1906, the Freehold Oil & Gas Company, of Campbell, Ohio, drilled a deep well on the land of Harry Moulton. The well is located near the pike, about 1 mile south of Campbell Post Office, Decatur Township. The interval from the top of the well to the Ferrif-erous

A small flow of water was found at a depth of 130 feet, and a strong flow was encountered at a depth of 2,240 feet. The casing used in the work follows:

So far the three tests in Lawrence County which have with certainty passed below the horizon of the Clinton sand, have failed to show a well defined stratum of oil or gas bearing rock. The interval appears to be made up of shales in which little or no porous sandstone is present. From the data at hand, which is rather meager, but is strengthened by the work in eastern Scioto, southern Jackson, and northern Gallia counties, it appears that if production is found, the pools will be confined to rather small and somewhat isolated lenses of^sand enclosed in the shales.

Ironton Gas Sand Search For Oil And Gas 693

body of the Ohio shales. In this report it is called Ironton gas sand, simply to distinguish it from other beds, and not to define any new stratigraphic imit. The position of the Ironton gas sand is about 570 feet below the top of the Berea formation and about 280 feet above the top of the Devonian limestones. Albert Steece, general manager of the Ironton Portland Cement Compan)^; states that the gas producing bed is thin, not to exceed a few feet in thickness, but is well defined over the small area tested. The wells with a rock pressure of approximately 600 pounds produce on the average about 150,000 cubic feet of gas each per day. The log of the Ironton Portland Cement Company's well, No. 1, which was drilled at the works in the year 1912, is as follows:

As the Ironton gas sand produced gas in commercial quantities, the well was tubed with 3-inch piping to a depth of 1,746 feet, with the packer set at 1,740. In the above log, the terms in parentheses were supplied by the writer.

A producing well was drilled south of the road at the works, and a dry bole near the mouth of the hollow one-half mile northeast of the plant. Production was obtained in the test located at the forks of the road one-fourth mile west of the plant, and also in the well drilled on the west bank of Ice Creek, only a short distance south of the bridge that crosses this stream. Another well drilled by this company, north of the road, near the northeastern comer of Woodland Cemetery, also produces a good flow of gas. G. H. Welch of Ashland, Kentucky, obtained production in the Ironton gas sand just south of the bridge and east of Ice Creek. At the mouth of Hog Run, a northern tributary of Ice Creek, and about one mile east of the producing territorj" near the plant of the Ironton Portland Cement Company, a dry hole was drilled to the sand on the land of the Hecla Iron Company. The well head here is about 70 feet below the Ferriferous limestone. The areal extent of the Ironton gas sand is not defined by the few tests made in Lawrence county, for production is obtained near Ashland, Kentucky, on this horizon. It may correlate, also, with the gas bearing beds found farther south in Greenup and Boyd counties.

The next oil or gas bearing bed in the ascending scale is the wellknown Berea sand, which is found by the drill everywhere in the area treated in this report. Although penetrated by the drill at widely separated places in Lawrence County, this sand has failed to produce more than a showing of either oil or gas.

In Pttcrs Cave Hollow^ near Bartks, in Elizabeth Township, E. B. Willard drilled three tests to the Berea formation, which were barren of jcither oil or gas in paying quantities. The sand was present in each of the wells, but it seemed to be hard and broken. The overlying Sunbury shale is well defined, and the Hamden sand is also present and is productive of small flows of gas.

The Willard well, No. 1, which was drilled in 1889, is located near the village of Bartks at the mouth of a branch of Little Pine Creek. The well was started about 5 feet above the Upper Mercer ore, or about 95 feet below the base of the Ferriferous limestone. The core drill was used to a depth of 263 feet which interval is, therefore, recorded with accuracy. The log of the well taken by Mr. Willard, who kindly furnished the Survey a* copy, follows:

In this test the Berea sand was wholly barren, but an overlying sand which appears to be correlative with the Hamden bed gave a small flow of gas. In 1902 the Willard well, No. 2, was drilled near the head of Peters Cave Hollow, or about one and one-half miles east of the villasje of Bartks. This test was started about 10 feet above the top of the Lower Kittanning coal and reached the Berea sand at a depth of 1,220 feet. The sand was 37 feet in thickness and unproductive. However, the Hamden sand, which was about 200 feet above the Berea, gave a showing of gas. In the third well drilled in 1913, and located near the lime crusher in Peters Cave Hollow, the Berea formation, 31 feet 6 inches in thickness, was struck at a depth of 1,106 feet, but it contained neither oil nor gas in paying quantities.

Near -the headwaters of Little Ice Creek, in the central part of Perry Township, and about one mile south of the village of Bearing, two wells have been sunk to the Berea sand. The first well was drilled by the Clover Leaf Oil & Gas Company, the main stockholders of which were J. A. Salmon. M. R. Haymaker, and H. Packer. Con- cerning this test Mr. Salmon states that in the well which was drilled on the William Baker farm the Salt (Maxton) sand was reached at a depth of 662 feet and gave a nice showing of gas. The drill struck the Berea formation at a depth of 1,245 feet, but released only a showing of oil. The sand was very hard. The Sunbury or coffee-colored shales overlying the Berea sandstones were between 20 and 30 feet in thickness. A second test of the Berea sand was made on the Baker farm by G. L. Titus and J. W. Ramsey, of Huntington, West Virginia, in the year 1915, but neither oil nor gas was found. The operators report that there was no showing of oil in any sand.

Several Berea wells have been drilled in the vicinity of Willowwood, in Lawrence County. For much of the information in regard to these the Survey is indebted to William Holschuh. In the northern part of Section 18, a test to the Berea sand was drilled near the residence of Mr. Holschuh. The contractor, B. F. Cayton, of Weston, West Virginia, is authority for the following log:

Just north of the mouth of Venisonham Creek, on the Tom O'Neil property, a Berea well was drilled by M. Haymaker. It produced a strong initial flow of gas in one of the Pottsville sands, which, however, soon flooded with water, thus eliminating the flow of gas. From information furnished by A. B. Brode, of Huntington, West Virginia, the Berea sand, 30 feet in thickness, was struck at a depth of 1,535 fe(t and gave a showing of oil. A Berea test was bored by M. Haymaker at the forks of the road, on Venisonham Creek, and its eastern tributary in the western part of Section 17, Windsor Township The well is located on the land of William Holschuh, who reports that a showing of oil was found in the Berea sand, and also shows of both oil and gas in more shallow sands, probably Pottsville. Just east of this test and also on the same property, another well was drilled to the Berea sand, but no production was obtained. However, one of the shallow sands gave a showing of oil. On the property of Asa McCoy in the northwestern part of Section 8, Windsor Township, a well reported 1,800 feet in depth was drilled on Venisonham Creek. The drill in this test evidently passed below the horizon of the Berea formation. The rocks are reported to be wholly barren of either oil or gas. On the farm of J. W. Payne, east of Symme s Creek, and in the northern part of Section 19, Windsor Township, the drill is reported to have penetrated the Berea sand which was dry. This test is located on the small terrace only a short distance cast of Symme s Creek. Near the village of Scottown, in the eastern part of Windsor Township, the search for oil and gas also led to the drilling of a well that reached the Berea formation. The Scottown well is located near the bank of Little Indian Guyan Creek, on the property of John Burcham, and was drilled in 1903, by Charles H. Hall, of Huntington, West Virginia. The test was unproductive, although the Berea sand was found in good volume. Near the village of Getaway, a test of the Berea sand was made on the land of J. W. Gerlach, in the northwestern part of Section 8, Urion Township. The well is located on the north bank of Symmes Creek and was drilled by Cole, Enslow, Waltor, and Hall of Huntington, West Virginia. The drill started 15 leet below t\e Cambridge limestone and at an elevation of 555 feet above tide. From a partial record furnished by A. B. Brode of Huntingtofi, the following information was obtained: The Salt sand was reached at a depth of 740 feet, and a limestone, evidently Maxville, at a depth of 830 feet. The top of the Berea sand, which was 20 feet in thickness, was struck at a depth of 1,615 feet. Further, the total depth of the well is stated to be 1,675 feet and the test unproductive. At present there are small flows of gas and salt water to mark the location.

In 1915, A. B. Brode, of Huntington, drilled an unproductive Berea well in the eastern part of Section 23, Union Township. No information in regarei to the rocks penetrated by the elrill was obtained. Near the Fin ley Church, on Paddy Creek in Rome To wr ship, a test for oil or gas was made on thef property of Charles Farley, who reports that the well was drilleel to the Berea sand, which was reached at a depth of 1,985 feet. A showirg of oil was found in the Berea, and a small flow of gas was released in a bed above this horizon.

In order to extend the Berea sane! to the Ohio River, anei to follow some of the higher sanels anel other well-defineel members to deeper cover, a recorel of a well drilled on the C. S. Winters farm on Seven-

In Lawrence County, the drill has reached or passed the Berea rocks 26 times, but, so far, has failed to reveal either oil or gas in paying quantities. Small flows of gas and showings of oil are often recorded by the driller, but in many cases streams of salt brines were the only reward for the money and labor invested. The sand, however, was present in every test, and with few exceptions has excellent volume.

Maxton Sand

The Maxton sand lies either directly or only a short interval above the Maxville limestone, and is in the lower part of the Pottsville formation. It is correlated with the Sharon or Olean conglomerate, which is well exposed in southern Ohio, especially in northern Scioto, in western

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Jackson, and in eastern Pike counties. In these localities the member is composed of massive beds of quartz conglomerate, often more than 100 feet in thickness, with more or less interstratified coarse-grained sandstones. However, in local areas, it may appear as a sandstone with but few if any pebbles. In the Willowwood field, the sand in which the main showing of oil was obtained is correlated with some confidence as the Maxton sand or the Sharon conglomerate. Although the Maxville limestone is doubtfully present in the recorded measurements of the rocks in this field, it is massively developed in the Baker farm well, which is located south of Bearing, and which, on a direct line, is less than five miles distant.

The record of the Mootz well No. 6, drilled by J. F. McElroy on the hillside about 150 feet west of Symmes Creek, was kindly furnished by Mr. McElroy, and is given below:

A showing of oil was found in the Nagel sand at a depth of 640 feet, and a small flow of oil was obtained in the sand at 700 feet. Water was struck at a depth of 522 feet, at which position the casing was set.

On the same property and close to Symmes Creek, A. P. Meek, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, drilled a test to the Maxton sand. The well was pumped for a short time and is reported to have had an in itial production of 6 barrels of oil per day. The flow rapidly decreased and the well was soon abandoned. On the flood plaih of Symmes ("reek two other Maxton sand wells were drilled on the same property. Both gave a showing of oil but were never pumped. Two tests, also located close to Symmes Creek, and near the southern boundary of the Dan Mootz farm, produced a small quantity of oil, but were soon abandoned. The seventh well drilled on this land is located on the side of the hill about 300 feet west of Symmes Creek, and was drilled in the year 1914 by J. F. McElroy. The Nagel or Middle Salt sand, 28 feet in thicknesa, was found at a depth of 619 feet, and the Maxton sand, penetrated only 4 feet 6 inches, was struck at 689 feet. In this test water was found at 165, at 245, and in a coal bed at 595 feet, respectively. The casing was set at 602 feet. Mr. McElroy states that the Nagel sand made about one-half barrel of oil per day before shooting, and about one barrel after it was loosened by explosives. The oil in this sand was found at a depth of 630 feet. The lower or Maxton sand made about one-half barrel of oil per day.

Three Maxton sand wells were drilled on the W. H. Bame farm, located just south of the Dan Mootz property at Willowwood, or just west of Symmcs Creek, in the northern part of Section 19, Windsor Township. The Bame No. 2 well, which is considered the most productive test in this area was drilled in the year 1912, and B. F. Cayton states it had an initial production of 30 barrels of oil per day without shooting. The well was pumped only a short time as the flow of oil decreased rapidly. Another test on this property was made in a small hollow and only a short distance west of the well which was put down by Mr. Cayton. Both the Maxton and the Nagel sands were dry. The Bame No. 3 well was drilled by J. F. McElroy in 1914, and is located just north of Mr. Bame's residence. A showing of oil was secured in the Nagel sand at a depth of 615 feet. The initial production of the Maxton sand was 4 barrels of oil per day, but after one week the flow was only IJ barrels.

A Maxton sand well was drilled on the property of Sarah Jane Hayes, which is located just east of the village of Willowwood. The test was unproductive, but showings of oil were secured. North of this village, on the land of Sherman Com, a test was made, but the Maxton sand was not found; hence no results were obtained. Just north of Millville, in the southern part of Section 7, Windsor Township, an unproductive test of this sand was made on the property of John Wilson. Up a small hollow east of Millville, on the land ot Jacob Holschuh, the drill penetrated the Maxton sand, which is reported to be quite thick, but released neither oil nor gas in paying quantities. Due east of the bridge that crosses Symmes Creek at Willowwood, on the property of William Holschuh, the test reached the Maxton sand at about 650 feet but was unproductive. Just east of this well, at the base of the hill, the drill again penetrated this sand and released a strong flow of gas. Drilling was continued until another sand producing only brines was struck. The flow of water eliminated the gas. On the side of the hill east of this a third tist was made, but the Maxton sand was barren of either oil or gas in paying quantities. North of the Venisonham Creek road, in the eastern part of Section 18, Windsor Township, on the farm of Edward (i ruber, an unproductive test of this sand was made.

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two tests to the Maxton sand were drilled. Notes on the test made on the flood plain just east of Symmes Creek were furnished by Charles H. Hall, of Huntington, West Virginia. A sand with salt water, and 60 feet in thickness, was struck by the drill at a depth of 315 feet. Below this came 285 feet of shale, and then the Maxton sand at a depth of 660 feet. It gave no showing of oil, but a small flow of gas. A second test of this sand gave no results worthy of consideration.

Five Maxton sand wells were drilled on the farm of J. W. Pajoie, which is located east of Symmes Creek in the northern part of Section 19, Windsor Township. On the flood plain of Symmes Creek, near the northern boundary of the property, an unproductive well was drilled. South of this only a short distance, another test from which a small quantity of oil was pumped was drilled to the Maxton sand, which, from notes furrished by A. B. Brode, of Huntington, was reached at a depth of 676 feet. The bottom of the pay is reported at 682 feet. The workmen state that after drilling deeper they found 3 feet of white sand and 7 feet of coarse gray sand, in which there appeared to be some oil. The bottom of this lower sand was found at a depth of 703 feet, and the total depth of the well was 713 feet. The well was cased with 6 J inch tubing to a depth of 540 feet. Another test located south of the above, and on the narrow part of the flood plain east of Symmes Creek, also went to. the Maxton sand. No results were obtained. In another well drilled along this stream near the southern boundary of the property the drill failed to release either oil or gas in this rock. The stratum was dry, also, where penetrated by the drill just west of the road in the rortheastern part of Section 19, Windsor Township.

Two wells to the Maxton sand were drilled on the farm of Charles Dement, which is located in the western part of Section 20. The well drilled close to the little stream near his residence produced a small quantity of oil, but the second test, drilled just south of the first, gave only a showing of this much sought for product. Near the bend, in Symmes Creek, in the northern part of Section 30, Windsor Township, and on the farm of John Russel, an unsuccessful attempt was made to find oil in the Maxton sand. This is the most southern well drilled in the Willowwood field.

On the Adkins farm, on Little Ice Creek, and about 2 miles south of Bearing, a well was drilled by Hummel, of Smith's Ferry, through the Maxton sand, but not to the Berea formation. J. A. Salmon, of Portsmouth, Ohio, states that this test is about 1,000 feet in depth, and that a strong flow of gas was found in the Salt or Maxton sand. The gas was in the very top of the bed, the lower part of which was filled wdth brines. The productive part of the sand soon flooded with brine, thus eliminating the flow of gas. A shallow test was drilled over 30 years ago on the land of Charles Hart, which is located about 1 mile northeast of the village of Rock Camp. No information re- garding the rocks penetrated in this test was obtained, but the drill probably reached the horizon of the Maxton sand; hence, it is listed as a Maxton sand well. No production was obtained. Well towards the headwaters of Middle Paddy Creek, in Rome Township, a well was drilled by Charles H. Hall and others, in 1902. The test is located on the property of Mrs. C. H. Turley and daughters. It was the intention of the operators to drill to the Berea sand, but at a depth of 1,050 feet the tools became fastened and the work was abandoned. The drill reached the horizon of the Maxton sand but released neither oil nor gas.

In Lawrence County, 57 tests have been drilled to or below the horizon of the Maxton sand which, so far, has produced only shows of oil and gas.

Middle Salt Or Nagel Sand

The next sand in ascending order in which a showing of oil or gas has been secured in Lawrence County lies about 50 feet above the Maxton sand, and is on the average, nearly 25 feet in thickness. The interval from the upper surface of the bed to the Maxville limestone, or to the top of the Logan formation when the limestone is absent, is about 105 feet. Its stratigraphic position is between the Quakertown coal and the Sciotoville clay. A number of the wells drilled to the Maxton sand in the Willowwood field produced a showing of either oil or gas at the Middle Salt sand horizon, but as these have been considered under the heading Maxton sand, they will not be further noticed here. Only one test, the object of which was to exploit the Middle Salt or Nagel sand, was made in Lawrence County, and this was on the farm of Sarah J. Hayes near Willowwood.

In the few tests made in eastern Lawrence County, the Middle Salt or Nagel sand is not defined, but it appears as a well marked stratum in the Gallipolis well, and in many of these drilled in Caball and Mason counties, West Virginia. As the name implies, it is often filled with salt brines. The bed has sufficient covering, and the sand the necessary porosity to be a reservoir for oil or gas, but whether this is, or is not the case in Lawrence County, remains to be determined by future work with the elrill.

Upper Salt Sand

The stratigraphic position of the Upper Salt sand is between the Quakertown and Lower Mercer coals. However, instead of being one definite bed it may be any one of several sandstone strata that may occur in this interval. The evidence from drill records shows that the member is rather persistent in the eastern part of Lawrence County, and that it extends into Gallia Coimty and into Caball and Mason counties in West Virginia. The bed is about 25 feet in thickness and is separated from the Maxville limestone or the top of the Logan formation, where the limestone is absent, by an interval of approximately

210 feet. In Lawrence County it has been exploited mainly in drilling for the deeper seated sands. No production has been obtained on the horizon.

The search for oil and gas in the western part of Gallia County has led to the drilling of a number of wells, two of which extend to the horizon of the '^Clinton" sand. The main rock exploited, however, is the Berea, which is reached at more moderate depths. So far, neither oil nor gas has been secured in commercial quantities, although one or both in trifling amounts are often recorded by the driller. In the eastern part of the county, the search began in 1861, but the first productive well was completed in 1865. Since then a small field has been developed in Addison and Cheshire townships. In this report only the wells drilled in that part of Gallia County west of a line drawn from north to south through Gallipolis will be considered.

The horizon of the "Clinton" sand has been penetrated by the drill in only two places in that part of Gallia County under discussion. From the results obtained in these wells and from those drilled to this formation in eastern Scioto and Lawrence counties, it appears that the prospects for good production are rather discouraging. The "Clinton" sand is deeply covered everywhere in this county, as it is over 3,000 feet below the surface along the western boundary.

The Vinton Oil Company of Lima drilled a deep test on the land of Richard Hardsook, which is located on Deer Creek in Section 34, Huntington Township. The depth penetrated by the drill and reported to the Survey by A. Sailor, a resident of the vicinity, was 3,260 feet, which depth is sufficient to reach the horizon of the "Clinton" sand. Further, he states that there was a showing of oil in a sand at a depth of about 1,800 feet, which would be close to the horizon of the Berea formation. The well head is just below the level of the Upper Freeport coal.

Another test of the deep-seated rocks was made in the year 1914, on the D. D. Lewis farm in Section 28, Greenfield Township. The well was drilled jointly by Gates, Davidson, Moran and Company, of Lancaster, Ohio, and by The Planet Oil Company of Columbus The following partial log of the well was furnished the Survey fey M. C. Miller of the latter company: Depth in

Fred W. Crawford, of Columbus, Ohio, furnished some additionai information in regard to this test. He states that the Salt sand was struck at a depth of 670 feet, and that the Berea sand was found at a depth of 1,257 feet. The head of this well is near the horizon of the Middle Kittanning coal.

Ascending the geological column, the next productive bed found in southern Ohio is the Ironton gas sand, which lies well up in the body of the thick deposit of Ohio shale. This formation has been passed by the drill only 3 times in Gallia County. The two '*Clinton'' wells previously discussed and the well at Gallipolis extend much below the stratigraphic position of the gas bearing stratum found at Ironton. A white sandstone, which is about 3 feet in thickness and which waa reached at a depth of 2,458 feet in the Gallipolis well, appears to be a correlative bed. At least, it is on the same general horizon; hence, it is considered under the above heading. The well was drilled on Chickamauga Creek near Mills Station, in the northern part of Section 6, Green Township. ^ p^ the Maxyille limestone to be quite thin, while other records in this county show the bed to be well developed. Apparently it is somewhat patchy, which condition is well illustrated by the sections made by the driir in Lawrence County. The Berea sand, lying above the thick deposit of Ohio shale, has about normal volume and about its usual characteristics. The Maxton and the Middle Salt sands- occupy practically the same positions they hold in the Willowwood field in Lawrence County.

The Berea has been the main sand exploited for oil and gas in Gallia County. From the records and information obtained, it appears to hold the persistent continuity it shows in the counties to the west and north. Although this bed has yielded neither oil nor gas in pa3ring quantities in the western part of Gallia County, it has furnished both products for the general market in Addison and Cheshire townships in the eastern part. The interval from the top of the Maxville limestone, or from the base of the Pottsville formation when the former is absent, is approximately 690 feet or about 90 feet greater than it is in the counties to the west. The main points in regard to the search for the natural fuels, oil and gas, in the Berea sand in western Gallia County are next considered.

In the year 1896, Jenkins W. Jones and others drilled a well to the Berea sand on Keton Run, in the northern part of Section 29, Huntington Township. The well head is about 40 feet below the Middle Kittanning coal. No record of the test was obtained, but Mr. Jones supplied the following information:

The depth of the well was about 1,500 feet. It went to the Berea sand, which , at this place, had a thickness of about 20 feet. We drilled about 60 feet deeper in order to be sure that we had the complete formation. There was no oil in any part of the well, but there was a small flow of gas at a depth of about 400 feet. The Berea sand was rather close-grained and was full of salt water. The outside casing, to control the surface water, extended to a depth of about 100 feet, while the second string of casing, to control the heavy flows of salt water, extended to a depth of about 800 feet. This well was drilled on a fiat bench in the coal field to the east of which there was an abrupt dip in the rocks of 50 feet in one-eighth of a mile. There was nothing in this well that offered any encouragement for further drilling in this section of the field.

Just north of Bidwell, on the farm of Aaron Quickie, the drill also reached the Berea sand. No record was obtained, but Mr. Quickie states that the well was drilled to a depth of 1,750 feet, or 50 feet below the base of the Berea sand. Further, he states that the hole was filled with stone to this sand, which was then loosened by explosives, but even after this the well gave only a showing of oil.

34, Springfield Township. The head of this test is about 100 feet below the Cambridge limestone. No record was obtained, but the test yielded neither oil nor gas in paying quantities. Just east of ^io Grande, and in the northwestern part of Section 26, Raccoon Township, a well was simk on the land of Harry A. Wood. The test was reported to be between 1,600 and 1,700 feet in depth, which interval easily reached the horizon of the Berea sand. No production was secured. Near Adamsvillei on the C. F. Vamey property, in the central part of Section 36, Raccoon Township, J, W. Jones and others drilled a test to the Berea formation. A showing of oil was secured in the Berea, but the drill liberated a flood of salt water and the well was a failure. The following log of this well, and the information relating to the county were kindly furnished the Survey by J. W. Jones:

The salt sand in this record is very unusual. It doubtless includes everything from the top of that formation to near the base of the Big Injun. " *

On Dirtyface Creek in the southern part of Section 20, Greenfield Township, a well to the Berea sand was drilled on the property of Thomas J. Edwards. The head of the well is only a few feet above the Ferriferous limestone and the work was done by the Planet Oil Company in the year 1913. Fred W. Crawford, of Columbus, Ohio, furnished the Survey the following information in regard to the rocks penetrated by the drill: The Salt sand with a strong flow of water was sti;uck at a depth of 620 feet and continued to a depth of 790 feet, while the Big Injun sand was found at 910 feet and the Berea at 1,193 feet. The Berea sand was 25 feet in thickness and wholly barren of either oil or gas.

In June, 1915, a test of the Berea formation was made on the Ernest Riggs farm, in hope of securing oil or gas in commercial quantities. The well was located south of Raccoon Creek, and about one-fourth mile west of the Gallipolis road near Raccoon Island in Clay Township. The contractor was W. L. Hyde, of Marietta, Ohio, to whom the Survey is indebted for the following record: Depth at which

The well made a small showing of oil in the top of the Berea sand. However, after shooting, it gave a strong flow of water, but only a small quantity of oil.

Maxton And Middle Salt Sand Wells

Four shallow wells, in which the horizons reached by the drill are not definitely known, owing to lack of data, have been drilled in the western part of Gallia County. Many years ago a shallow test was drilled on the land of Dr. G. K. Ewing, which is located just south of the village of Ewington, in Huntington Township. The drill is reported to have descended to a depth of aboujt 500 feet and to have stopped in limestone, probably the Maxville. The well yielded a trifling flow of gas for many years. Two shallow tests were drilled north of Bidwell on the Adkins property, now owned by Aaron Quickie. They yielded only small flows of gas which proliably came from either the Maxton or Middle Salt sand. No definite information regarding these wells was secured. A shallow test located on the land of C. F. Vamey, and just east of the bridge that crosses Raccoon Creek at Adamsville, was drilled many years ago, and is yet producing a small flow of gas. It is reported to be a shallow well, probably extending no farther than the Maxton sand.