COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL, THURSDAY. JANUARY 15, 1925
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PAGE THREE
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Noted Geologist, JNithout Price, Nfter Year 's
Study, Says
Oil Field Is Here
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CLEMENT L. WEBSTER, M. 8.; Geologist, Mineralogist, Paleontologist and Scientist,
I who is endorsed by the Department of the Interior through the Geological Survey, through
’ j. W. McGee, assistant chief and acting chief at all times for J. W. Powell, who was chief
of the Geological Survey; endorsed by the Smithsonian Institution and the Bureau of Eth
nology, who appears as an authority in “American Men of Science, second edition, and in
the publication of the world known as “Who Is Who;”,whose works published on paleon
tology are used as textbooks in Yale college and are referred to and accepted by all workers
ip, this line of science; who is the author of 200 published tittles, including books, maps,
geological charts (mainly scientific), covering the principal gas and oil fields of the United
States, portions of Canada and Old Mexico; who conducted work in engineering for the
Iowa State University as a specialist in geology and paleontology; who is a member of
many of the highest scientific societies of the world, with over 30 years of technical and
practical experience in the leading oil fields of the world, tells the world what he knows
about the Guaranty Oil Company’s properties here and at Eugene.
This wonderful man has spent over one year in making a careful survey of the oil
structures in and near Lane county, Oregon, including the drilling block and the two oil
wells now being drilled by the Guaranty Oil Company of Oregon. Without solicitation, of
his own free will and accord has signed and submitted the following favorable report upon
the Guaranty Oil Company’s properties.
Only one motive can be found or ascribed to him for so doing and that is that he
naturally wishes to be on record so that in the future he can tell the world, “I told you so.”
MR. WEBSTER'S REPORT
Doctor D. E. Olson,
President The Guaranty Oil Company,
Eugene, Oregon.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit to you my report upon the conditions
found existing in the oil bearing regions of western Oregon
and the Eugene quadrangle, and other territory embraced
within this great oil area, which in this report I have pro
visionally designated as the Pacific Coast Oil Area.
GENERAL STATEMENTS
It may be sufficient for the purpose of this report to
state that: Herein are presented facts as to conditions found
aqd known to exist in the oil area here considered, and on
which conditions the conclusions here presented are based,
these conclusions resting upon well developed geological
principles recognized by leading oil geologists and oil de
velopment comnapies.
EXTENT OF THE OIL AREA INVESTIGATED AND TIME
CONSUMED IN INVESTIGATION.
The extent of this Pacific Coast Oil Area investigated
by me extends from the southern state line of California on
the south to and beyond the southern state lino of Washing
ton on the north, and comprises much of the western half of
the states of California and Oregon especially; and the time
consumed in these investigations began about the first of
December, 1923, and extended to the last of December, 1924.
The presentation of interesting details encountered and in
vestigated in this research work would be too voluminous
for this report and here serve no essential purpose.
The great and now famous oil and gas area of California
is too well known to the oil world to warrant discussion here.
Suffice it to say that this is now recognized as one of the
greatest and finest productive oil areas existing within the
United States; and it is well known to oil experts that this
great area is very far from exhaustion today. This area in
California presents some features of special interest, one of
them being the adequate porosity of many of the oil sands,
which permits of the accumulation of large bodies or pools
of oil; and another being the richness of the several great
general oil horizons, down to the depth of 4000 feet and
more. ’
The geology age of the strata of this great oil area
Varies somewhat, the lowest California oil being as now rec
ognized, in the topmost Cretaceous, and extends upwards into
the Tertiary, including the following great subdivision:
Tefon, Sespe, Vaqueros, Monterey and Fernando.
THE PACIFIC COAST OIL AREA OF OREGON.
This area in Oregon is a continuation of the same great
oil area of California with, of course, some lithological varia
tions from the general characters there, the geological age
being practically the same as two main divisions. In the
Oregon area there exists a slight question as to the geology
age of one or more of the subdivision, but as this question is
not one vital as to the occurrence of commercial oil in the
state, this matter will be passed over in the report.
In the southern central and southeastern portions of
Oregon the oil structures and lithological characters of some
of the oil strata varies somewhat from that of the same area
in this state as it extends to the state line of Washington.,
and presents some phases of especial interest and importance,,
but as this report is especially concerned with the Eugene
Quadrangle, a discussion here of these questions will be
deferred.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS, CONDITIONS AND OIL
STRUCTURES OF THE EUGENE QUADRANGLE
Special and extended study and investigation of this
quadrangle has been conducted by me (faring a part of the
period previously mentioned in thia report, and these same
investigations continued over wide areas in northern Oregon
and extended into Washington.
In all my many years of labor and experience in geology
and oil field investigations in the United States, I have no
where seen finer or mor<- numerous typical geological oil
structures (including domes, anticlines, synclines, monoclines,
closures, confining beds, etc.) than are shown in the Eugene
quadrangle and certain regions contiguous to it in Oregon.
It is true that at times a wildcat well may be drilled on a
good geological structure, but this is not the rule. This fact
is well illustrated by drillings conducted in a certain Wyo
ming oil field, as well as elsewhere.
In the Eugene Quadrangle is presented facts and geologi
cal conditions of great economic interest and importance as
bearing on the question of this finally proving a productive
oil field. Here is shown to be present the great beds of fossils
and marine life of the same geological age as the great oil
producing fields of California, and this usually shows evi
dence of a large source of oil supply; there here exists large
numbers of oil structures of the most perfect type and gen
erally they are found with perfect or nearly perfect closures,
all of which means very much in favor of the accumulation
of oil; splendid confining beds above and below. It has an
important closure on the east side of the area formed by a
great dike of basalt of special geological interest and ■im
portance. This dike is known to me to extend northward
for more than 1£5 miles and to have large and important
branches. This is indeed a remarkable and rare feature in
the known oil fields. A rare and remarkable feature relating
to the dike is the fact that nowhere have I observed much
if any evidence of metamorphism of the marine sediments,
although in many places there exists a perfect contact be
tween them. A very important fact is also noted, and that
is this great dike is geologically very young, having been
formed at a period long after all the marine sediments of
this quadrangle had been laid down. This may have some
bearing upon the question of early accumulation of oil here.
After its appearance, this dike had the effect of closing this
oil field on the .east, and also aided in forming, together with
other mountain-making forces at work here, the important
oil structure here and there of the monocline of this quad
rangle.
The oil well at Eugene is being drilled on the apex of
a splendid oil dome or anticline not far from from the dike.
Comparatively few as perfect oil domes exist in most other
oil fields. The oil well now being drilled at Cottage Grove
is so nearly analagous to the one at Eugene in all respects
that the statements herein made relating to the Eugene well
can apply equally well to this.
The geological series at and near Eugene in which the
oil wells of this quadrangle are being drilled belong to two
great geology ages: the upper part of the Cretaceous, and
the Tertiary. The latter perhaps included the Eocene, Oligo-
cene and Miocene. There may be some doubt expressed as
to the exact of at least one of the above formations, but as
this question is not of material importance as to the occur
rence of oil in the Eugene Quadrangle, this question, like
some others herein referred to, will not here be discussed.
Oil and gas seepages exist at various points at and near
the two above wells now being drilled, > bowing, of course,
that they originate from the rocks below. In a few eases. I
am convinced, marsh gas has been mistaken by a few for
petroleum gas.
The depth to which the boring of tue well at Eugene
has reached, I am informed, is approximately 2500 feet; and
th' drill has already passed through several oil sands yield
ing, the officials of the company state, from one to seven or
more barrels of oil. This was cased off, the drill continuing
greater depth. This oil occurs at about th' central portion of
the Tertiary as here represented. The baler, at the present
depth, is now bringing up considerable quantities of gas and
some oil, as reported by officials of the company and by all
the drillers; and both oil and gas from the well at Cottage
Grove, which is down around 1500 feet at the present time.
OIL HORIZONS OF THE EUGENE QUADRANGLE.
In the quadrangle there exists at least two distinct gen
eral oil and gas horizons: one at or near the eenter of the
Tertiary series as here represented, and a second horizon in
the Cretaceous immediately underlapping the Tertiary here,
'the same being the equivalent of the very productive oil sands
of southern California.
The drill at the well at Eugene has already passed
through this first oil horizon of the Tertiary, as previously
stated, and will reach the Cretaceous horizon below at the
depth of 3400 to 40(H) feet (and there is a possibility of oil
and gas being reached even before the depth of 3400 feet
is attained); and there appears from the evidence a possi
bility of oil being reached here at even a somewhat greater
depth. The drill alone can definitely determine that question
at the present time.
EQUIPMENT, DRILLERS AND DEPTH TO WHICH
DRILLING MAY BE CONDUCTED.
The drilling equipment at these two wells I believe to be
among the very best for the purpose and work undertaken,
and can attain any required depth that may reasonably be
desired, and the same is being handled with great efficiency.
GEOLOGICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF
THE EUGENE QUADRANGLE.
This quadrangle could not well be better located either
geologically or topographically. Geologically it presents fea
tures splendidly adapted to the accumulation of large bodies
or pools of oil and gas; and topographically it is splendidly
situated in a most desirable region between the Coast Range
and Cascades, and in these respects duplicates some of the
largest and best oil fields of the world.
DRILLING SITES.
In some places in this quadrangle it will be safer in
boring for oil to locate the drilling on the slope of the struc
ture rather than on its apex, for the reason, among possibly
others, that the porosity of the oil sands is so reduced the oil
will not accumulate at the apex but on the flank of the dome.
In other cases, however, the boring may safely be begun on
the apex of the anticline. These facts are well illustrated
by Plate I and Plate II of this report, which represent actual
and common conditions in oil fields.
PREPARATION FOR THE BRINGING IN OF THE WELLS.
Adequate preparations should be made for the bringing
in of the two wells of the Eugene Quadrangle, and so be
prepared for whatever events may take place at such bring
ing in.
GENERAL OPINIONS OF GEOLOGISTS AS TO POSSI
BILITIES OF THE OCCURRENCE OF OIL IN
OREGON AND THE EUGENE QUADRANGLE.
Many of the leading and experienced geologists of the
country are convinced that, the oil area of Oregon considered
in this report will prove a productive oil field when properly
developed; and I personally share in the opinion, this opinion
on my part, being based upon the long and continued personal
investigations and study of the. region herein considered, as
well as on extensive knowledge of all the principal oil and
gas fields of the United States and portions of Canada and
Old Mexico.
METAMORPHISM.
I find that in the Eugene Quadrangle as well as in many
other oil areas in Oregon here considered, metamorphism has
played a much less important part than has generally been
supposed, and that there is much less evidence existing as to
metamorphism here than has been thought possible.
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF THE OIL SANDS OF THE
PACIFIC COAST OIL AREA OF OREGON.
From my investigations I have found that the oil bear
ing sands and limestones of southern California gradually
become less porous (contains less voids) as they extend north
ward and enter Oregon and continue to its northern boun
dary, this being chiefly noticeable in the upper parts of the
Tertiary throughout the entire area here considered.
This lessening of porosity of the oil sands of the Ter
tiary of Oregon becomes a most important matter at times
and one which cannot be overlooked without grave danger to
the development of this area as a profitable oil field. But
very few oven of the oil experts have recognized this im
portant condition, and those who have have kept it to them
selves or the oil companies employing them.
This lessening of the adequate porosity of the oil bearing
strata, in places of this region, is responsible mainly for the
.lessening of the size and importance of the oil pools here.
The truth of these statements becomes apparent to the
expert who carries out an extensive and protracted research
investigation throughout this extensive area, as I have done,
and in no other way can these facta be adequately ascer
tained. The Cretaceous rocks below do not appear to lack
this porosity, as do the upper portions of the Tertiary oil
rocks above.
The high oil structures or domes on the eastern border
of the Eugene Quadrangle are the first to peel or show the
bad effect of this lessened porosity and the consequent les
sened accumulation of oil into pools here, while the smaller
oil structures of the monocline below generally offers the
greater inducement, for the accumulation of oil into pools.
In the area here considered this lessened porosity of the oil
strata is rarely ever due to metamorphism, but to a condition
existing at a time when the constituent elements of this Htrata
were originally laid down in the ancient seas This lessened
porosity of oil strata is not uniform by any means throughout
the entire area here treated of, but is more or less spotted
with this condition. As stated, this condition should be fully
understood, that all elements of risk may be eliminated so
far as possible in the exploration for oil in this area. This
condition as above set out has proven a stumbling block to
many geologists who have not had the time or opportunity
for adequate study and investigation of the oil strata of this
entire Pacific Coast Oil Area.
THE GUARANTY OIL COMPANY OF OREGON.
From my personal acquaintance with the personnel of
the Guaranty Oil Company of Oregon, I am much pleased to
say that during my long and extensive acquaintance with
corporations I have at no time found a more honorable,
square dealing, conscientious group of mon belonging to a
body corporate; and such are certainly entitled to the hearty
support and encouragement of every loyal citizen at all in
terested in the development of the natural resources of a
region or state.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) CLEMENT L. WEBSTER,
Geologist and Mining Engineer.
Eugene, Oregon, December 30, 1924.