J a n u a r y 1945.
ABSTRACTS.
PAGE Oi l f i e l d Ex p l o r a t i o n a n d Ex
p l o i t a t i o n.
Geology ... ... ... 2 a
G eophysics a n d G eochem ical P ro s p e c tin g ... ... 9 a
D r illin g ... ... ... ... 10 a
P ro d u c tio n ... ... ... 11 A
D ev elo p m en t ... ... ... 1 7a Tr a n s p o r t a n d St o r a g e. ... 19 a Re f i n e r y Op e r a t i o n s.
R efineries a n d A u x ilia ry R e finery P la n t ... ... 20 a
D istilla tio n ... ... ... 22 a
S o lv en t E x tr a c tio n ... ... 22 a
C racking ... ... ... 22 a
A lk y latio n ... ... ... 24 a
C hem ical a n d P h y sic a l R efining 25 a
S pecial P rocesses ... ... 26’ a
S a fe ty P re c au tio n s
P A G E 2 8 a
Pr o d u c t s.
C h e m istry a n d P hysics 2 8 a
A nalysis an d T estin g ... 3 5 a
C rude Oils 3 7 a
Gas ... ... .¡,. 4 0 a
E n g in e F u e ls ... 4 0 a
G as Oils a n d F u e l Oils 4 0 a
L u b ric a n ts 4 1 A
Special H y d ro c arb o n P ro d u c ts 42 a
Coal, Shale a n d P e a t ... 4 4 a
D eriv ed Chem ical P ro d u c ts ... 4 4 a
M iscellaneous P ro d u c ts 4 6 a En g i n e sa n d Au t o m o t i v e Eq u i p
m e n t . . . 4 9 a
B ook R eview s 5 0 a
B ooks R eceiv ed ... 5 1 A
A U T H O R IN D E X .
T he n u m b e rs refer to th e A b s tra c t N u m b e r.
The original papers referred to in the abstracts marked with an asterisk may be borrowed by Members from the Institute Library.
A lexander, A. W ., 20 A lther, J . G., 67 A nderson, A. P ., 141 A ndreev, A. E ., 73a A ntsus, L . I., 120 A rnold, P . T ., 107 A ttaw a y , P ., 79 A uerheim er, A. H ., 98 A vram enko, V. I., 73a B abcock, D. P ., 67 B addeley, G-., 112 B aer, H ., 92 B aker, J . W ., I l l B arnes, B . A ., 107 Beach, M. D ., 140 B ergm ann, F ., 81 B erkengheim , A. M., 142 Berliner, E ., 87 B e m d t, R . J ., 83 B iertuem pfel, B. E ., 101 B irkhim er, E. R ., 73 B loch, H . S., 78 Bowen, E . J ., 114 B ram lette, M. N ., 7 B ridgw ater, R . M., 149 Brown, G. M. J r ., 106 B runer, F . H ., 70 B unch, E. S., 46 B urch, J . G., 34 B urk, R . E ., 135 B u th o d , P ., 62, 63 B utz, L . W ., 85 Oass, R ., 159 Chegis, A. F ., 145 Chenicek, J . A., 132 Clark, S. K ., 4 Clarke, L. A ., 70 C layton, J . O., 135 C ondit, P . C., 135, 141 Cook, E. W ., 135 Cram er, C., 124 Crawford, J . G., 126
Crespin, I ., 5 Oavis, E ., 33 D ay, R . A ., 106 Dempsey, H . J ., 78 Denison, G-. H ., 134, 135,
141 Dial, L. H ., 25 D inder, R . 0 ., 117 Dolnick, A. A ., 109 E d el’shtein, N . G-., 145 Edw ards, W . R ., 86 Egloff, G., 127 Eschinazi, H . E ., 81 F arrin g to n , B. B ., 135 F ay , J , W. J ., 64 F ischer, F ., 75 Fischer, H . G. M., 74 F ischer, J . R ., 91 Florez, L. de, 67 F oster, A. L., 150 Fowler, R . L., 39 Franklin, J . L ., 119 G alpem , G. D ., 129 G etzendaner, F . M., 3 Gibbon, A., 21, 23 G orokholinskaya, M. S.,
144 G rant, C. W ., 1 G ray, J . W ., 67 G ray, L. R ., 61 Guyer, J . E ., 67 H aas, H . F ., 1 H am ilton, R. M., 60 H ark in s, W . D ., 105 H a tc h , L. F ., 84 H eck, E .-T ., 2 H eldm an, J . D ., 94 H em m inger, O. E ., 133 H ess, H . A., 36
H ibshm an, H . J ., 66 H im ek, C. M., 104 H o lt, P . H ., 67 H ughes, E . C., 135 H ughson, W. G., 138, 139 H u n tin g to n , R . L., 32 In d ra , M. E ., 125 Ipatieff, Y. N ., 100 Jaco b s, T. L ., 93, 95 Jessen, F. W ., 27 Jo hnson, T. W ., 30 Jo n h sto n , H . W ., 104 Jones, R. N ., 82 J u ra , G., 105 E a tz , D. L., 116 E a v an ag h , F . W., 135 E azak o v , E. I ., 145 E eay s, J . L., 80 E em ler, E. N ., 31, 35, 37 E n ib b , E . Y., 146 E o ch , H ., 75^
E o rp i, E . J . , ‘67 E o stain sek , Y. M., 135 E roenig, W ., 67 E u b ista , W . R ., 24 E u n k el, J . H ., 69 E y rid es, L. P ., 110 L anin, Y. A., 144- L arch ar, A. M., 67 Larsen, R . M., 126 Lieber, E ., 135 Lobeil, P ., 70 L ochte, H . C., 89 Lohm an, E . E ., 7 L ynch, C. C., 83 M ark, H ., 108 Marvel, C. S., 104 M astin, T. W ., 104 M ateer, G. L., 70
M auney, S. F ., 124 Mayo, F . R ., 109 Meier, J . W ., 104 M en’shikov, F ., 73a M erritt, J . W ., 15 M ikhailova, M. N ., 73a Monson, L. T ., 57 Moore, A. C., 84 Morgans, M., 103 M orrell, S. A., 98 Morris, B ., 73 Morrison, W. H ., 19 Moss, P . H ., 135 Mueller, G. P ., 90 M ukherjee, J . H ., 125 M urphy, M. T., 97 M urray, M. J ., 99 M cCurdy, J . L., 116 M cLellan, C. R ., 86 McMillan, W. G., 93 M cNab, J . G., 135 M acpherson, E . O., 138,
139
Nelson, W . L., 56, 58 N udenberg, W ., 85 Olive, T . R ., 65 O rchin, M., 88 Orelup, G. W ., 132 O thm er, D . F ., 115 P ardee, W . A ., 143 P atterso n , R . F ., 80 P erry , E . S., 6 P etro v , A. D ., 120 P fann, H . F ., 108 Pines, H ., 100 P lum m er, F . B ., 128, 148 P olunina, E. F ., 142 Pom eroy, R ., 38 Pressm an, D ., 96 Price, 0 . C., 90 B
A B S T R A C T S .
P ry o r, C. C., 2G Q uayle, 0 . R ., 10G Reeves, E . D ., 67 R ice, F . O., 97 R o ark , R . C., 154 R o b erts, J . D ., 93 R o b erts, O. L ., 67 R o b erts, S. M., 135 Rossini, F . D ., 121, 122 Salley, D. J ., 108 Saw don, W . A ., 17, 40 Saw yer, R . L., 70 S ch aad , R . E ., 78, 100
Sckom aker, V ., 91 Schonberg, J . R ., 73 Searles, S., 95 Seyer, W. F ., 80 S hand, W . J r ., 91 Shanley, W. B ., 73 Sheridan, J ., 113 Simons, H . F ., 18 Sloss, L. L., 6 S ojoum er, W . C., 33 Soroos, H ., 103 Spencer, W . D ., 147 Spring, F . S., 68 Steinetz, E. W ., 131 Stenhagen, E ., 102 Stevenson, E . H ., 99
Streiffi, A. J ., 121 S tu a rt, A. H ., 158 T ag tstro m , B ., 102 Taylor, I ., 59 Taylor, W. J ., 122 Thom as, E . D., 89 Thom as, W . D ., 135 T ru itt, P ., 89 T u rn er, C. F ., 72 W allace, T. H ., 29 W arrick, H . R ., 67 W ebber, M. W ., 123 W einrich, W ., 143 W elty, A. B., 74
W hiteley, B. W ., 62, 63 W h itso n , J ., 104 W iebe, R ., 130 W iedeking, K ., 75 W ingen, N . v a n , 28 W inning, C., 135 W oodring, W . P ., 7 W oodw ard, R . R ., 92 W orks, M. T ., 16
Y oung, D . W ., 101 Y oung, W . G ., 96 Z im m erm an, G. B ., 67 Zobell, C. E ., 1
Oi l f i e l d E x p l o r a t i o n a n d Ex p l o i t a t i o n.
Geology.
1.* Marine Micro-organisms which Oxidize Petroleum Hydrocarbons. C. E . Zobell, C. W . G ra n t, a n d H . F . H a a s . B ull. Amer. A ss. Petrol. Oeol., S e p te m b e r 1943, 27 (9), 1175-1193. B ib lio g ra p h y of 83 ite m s.— S e a -w ate r fro m t h e e u p h o tic zone c o n ta in s 10-1000 h y d ro c arb o n -o x id iz in g b a c te ria p e r litre , a n d 100—100,000 su c h b a c te ria h a v e b een fo u n d p e r g ra m of re c e n t m a rin e se d im e n ts. A ll sam p les of se d im e n ts, r e g a r d less of d istan c e fro m la n d , w a te r d e p th , o r core d e p th , h a v e sh o w n th e ir presence.
M ost of th e o rg an ism s in m a rin e e n ric h m e n t c u ltu re s h a v e p ro v e d to b e species of Proactinomyces, Actinomyces, Pseudomonas, Micromonospora, o r Mycobacterium.
Proactinomyces is a fila m en to u s, m o uld-like b a c te riu m , w h ic h is d iffe re n tia te d fro m Actinomyces b y in a b ility to fo rm sp o res in th e a e ria l m y celiu m . F iv e to 10% of th e m icro -o rg an ism s fro m m a rin e b o tto m se d im e n ts a re Proactinomyces. W . W . U m b re it (J. Bact., 1939, 38, 73-89) r e p o rts t h a t m a n y soil Proactinomyces oxidize h y d ro c a rb o n s.
V ery few Actinomyces h a v e b e en fo u n d in th e sea a t s ta tio n s re m o te fro m te rrig e n o u s c o n ta m in a tio n . T e rre s tria l A . elastica, A . fascus, A . oligocarbophilus, A . chromogenes albus, A . bovis, A . eppinger, a n d A . trautwein oxidize h y d ro c a rb o n s. T w o n ew species o f Pseudomonas fro m th e sea also do th is . O f sev eral species of m arin e M ycobacterium, a t le a st tw o c an u tilize h y d ro c a rb o n s as th e ir sole so u rce of c a rb o n a n d en erg y . F . E . H a a g (Centralbl. f . B akt., 1927, A b t. I I , 71, 1-45) fo u n d t h a t th e a b ility of c e rta in s a p ro p h y tic Mycobacteria in th is d ire c tio n co u ld b e u se d to d iffe re n tia te th e m fro m o th e r b a c te ria . Species b e lo n g in g to Bacillus, Bacterium, Corynebacterium, M icro
coccus, Sarcina, Serratia, a n d Spirillum h a v e also b e en c re d ite d w ith th is fu n c tio n , a s h a v e c e rta in m o u ld s of th e g e n era Aspergillus a n d Penicillium , a n d se v e ra l y e a s ts o r y east-lik e organism s.
T h e g r e a t m a jo rity of th e re s u lts of th e m ic ro b ial o x id a tio n of p e tro le u m h y d r o c arb o n s h a v e been o b ta in e d w ith th e p la n ts g ro w in g in th e p re sen ce of free oxygen.
W . O. T au sso n (P lanta, 1928, 5, 85-93) re p o rts t h a t Bacterium benzoli u se d u p a b o u t 8 gm s. of b enzene in 42 d a y s in th e p resen ce of n itr a te s . T h is is m a in ly of th e o re tic a l in te re s t, since n o rm ally n itr a te s d isa p p e a r fro m a se d im e n t befo re i t is e x h a u s te d of its o xygen. T h e o ccu rren ce of s u lp h a te -re d u c in g b a c te ria in c ru d e oil a n d oil-w ell b rin e s h a s fre q u e n tly been re p o rte d , a n d D r. H a a s c an n o w d e m o n s tra te th e a n aero b ic u tiliz a tio n of p araffin , kerosene', decane, te tra d e c a n e , a n d c etan e b y b a c te ria g row ing in s u lp h a te m ed ia. F e rro u s iro n w a s em p lo y ed in th e e x p e rim e n ts to co m b in e w ith th e h y d ro g e n su lp h id e a s fa s t as i t w a s fo rm ed in t h e re d u c tio n , since in c o n c e n tra tio n s exceeding 0-0001 m ol. p e r litre , H 2S in h ib its b a c te ria l o x id a tio n of p e tro le u m h y d r o c arb o n s. I n som e cases in n a tu r e th e s u lp h a te m a y b e re d u c e d to free su lp h u r. T h e to x ic effect is d u e to th e su lp h id e ion a n d n o t to ch an g es in th e h y d ro g e n -io n c o n cen t r a tio n . H y d ro g e n su lp h id e is n o t co m p a tib le w ith ox y g en in a n alk alin e m ed iu m , b u t co n tro ls show t h a t a p H as low as 6-0 does n o t p r e v e n t b a c te ria l a tt a c k on h y d r o c arb o n s. F re e ox y g en p ro m o te s th e b a c te ria l a c tiv ity , b u t t h e o x y g en ten s io n seem s to b e re la tiv e ly u n im p o rta n t, p ro v id ed som e free oxygen is p re se n t.
M ost of th e ex p erim e n ts h a v e been c o n d u cted a t 22° C., b u t som e of th e h y d r o c arb o n -o x id izin g b a c te ria a re a c tiv e a t a s low a s 0° C., a n d o th e rs a t as h ig h as 53° C.
M ost of th e m arin e form s w ill m u ltip ly a t 0-4° C., b u t v e ry few a t o v er 30° C. B a c te ria w h ich to le ra te h ig h te m p e ra tu re s a re especially a c tiv e a t th ese. A giv en c u ltu re a t
..3S T R A Q T S .
55° oxidized seven tim e s as m u ch p araffin w ax as a t 22°. H ig h e st te m p e ra tu re for g row ing b a c te ria is p u t a t 85° C.
M arine b a c te ria a re used to a n av erag e s a lin ity of 3-4% , b u t som e c o n tin u e to grow if such a so lu tio n is d ilu te d as m u ch as 1 : 10 w ith d istilled w a te r. T h ey also rem ain a c tiv e o n a d d itio n of 12 -1 5 % of sodium chloride. T o le ratio n of o th e r chlorides is b ein g in v estig a te d . L im its of p H for th e h y d ro c arb o n -o x id izin g species a re from 6-0 to 10. L ow ered p H m ay be d u e to carb o n ic acid. H . F . Jo h n s o n et al. (J . Cell, and Comp. Physiol., 1942, 19, 163-172) sa y t h a t th e r a tio of c arb o n dioxide p ro d u ced to o x y g en co n su m ed ran g es fro m 0-47 to 0-63, a cc o rd in g to th e h y d ro c a rb o n ac ted u p o n . R . W . S tone et al. (J. B a d ., 1942, 44, 169-177) give a m ean v alu e of 0-65 fo r th e b a c te ria l dissim ilatio n of lig h t oils, a n d also su g g est t h a t organic acids m ay re su lt fro m th e fe rm e n ta tio n of h y d ro c arb o n s. S. J . H o p k in s a n d A. C. C hibnall (1932) re p o rt t h a t th e in te rm e d ia te p ro d u c ts of m eta b o lism of Aspergillus versicolor w hen it a tta c k s h ig h e r paraffins a re p ro b a b ly k eto n es a n d p o ly k eto n es, a n d t h a t f u r th e r o x id a tio n re su lts in th e p ro d u c tio n of s h o rte r f a tty acids.
W ith in c e rta in lim its long-chain h y d ro c a rb o n s a re oxidized m ore read ily th a n th o se of sm aller m o lecu lar w e ig h t, a n d a lip h a tic com pounds a re m o re su scep tib le th a n cyclic o r a ro m a tic com pounds. E n cb p ro d u c ts of b a c te ria l a ctio n are c arb o n dioxide, m eth a n e, o rg an ic acids, a n d b a c te ria l p ro to p la sm . A lth o u g h th e re ac tio n s w ill ta k e place fully in a n a q u eo u s sy stem , th e presence of san d , s ilt, diato m aceo u s e a rth , a n d o th e r in e rt a d so rb e n ts accelerates th e o x id atio n , since-th e b a c te ria h a v e a b e tte r chance of a tt a c k ing^ oil a d so rb e d on th o su rfaces of g ra in s t h a n of d ealing w ith oil globules in w a ter.
Sam ples of c ru d e oil a d d ed to m arin e sed im en ts a re ra p id ly d e stro y ed u n d e r aerobic co n d itio n s. T he w o rk of h y d ro c arb o n -o x id iz in g b a c te ria , w h ich a p p ea r to b e of w id e
sp re a d o ccurrence, m ay a c c o u n t fo r th e failu re of c e rta in sc ien tists to find p etro leu m h y d ro c a rb o n s in sed im e n t sam ples. L ikew ise such b a c te ria m ig h t p re v e n t th e acc u m u la tio n of d e te c ta b le q u a n titie s of h y d ro c a rb o n s in e x p erim e n ts w ith m ix ed c u ltu re s designed to d e m o n s tra te th e tra n s fo rm a tio n of organic m a tte r in to h y d ro carb o n s. P ro b a b ly i t is o nly u n d e r c o n d itio n s in im ical to th o se b a c te ria t h a t oil
c a n a cc u m u la te in sed im en ts. A. L .
2.* Regional Metamorphism of Coal in South-eastern West Virginia. E . T . H eck . Bull. Amer. Ass. Petrol. Geol., S ep tem b e r 1943, 27 (9), 1194-1227.— V a ria tio n in ra n k (fixed-carbon c o n te n t) of coal h a s been a cc o u n te d fo r in diverse w ays. T h e a re a d is
cussed falls w ith in th e A p p a lac h ia n fo relan d , w h ere th e com posite for all seam s as acc ep te d b y N o ltin g a n d H eadlee (1939) show s a ste a d y increase e as tw ard , fro m 55%
to 90% , in to th e region of o v e r-th ru s tin g w h ere som e low er ra n k in stan c es hav e h ith e rto b een a sc rib e d to ano m alo u s local relief of p ressu re. I n G reen b rier, F a y e tte v ille, R aleig h , W yom ing, a n d Dow ell C ounties, W est V irginia, th e ra n k of th e Sewell coal m ay increase w e stw a rd s fro m 70 to a b o u t 85 in a d istan ce of 25 m iles. T h is is e v id en tly n o t d u e to ano m alo u s ten sio n u n d e r a n o v e rth ru s t, b u t m ay be b e st ascrib ed to late ra l th ic k e n in g of th e fo rm er lo ad of sed im en ts. T h is ugrees w ith H . D . R o g ers’ early o b se rv a tio n t h a t th e fixed -carb o n c o n te n t in a given v e rtic a l section is h ig h er in th e m ore deeply b u rie d coals— a law w h ich w as m ore precisely s ta te d by C arl H ilt (Zeit.
Ver. Deutscher Ingen, 1873, 17 (4), 194-202). I n 1879, in P e n n sy lv a n ia , J . P . Lesley a c tu a lly p o in te d o u t t h a t th e coal-bearing s t r a ta th ic k e n ed to w a rd s th e a n th ra c ite region, a n d sug g ested t h a t th e P e rm ia n h a d been th ic k e r o ver th e a n th ra c ite b asin t h a n in th e w e ste rn p a r t of th e S ta te . L esley also ex p lain ed t h a t differences in o rig in al o v e rb u rd e n w ou ld a c c o u n t fo r “ d is tu rb e d ” B elgian coals n o t being a n th r a cites, w hile A rk an sas a n th ra c ite s a re n o t “ d is tu rb e d .”
D a v id W h ite a n d R e in h a rd t T h iessen (U .S. Bur. M ines, Bull., 1913, 38, 127) recognized in th e A p p a lac h ia n coal-field a loss of v o latiles as h ig h as 0-6% for each 100 ft. of d e p th . O th e r stu d ies in v a rio u s fields seem to show t h a t th e fixed-carbon c o n te n t increases in b itu m in o u s coals a t a r a te of 0-5-0-8 p e r 100 ft. of stratigraphic d e p th . F . R eeves (Bull. Amer. A ss. Petrol. Geol., 1928, 12, 795-823) p u ts th e av erag e r a te in th e A p p a lac h ia n a re a a t 6-9. R eeves em p h asized t h a t m u ch of th e increase in ra n k on th e w ell-know n iso carb m ap s is due to th e fa c t t h a t successively older coal- seam s o u tcro p as th e m o u n ta in s a re a p p ro ac h ed , b u t also s ta te d t h a t th e coals increased in fixed c arb o n w ith in cre asin g p re s e n t cover. I f analyses of w e ath e red coal are d isreg ard ed , it a p p ea rs t h a t v a ria tio n in p re se n t d e p th of cover h as little effect on th e r a n k of A p p a lac h ia n coals.
A B S T R A C T S .
“W h ite ’s o rig in al th e o ry t h a t t h r u s t p re ssu re w as tr a n s m itte d th r o u g h th e coal m easu res w ith d im in ish in g force e n tire ly a cro ss th e g r e a t A p p a lac h ia n field, a d ista n c e of 150 m l., h a s a lre a d y b e e n c h allenged b y P . H . P ric e (J . Geol., 1931, 39, 2 4 -4 4 ), w h o declares t h a t a m ass of h e tero g en eo u s se d im e n ts w ill n o t tr a n s m it a ta n g e n tia l stre ss fo r a n y co n sid erab le d istan ce. T ra n sm issio n of stresse s w as th r o u g h th e C am bro- O rd o v ic ia n lim esto n es a n d th e p re -C am b ria n b a se m e n t, a n d co u ld n o t b e ev en ly tr a n s m itte d to th e o v e rly in g v e ry th ic k sed im e n ts (S herrill, J . Geol., 1934, 42, 2 2 5 - 274). S. L . G alp in also co m m e n ts t h a t w h e n d eep ly b u rie d ro ck s fail b y fo ld in g of th e A p p a lac h ia n ty p e th e re is evidence t h a t th e y b e h a v e like p la s tic m a te ria l. I f t h is be tr u e , i t follow s t h a t ta n g e n tia l t h r u s t c a n n e v e r develop a stre s s t h a t is m a te ria lly h ig h e r th a n th e v e rtic a l stre ss. T h e s u p e rin c u m b e n t ro c k c o lu m n w o u ld d e te rm in e th e m ax im u m a m o u n t of p re ssu re in ev ery case.
P ossible change of r a n k because of clim atic c o n d itio n s in flu en cin g ty p e s of p la n t g ro w th a n d th e c h a ra c te r of b a c te ria l d eco m p o sitio n is d isc o u n te d in th e A p p a la c h ia n field since v a ria tio n is fro m e a s t to w est, n o t fro m n o r t h to s o u th . I n a n y case, w h en coals of sev eral ty p e s re ac h t h e r a n k of se m i-b itu m in o u s (fixed c a rb o n 7 0 -7 5 % ) th e ir chem ical an aly ses converge, a n d ab o v e th is ra n k — a p a r t fro m a c o n tin u in g , b u t dim in ish in g , difference b e tw ee n fu sa in a n d v itr a ih — a n aly se s of th e b a n d e d c o n s titu e n ts of a single b e d also becom e m o re n e a rly alike.
E ffects of saline w a te rs on b a c te ria w h ic h m a y c arb o n ize o rg an ic m a t t e r to coal seem to b e u n im p o r ta n t so f a r as K a n a w h a , B oone, R o a n e, e tc .. C o u n ties a re c o n cern ed , since th e r e su c h w a te rs a re p ro d u c e d fro m ro c k s a sso c iated w ith coals, of differo n t r a n k s , w h ic h a re q u ite sim ila r to o th e r coals in t h e a rea . C oncerning th e leakage of v o latile m a te ria l th r o u g h c e rta in ty p e s of ro o f, o r a d s o rp tio n a n d d eco m p o sitio n of h y d ro c a rb o n s in c e r ta in shale lay e rs, th e r e is no evidence.
Ig n e o u s o r h y d ro th e rm a l effects a re n o t m u c h in evidence in t h e A p p a la c h ia n a re a . A few sm all d ykes do occu r, b u t n o t in s o u th -e a s te rn W es t V irg in ia.
T h e fa c t t h a t th e p e rc e n ta g e of d r y w ells in creases a s th e 65 iso carb lin e is a p p ro a c h e d m a y b e e x p la in ed b y th e u n fa v o u ra b le s tr u c tu r a l c o n d itio n s— in te n s ity of fo ld in g a n d likelihood of oil fo rm ed p rio r to th e c essatio n of d e p o sitio n m ig ra tin g a w ay fro m th e c e n tre of th e sy n clin al b asin . I t b y no m ean s follow s, h o w ev er, t h a t a ll oil a n d gas h a v e so m ig ra te d fro m regions h a v in g coals w ith h ig h fix ed -c arb o n c o n te n ts .
A ta b le fo r t h e Sewell a n d No. 3 P o c a h o n ta s coals in d ic a te s t h a t t h e a m o u n t of fines p ro d u c e d in m in in g a coal te n d s to in crease a s th e r a n k rises.
W . T . T h o m , J r . , a d d s a c o m m e n ta ry on th e im p o rta n c e of p re ssu re s of a v e ry few a tm o sp h e res a t n o rm al te m p e ra tu re s (50-70° F .) in c o n v e rtin g th e g e la tin o u s colloids of p e a t in to th e “ h a rd -ru b b e r ” g ro u n d m as s of lig n ite. S u b s e q u e n tly p re ssu re ind u ces fra c tu rin g , a n d T h o m a ttr ib u te s f u r th e r degrees of coal m e ta m o rp h is m to te m p e ra tu re effects, since a rise to 212° F . b re a k s d o w n m a n y colloidal c o n s titu e n ts a n d e lim in ates m eth a n e. I n th e C re sted B u t te a n d A n th r a c ite R a n g e regions, C olorado, h e a tin g is b y v o la tile e x u d a tio n s fro m so lid ify in g igneous rock-bodies. A . L . 3.* Problem of the Pre-Trinity [ = Neocomian and Earlier] Deposits in South Texas.
F . M. G etze n d an e r. B u ll. A m er. A ss. Petrol. Geol., S e p te m b e r 1943, 27 (9), 1228- 12 4 4.— T h e U p p e r J u ra s s ic -L o w e r C retaceo u s succession in E a s t T ex as, L o u isian a, a n d A rk a n sa s h a s b een re v ised b y S h re v e p o rt G eological S o ciety a n d R . W . Im la y , w ho h a s p ro v id e d m u c h c o m p a ra tiv e in fo rm a tio n fro m t h e w e st side of t h e U p p e r J u ra s s ic “ M e d ite rra n e a n ” in n o rth -w e s te rn M exico. T h e n ew in fo rm a tio n m a y be su m m ariz ed th u s :
F e e t.
U p p e r J u ra s s ic L ow er
C retaceous
-P a lu x y fo rm a tio n . M oorin g sp o rt fo rm a tio n . T r in ity J F e rry L ak e a n h y d rite
D iv isio n J R o d e ssa fo rm a tio n . P in e I s la n d fo rm a tio n
-Sligo ( = T ra v is P e a k ) fo rm a tio n .N eocom ian H o s sto n fo rm a tio n .
V alley fo rm a tio n . I rsucKner fo rm a tio n .
2 8 0 - 500 1 6 0 - 300 1600-2300 2275-3175 2 7 5 - 495 900-1200 450-1200 to 1200 270-1600
7 5 - 750 to 500 to 500
A B S T R A C T S .
M orehouse to C o tto n V alley p ro b a b ly covers O x fo rd ian to T ith o n ia n . W h a te v e r th e case m a y b e h ig h er up, S m ackover lim esto n e a n d E agle Mills red b ed s, a n h y d rite a n d s a lt a re re fe rre d to th e J u ra s s ic .
T h ro u g h o u t all th e tim e re p rese n ted , th e re h as been p rogressive tiltin g of th e e n tire C oastal P la in a re a to w a rd s th e G ulf of Mexico b asin . T h e hinge-line of m u ch of th is tiltin g h a s been a g re a t subsidence fa u lt b e tw een th e s ta b le O u a ch ita-p h a se m eta- m o rp h ics on th e n o rth , a n d P e rm ia n , Ju ra s s ic , a n d old er N eocom ian d e p o sits on th e so u th . R a p id increase of th e r a te of d ip is fo u n d on th e B asin M argin flexure, a n d it is p o s tu la te d t h a t th e r a te of d ip is a fu n c tio n o f th e se d im e n tary load.
I n th e w e ste rn p a r t of L im esto n e C ou n ty , T exas, G illiam No. 1 w ell fo u n d m eta- m o rp h ic b a se m e n t a t a b o u t 4867 f t. T rin ity a n d p re -T rin ity sed im en ts a m o u n te d to 2471 f t. T h e N o rris well, f a rth e r s o u th in th e sam e c o u n ty , p e n e tra te d 6000 ft. of sed im en ts a n d ev ap o rite s a f te r to p p in g th e T rin ity . B etw een th e tw o wells can be d ra w n a segm ent of th e J u ra s s ic co ast, a n d th e in d icatio n s a re t h a t in S o u th T exas we h a v e s till g re a te r th ick n esses of p re -T rin ity rocks.
F iv e of th e fo rm atio n s— C o tto n V alley, H o ssto n , R odessa, P in e Isla n d , a n d Sligo—
p ro d u c e oil a t p laces in E a s t T ex as, L o u isia n a, a n d A rk a n sa s. S alt dom es seem to be lo ca ted in th e d eep er p a r ts of th e b asin . T h ree S o u th T ex a n sa lt dom es a re a lre ad y k now n— P ie d ra s P in ta s a n d P a la n g a n a in D u v a l C ou n ty , a n d G yp H ill, 35 m l. so u th of th ese in B rooks C o u n ty . N u m ero u s g ra v ity m in im a in th e s o u th c o astal a re a of T ex as, a n d a s f a r in la n d as P e sc a d ito in W eb b C o u n ty , p ro b a b ly occur o ver s a lt dom es.
Ju ra ss ic to L ow er Glen R ose ( = e a rly T rin ity , viz. Sligo, P in e Isla n d , a n d R odessa) seas c o n ta in ed m a n y islan d s a n d p en in su las now b u ried . T h e n ear-sh o re perm eable elastics fro m th ese re q u ire to b e lo ca ted a n d te s te d . W ells d rilled on older h y p o th eses so u g h t th e c rests of such s tru c tu re s r a th e r th a n th e rich ly p ro d u c tiv e flanks.
A. L . 4.* Classification of Faults. S tu a r t K . C lark. Bull. Amer. Ass. Petrol. Geol., S ep tem b e r 1943, 27 (9), 1245-1265.— T h e defin itio n t h a t “ a n o rm al fa u lt h ad es to th e d o w n th ro w , w hereas a rev erse fa u lt h a d es to th e u p th ro w ” leaves u s in th e d a rk a s to th e forces or stresses w h ich h a v e re su lte d in th e ty p e of failu re of th e c ru s t re fe rre d to . A c tu ally a fa u lt-p lan e ap p ro ac h in g th e v e rtic a l m ay w obble a few degrees to e ith e r side, as in th e cases d escribed b y T . C lem ents in th e T ejo n Q u ad ran g le, C alifornia (Bull. Amer. Ass. Petrol. Geol., 1937, 21, 212-232), w ith o u t b ein g ten sio n al (— “ n o rm al ” ) o r com pressional ( = “ reverse ” ).
T h e follow ing classification is pro p o sed :—
1. Normal diagonal shears re p re s e n t diag o n al sh e a rin g failu re d u e to re la tiv e local u p lift (or subsidence). T h is is th e com m onest ty p e , a n d it p re d o m in ate s in th e oil
fields of th e M id -C o n tin en t a n d G ulf C oast. T h e fa u lt-p la n e m ay becom e m ore steep ly inclined a t d ep th ,-sh o w in g a n in cre asin g co m p o n en t of v e rtic a l sh e a r—e.g., F i t ts O il
field, P o to to c C ounty, O klahom a. L an d slip s m a y b e classed u n d e r th is heading.
2. Reverse diagonal shears (thrust faults) in d ic a te d iagonal sh e a rin g failu re d u e to a p p ro x im ate ly h o rizo n tal com pressive stresses, o r in stra tifie d rocks, stresses t r a n s m itte d along .the b e d d in g plan es. T h is is th e sam e as n o rm a l d iagonal sh e a r e x cep t fo r th e d irec tio n of th e ap p lied s tre ss—e.g., T u rn e r V alley field, A lb e rta . F a u lt- p lan es a n d jo in ts p a ralle l to th e m te n d to becom e less s te ep ly in clin ed a n d to die o u t a t d e p th —e.g., M alvern H ills, E n g lan d .
3. Horizontal fa u lts (bedding-plane shears) in clu d e cases w h ere m asses of s t r a ta hav e been displaced along sh earin g -p lan es a p p ro a c h in g th e h o rizo n tal. Sm all disp lace
m en ts along b e d d in g plan es a re p ro b a b ly com m on, b u t a re n a tu r a lly h a rd to recognize, unless th e re a re slickensides. T h e ir o rig in is th e d o w n-w arping of a n a rro w syncline o r a w ide geosynclinal deep fu ll of se d im e n ts, w h ich sets u p g re a te r com pressive stresses in th e u p p e r beds t h a n in th e low er ones—e.g., re p e titio n of th e W ap a n u ck a lim esto n e b y sliding on th e Caney shale (M ississippian), O k la h o m a ,a n d H e a r t M o u n tain
“ o v e r th r u s t,” n e a r Cody, W yom ing, w h ere th e n a p p e tra v e lle d on a la n d surface a n d in places q u a rtz ite cobbles a c te d as “ ro lle rs.” R ev erse diag o n al sh earin g o ften occurs w ith in , or u n d e rn e a th th e m o ving m ass—e.g., scfrappen-structure, N o rth -w e st H ig h lan d s of Scotland.
4. Tension faults re p re se n t d irec t-te n sio n fra c tu re s a p p ro x im a te ly a t rig h t angles to th e b e d d in g a n d to th e d irectio n s of ap p lied stre ss, a n d co n seq u en t g ra v ity slum ping of th e segm ents involved. T ensile stresses a re n o t p re v a le n t o ver w id esp read areas,
A B S T R A C T S .
since th e w eakness of ro ck s in ten sio n p re clu d e s tra n s m is s io n o v e r long d istan c e s . T h e y a re o fte n fo u n d o n a n tic lin a l folds—e.g., K e ttle m a n H ills, N o r th D om e, C ali
fo rn ia. T h e collapsed c re st, fa u lt-p la n e s a t h ig h angles of 70-80° in clin ed p e rs is te n tly to w a rd s th e ax is, a n d d isa p p e a ran c e of fa u ltin g a t d e p th a re a ll c h a ra c te ris tic .
5. Lateral shears d u e to sh e a rin g fa ilu re alo n g n e a rly v e rtic a l p la n e s, w h e re v e rtic a l d isp lac em e n t is se c o n d ary in im p o rta n c e c o m p a re d w ith la te ra l m o v e m e n t—e.g., S an A n d reas fa u lt, tra c e a b le fo r 500 m l. fro m th e M exican b o rd e r to P u n t a A re n a s in n o r th e r n C alifornia, w h ere i t d isa p p ea rs b e n e a th th e Pacific.
6. Vertical shears a re th e o re tic a lly a re s u lt of d iffere n tia l u p lif t u n d e r sufficient th ic k n e ss of o v erly in g ro ck . M a th e m a tic a l a n aly sis in d ic a te s t h a t b u ria l to a d e p th of a p p ro x im a te ly 40,000 ft. is n e ce ssary fo r th is ty p e of fa ilu re to be in itia te d in solid hom ogeneous lim esto n e, less c o m p e te n t b ed s dev elo p in g su c h fa ilu re s a t lesser d e p th s . T h e y p re su m a b ly o ccu r a t g re a t d e p th as th e in itia l f r a c tu re re s u ltin g fro m d ifferen tial u p lift, ab o v e th e zone of flow o r m o lecu lar r e a d ju s tm e n t, a n d p r o p a g a te n o rm al d iag o n al sh e a rs as th e su rface is ap p ro ac h ed . R egions of v e ry deep ero sio n m ig h t be recognized fro m th e ir o ccu rren ce a t th e surface.
U n fo rtu n a te ly m o st fa u lts a re b a d ly exposed, a n d o fte n co rre sp o n d w ith lines of erosion, b u t slickensiding m a y te ll th e d ire c tio n of la te s t m o v e m e n t. A . L .
5.* Note on the Present Knowledge of the Tertiary Sequence in Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea. Ire n e C respin. Summary Review b y B . W . C ollins. Bull.
Amer. A ss. Petrol. Oeol., S e p tem b e r 1943, 2? (9), 1286-1268. B ib lio g ra p h y of 45 ite m s in cludes Solom on Isla n d s .— T h e n a tiv e trib e s a re a p t to b e u n frie n d ly to w a rd s oil p ro sp e cto rs a n d th e t e r r a in is difficult : h ig h m o u n ta in ra n g e s w ith o u tc ro p s o nly in deep riv e r v alleys. T h e T e r tia r y fo ram in ife ra l, co ral, a n d m o llu scan assem blages a re sim ilar to th o se in th e N e th e rla n d s E a s t In d ie s . T h e sam e s tr a tig r a p h ic a l classi
ficatio n seem s to a p p ly .
E ocene ro ck s in situ h a v e b e e n s p a rin g ly o b se rv ed alo n g th e S epik d iv id e to w a rd s th e b o rd e r of D u tc h N ew G u in ea a n d on th e W ah g i p la te a u . T h e y also o ccu r in s o u th e a s te rn P a p u a , especially n e a r P o r t M oresby. F o ra m in ife ra in clu d e Gamerina, A ssilina, Discocyclina, Biplanispira, Pellatispira, a n d Borelis. T h e re a re a few Oligocene lo calities w ith “ Lepidocyclina ” a n d re tic u la te la te Camerina.
L ow er M iocene (A q u itan ian ,-sta g e “ e ” of E a s t I n d ia n T e r tia r y ) is m o d e ra te ly well develo p ed in b o th te rrito rie s —e.g., a t B o o tless I n le t, n e a r P o r t M oresby, w h e re larg e eulepidines a re a b u n d a n t in lim esto n e. O n T u m leo Is la n d , n o r th - e a s t N ew G uinea, a lim esto n e is a lm o st e n tire ly com posed of te s ts of Spiroclypeus. A t a n o th e r lo ca lity Mioaypsinoides is c h a ra c te ris tic . M iddle a n d low er U p p e r M iocene (B u rd ig alian , sta g e “ f ” ) a re also w ell re p re se n te d , a n d c o n ta in “ Lepidocyclina,” Trybliolepidina, M iogypsina, Katacycloclypeus, Alveolina bontangensis, b u t no Eulepidina o r Spiroclypeus.
M io-Pliocene (to p of U p p e r M iocene to L o w er P liocene, ro u g h ly sta g e “ g ” of E a s t In d ies) is w id e sp rea d in b o th N ew G u in ea a n d P a p u a . L arg e F o ra m in ife ra a re a b s e n t, b u t sm all ty p e s a re a b u n d a n t in m u d sto n es, w h ich in p laces re ac h a co n sid erab le th ic k n e ss. M ollusca a re w ell re p re se n ted .
U p p e r P liocene sed im e n ts of N ew G u in ea c a n n o t b e c o rre la te d a c c u ra te ly w ith E a s t In d ia n d ep o sits, b u t b ed s w ith ab o v e a c e rta in p e rc e n ta g e of m o d ern form s a re p u t in th e P leisto cen e (? ). U p p e r P lio cen e m u d sto n es, recognized in P a p u a on th is n e g a tiv e b asis, c o n ta in sm all F o ra m in ife ra in clu d in g r o ta lin e s ; a n d a t C ape P o ssessio n th e re is a ric h m o llu scan fa u n a of sim ilar age. I n N ew G uinea, b e d s e q u iv a le n t to th e U p p e r W an im o series a re U p p e r Pliocene.
T h e P leisto cen e is chiefly of c h alk y c o ral lim esto n es w ith F o ra m in ife ra of ty p ic a l p re s e n t-d a y c o a s ta l ty p e s m ix e d w ith th e u su a l pelagic species. T h e fin est d e v elo p m e n t seem s to be in th e e a s t of N ew G u in ea a n d in a d ja c e n t islan d s as f a r as N ew
B rita in . A . L .
6.* Big Snowy Group : Lithology and Correlation in the Northern Great Plains. E . S.
P e r r y a n d L . L . Sloss. Bull. Amer. A ss. Petrol. Geol., O c to b er 1943, 27 (10), 1287- 1304).— T h e B ig Snow y g ro u p (M iddle a n d U p p e r M ississippian) com prises shales, sa n d sto n e s, lim esto n es, a n d e v a p o rite s. I t h a s y ield ed som e oil, a n d c o m p a res in age a n d d ep o sitio n w ith h ig h ly p ro d u c tiv e b ed s in th e Illin o is b a sin . T h e B ig S now y is n o t so w id ely d is tr ib u te d a s th e M adison lim e sto n e w h ich w as d e p o site d in a sea
A B S T R A C T S .
s tre tc h in g across M o n ta n a a n d th e w e ste rn h a lf of N o rth D a k o ta , t h a t reach ed its g re a te s t a rea l d ev elo p m en t a t th e en d of O sage (M ission C anyon) tim e.
T h e low est div isio n of th e B ig Snow y is th e C harles, d ep o sited d u rin g a sh rin k ag e of th e M o n ta n a -D a k o ta sea w h ich w as c u t off fro m th e C ordilleran geosyncline in M eram ec tim e . T h e C harles, as c o n tra s te d w ith th e M adison, is a pale e a rth y lim e sto n e, w ith fre q u e n t dolom ites, a n d in p laces oolitic a n d com m only a n h y d ritic . M inor a m o u n ts of re d sh ale h a v e b een n o ted . N e a r th e to p , sa n d y zones a re p re se n t. I t is u p to 950 f t . in k n o w n th ic k n ess.
T h e succeeding division, th e K ib b e y , is of d ull, b rick -red , dolom itic, sh a ly s a n d sto n e, c o n ta in in g local beds of gypsum , a n d devoid of fossils. T h e m a te ria l is p o o rly so rte d , ra n g in g fro m silt-g ra d e to sa n d g ra in s of m o d era te ly h ig h ro u n d n ess, m o stly fro ste d a n d p itte d . Som e of th e q u a rtz g ra in s h a v e b lack , needle-like inclusions.
G rain s of c h e rt a cc o u n t fo r 10% of th e to ta l, a n d p ro b a b ly com e fro m w e ath e red M adison, b u t th e q u a rtz g rain s a re fro m s till e arlie r rocks. I n K ib b e y tim e, m arin e w a te rs fro m th e C ordilleran tro u g h re -e n tere d th e M o n ta n a -S a s k a tc h e w a n -D a k o ta b asin . T o w ard s th e so u th , th e K ib b e y becom es dolom itic w ith finer sand-grains.
T h e O tte r division a t o u tcro p is ty p ifie d b y v e rd a n t green shales, in te rc a la te d w ith g rey shales a n d fossiliferous (w arm -sea) oolitic lim estones. W h en tra c e d e as t of th e B ig Snow y M o u n tain s, th o g reen shales a re re p la ce d b y v a rie g a te d a n d re d shales, re su ltin g fro m m o re com plete o x id atio n of iro n com pounds. I n th e e a s t pale, oolitic, h ig h ly o stra co d a l lim estones com e in a b u n d a n tly , acco m p an ied b y a n h y d rite . G re ate st th ic k n e ss of th e O tte r is in th e L ittle B e lt M o u n tain s, w h ere it is 500 ft.
T h e H e a th h a s a b u n d a n c e of black , fissile, c o n o d o n t-b earin g shales, in te rc a la te d in g re y shales, m assive b ro w n sa n d sto n es c o n ta in in g p la n t frag m e n ts, a n d m in o r g rey lim e
sto n es. N o p e tro leu m is e x tra c te d fro m th e b lack shales w ith c arb o n te tra c h lo rid e , b u t som e lay ers y ield u p to 15 g a l./to n on d e stru c tiv e d istillatio n . Some of th e shales c a n b e lig h te d w ith a m a tc h . Q u a rtz g rain s in th e san d s w h ich ran g e u p to 20 ft.
th ic k a re clear a n d of low sp h e ric ity . T h ey o fte n show seco n d ary en larg em en t. T he th ic k n e ss of th e H e a th alo n g th e e a s t-w e s t ax is of th e b a sin reaches over 600 ft. I t w edges o u t so u th w a rd , w h ere i t h a s been rem o v ed b y pre-A m sden (high Mississip- pian ) erosion, a n d is m issing in w ells a t th e s o u th en d of th e B a k er-G le n d iv e a n tic lin e.
A fte r th e dep o sitio n of th e H e a th , d u rin g th e l a t t e r p a r t of C hester tim e , erosion p re v aile d on th e so u th -e a s t side of th e W illisto n b asin . A s a re su lt, s o u th of th e n o r th en d o f th e B ak er-G le n d iv e a n ticlin e, successively old er u n its of th e B ig Snow y g roup u n d e rlie w ith slig h t u n c o n fo rm ity th e b ase of th e A m sden (to p m o st M ississippian).
T h e A m sd en is th ic k e r in M o n ta n a t h a n in W yom ing, b u t i t u ltim a te ly b lan k e ted alm o st th e w hole of th e l a t t e r s ta te a s w ell as th e w estern th ir d of S o u th D a k o ta . T h e sa n d y n a tu r e of th e b la n k e t reflects th e influence of th e C am bridge a rc h o n th e s o u th e ast.
E ro sio n o n th e a n c e stra l S w eetgrass a rc h a n d S ioux u p lift is sug g ested b y th e larg e size of sa n d g rain s in th e K ib b ey . M uch la te r w id esp read e a rly Mesozoic erosion, p rio r to d e p o sitio n o f th e Ju ra ss ic E llis fo rm atio n , cau sed rem o v al of B ig Snow y a n d la te r Palasozoie sed im e n ts in th is p o sitiv e area.
I n th e D ev il’s B a sin a n ticlin e, oolitic lim esto n e n e a r th e to p of th e O tte r yielded a b o u t 20,000 b rl. b lac k lo w -g rav ity oil b etw een 1919 a n d 1937. O n th e B a k e r - G lendive an tic lin e u p to 150 b rl./d a y h a v e b een o b ta in e d fro m a p o sitio n n e a r th e base of th e C harles o r a t th e to p of th e M adison.
Coarse H e a th sa n d sto n es close to th e S w eetgrass a rc h h a v e n o t b een te s te d , th o u g h o v erlain b y im p erm eab le E llis so as to give a s tra tig ra p h ic a l tr a p . I n c e n tra l M o n tan a, shallow w ells in th e K ib b e y y ield m u ch w a ter, in d ic a tin g good p o ro sity . I t is v e ry possible t h a t w h ere u n co n fo rm ab le on th e M adison som e of th ese san d s m a y a c t as oil
re serv o irs. A- L .
7.* Stratigraphy and Palaeontology of Santa Maria District, California. W . P . W oodring, M. N . B ra m le tte , a n d K . E . L o h m a n . B u ll. A m er. A ss. Petrol. Oeol., O cto b er 1943, 27 (10), 1355-1360.— T h e p re se n t d e m a n d fo r h e a v y oil h a s d irected special a tte n tio n to th e S a n ta M aria d is tric t, w h ere oil w as first p ro d u c ed in 1903 a n d in w h ich th e r e a re n o w nin e p ro d u c in g o r p o te n tia lly p ro d u c tiv e oil-fields. I n th is co astal b asin , fo rm atio n s ra n g e fro m th e F ra n c is ca n (Ju ra ssic ?) g ab b ro a n d serp en tin e of P o in t Sal, to R e c e n t co n ta in in g an cie n t h a rd p a n (L o u d erb ack ’s p se u d o stra ta ) w hich
A B S T R A C T S .
m a y b e m is ta k e n fo r b ed ro ck . T h e m ax im u m o u tc ro p th ic k n e s s in th e S a n ta M a ria b a sin is 13,000 ft.
T h e K n o x v ille (late J u ra s s ic -P o rtla n d ia n ) is of d a r k shale, b u t in clu d es th in -b e d d e d s a n d sto n e w ith m u c h m ica a n d b la c k c h e rt c o n g lo m era te. A t P o in t S al a sm all slen d er Auoella cf. piochii is fo u n d , of a ty p e asso c ia ted w ith la te J u ra s s ic a m m o n ite s elsew here in th e C oast R an g es.
T h e L ospe re d d is h san d s a n d g reen gy p sifero u s silts , w ith som e lenses of w h ite v o lcan ic tu f f co n ta in in g glassy sh a rd s, a re assig n ed to low er M iocene, b u t m a y in clu d e Oligocene, o r ev en E ocene. T h e n o n -m arin e L ospe is o v e rla in b y t h e m u d s a n d silts o f th e P o in t Sal fo rm atio n , in th e u p p e r p a r t of w h ich o il-sands h a v e b e e n p e n e tra te d a t th e S a n ta M aria V alley a n d O rc u tt fields. T h e larg e fo ram in ife ra l fa u n a in clu d e s : Baggina californica, Bolivina aff. cuneiformis, B . floridana, B . imbricata, B . marginata, B . salinasensis, B . aff. tum ida, B ulim inella subfusiformis, Nodogenerina advena, N onion costiferum, P lanulina cf. depressa, Plectofrondicularia cf. cookei, Pulvinulinella subperuviana, Robulus hughesi, R . reedi, Siphogenerina hughesi v a r ., Uvigerinella obesa, Valvulineria depressa, V. ornata, a n d Virgulina califomiensis. Olobigerina bulloides is a b u n d a n t, a n d su g g ests t h a t th is fa u n a re p re se n ts m o re o p en pelagic c o n d itio n s th a n th o s e a t h ig h er horizons.
T h e M o n terey shale, co n fo rm ab le on th e P o in t Sal in th e C asm alia H ills, b u t o v e r
la p p in g n o rth w a rd s o n to th e b a se m e n t, in cludes th e p rin c ip a l oil-zones. T h e low er m em b e r h a s p h o sp h a tic , p o rc elan o u s, a n d s ilty s h a le s ; th e m id d le m em b e r is c h e rty a n d p o rc e la n o u s ; th e u p p e r m em b e r h a s p o rcelan o u s shale a n d s o ft d iato m a c eo u s s t r a ta . T h e low er m em b e r is M iddle M iocene (u p p e r p a r t of R e liz ia n a n d e n tire L u is ia n sta g e of K leinpell). Siphogenerina is conspicuous, w ith S . branneri succeeded b y S. collomi. T h e m id d le m em b er, so m ew h at b a rre n of F o ra m in ife ra , seem s to b e e a rly U p p e r M iocene. T h e u p p e r m em b er, w ith s till u n d e se rib e d species of larg e Ellipsoglandulina, H opkinsina, a n d Pulvinulinella, also c o n ta in s lim e sto n e c o n cre tio n s y ield in g a d ia to m flo ra of a b o u t 200 species c h a ra c te riz e d b y Coscinodiscus gigas, C. gigas v a r. diorama, C. oculus-iridis v a r. borealis, A uliscus mirabilis, Asterolampra marylandica, Lithodesmium californicum, Oonothecium rogersii, a n d Campylodiscus montereyanus. T h ese in d ic a te la te M iocene ; a n d t h e fo ra m in ife ra l fa u n a p o in ts to a h o rizo n in te rm e d ia te b e tw ee n th o se of Bolivina hiughesi a n d B . obliqua.
T h e succeeding m u d s of th e Sisquoc a n d th e F o x e n , w h ic h lea d u s on to t h e e a rly U p p e r M iocene, also h a v e th e ir d ia to m s of th e g e n u s Coscinodiscus, b u t n o th in g so larg e a s C. gigas a n d C. oculus-iridis v a r. borealis. T h e T in a q u aic sa n d sto n e of Sisquoc ag e h a s ty p ic a l sh allo w -w ater F o ra m in ife ra lik e Elphidiella hannai a n d N onion belridgensis. T h e b a sin o r sh a ly facies is n e ritic w ith Bolivina obliqua, Bulim inella curta, B . elegantissima, Eponides sp ., N . belridgensis, N . aff. scapha, Nonionella mio- cenica, a n d Virgulina calif om iensis, as th e co m m o n fo rm s. F o ra m in ife ra in t h e F o x e n a re o fte n “ p ro v in c ia l ” fo rm s n o t k n o w n elsew here, a n d , as C. R . C anfield (Bull. Amer.
Ass. Petrol. Cedi., 1939, 23, 58) first re m a rk ed , su g g e st p ro g ressiv ely sh a llo w er d e p th s a t h ig h e r horizo n s.
T h e succeeding C aredga s a n d sto n e co arsen s u p w a rd s to co n g lo m e rate a n d h a s U p p e r Plio cen e echinoids a n d m olluscs, su c h as Dendraster ashleyi, Patinopecten healeyi, a n d Lyropecten cerrosensis. E a r ly b e d s h a v e a few Elphidiella hannai.
T h e P a so R o b les fo rm a tio n (U p p er P lio cen e to L o w e r P leisto cen e (?)) c o n sists of fre s h w a te r sa n d , g rav el, a n d lim esto n e. I t a n d th e O r c u tt sa n d (U p p e r P leistocene) h a v e o stra c o d s n o t y e t u se d fo r c o rre latio n . T e rra c e d ep o sits of m a rin e b eac h es u p to 6 f t . th ic k a n d screes a n d a llu v ia u p to 100 ft. a re y o u n g e r t h a n O r c u tt, b u t still U p p e r P leistocene.
R e c e n t d e p o sits a re of w ell-so rted d u n e-san d . A . L .
8. Cal-Tex Is Rigging Up for Egyptian Wildcat. A no n . Oil W kly, 1 8 .9 .4 4 ,115 (3), 68.—
S o u th M e d ite rra n e a n Oil-fields is to d rill a t e s t w ell a few m iles' w e st of C airo. T h e c o a s ta l a re a e a s t a n d w e st of th e N ile d e lta h a s a g re a t th ic k n e ss of M esozoic a n d C arb o n ifero u s beds, a n d th e r e a re p ro n o u n c ed s tru c tu re s .
N e a r th e c e n tre of th e Je b e l E l T ih a rea , b e tw e e n Suez a n d th e P a le s tin e b o rd e r, th e S ta n d a rd O il C om pany of E g y p t p lan s to d rill a n o th e r te s t. I t h a s d rille d five d ry holes w est of th e G ulf of Suez in efforts to e x te n d th e R a s G h a reb field.
G. D . H .
B S T R A C T S .
9. Richmond to Drill Wildcat on Colombia Holdings. A non. O il W k ly , 18.9.44, 115 (3), 68.— R ich m o n d P e tro le u m C om pany is to d rill a w ild cat o n a p ro m in e n t a n ti cline on th e C araballo t r a c t. T h is concession lies 60 k m . so u th -e a s t of B a ran q u ila.
R ich m o n d h a s a b an d o n e d its second well on th e E l R e tiro t r a c t, fa r s h o rt of th e
O ligocene p a y ob jectiv e. G. D . H .
10. Russians Find New Eield on Shore oi Caspian Sea. A n o n . Oil W kly, 25.9.44, 115 (4), 68.— T h e d isco v ery of a n oil-field is re p o rte d a t K a s h k a ra , a few m iles w est of A s tra k h a n , in th e V olga d e lta region. O il h a s b e en o b ta in e d fro m five w ells a b o u t
750 f t. deep. G. D . H .
11. Wildcat Completions and Discoveries. A non. Oil G cisJ., 30.9.44, 43 (21), 129.—
65 w ild ca ts w ere co m p le te d in U .S .A . d u rin g th e w eek en d ed 23rd S ep tem b er, 1944.
6 fo u n d oil a n d 4 fo u n d d istilla te .
T h e w ild ca t com pletions a re su m m ariz ed b y S ta te s a n d d is tric ts fo r th e above week.
G. D . H . 12. Texas Venezuela Wildcat Drilling at 6595 feet. A no n . Oil W kly, 2.10.44, 115 (5), 68.— T ex as 2, D e lta A m acuro w ild cat, w as below 6595 f t . on 2 6 th S eptem ber, 1944. I t is 40 k m . fro m th e n e a re s t p ro d u c tio n in e x tre m e E a s te rn V enezuela.
Sociedad A n o n im a P e tro le ra L a s M ercedes w as re p o rte d co rin g shale a t 4025 f t. in
M ercedes 8. G . D . H .
13.* Wildcat Completions and Discoveries. A n o n . Oil G a s J ., 7.10.44, 43 (22), 129.—
D u rin g th e w eek e n d ed 3 0 th S ep tem b er, 1944, 81 w ild ca ts w ere c o m p le te d in U .S.A . 11 fo u n d oil, 3 d istillate , a n d 2 gas. T h e co m p letio n re s u lts a re ta b u la te d b y S ta te s
a n d d is tric ts . G. D . H .
14. Eight Southern Chile Wildcats Are Failures. A n o n . Oil W k ly , 9.10.44, 115 (6), 7 0 .^ E ig h t d r y holes h a v e b e en d rille d w ith in a ra d iu s of 25 m l. o n a seism ograph s tr u c tu r e in P u n ta A renas, so u th e rn Chile. G. D . H .
G eophysics and Geochemical Prospecting.
15. Geochemistry as Aid to Successful Exploration. J . W . M e rritt. Oil W kly, 9.10.44, 115 (6), 35.— I n th e ea rly d a y s p ro sp e c tin g d rillin g w as n e a r seeps, b u t w ith th e d ev elo p m en t of th e a n tic lin a l th e o ry a m ore p ro sp ero u s e ra opened. F ir s t su rface m ap p in g w as used, th e n , as shallow p ro sp e cts w ere e x h au ste d , su b su rface m eth o d s.
N e x t geophysics w as in tro d u c e d . H o w ev er, th e d iscovery r a te is declining in U .S.A ., a n d th e co sts of d iscovery a re risin g in s p ite of th e use of co m b in atio n s of su rface a n d su b su rface geology a n d geophysics.
A few y e a rs ago th e soil a ir in shallow holes w as ex am in ed , a n d th e h y d ro c a rb o n v a lu e s d eterm in ed . T h e g re a te s t c o n c e n tra tio n w as fo u n d as a m arg in a l b a n d ro u n d th e edge of th e p ro d u c tiv e a re a .
T h e m e th o d of sam p lin g h a s ch an g ed fro m soil a ir to d irec t an aly sis of th e soil itself. Solid, liq u id , a n d gaseous h y d ro c a rb o n s h a v e b een exam ined.
I n som e cases a d e n sity p a tte r n w h ich increases to th e c en tre of th e pool h a s been o bserved, a n d isochem ieal c o n to u rs c an be d ra w n .
C u ttin g s fro m w ells in th e p ro d u c in g a rea, a t th e edges of p ro d u c tio n , ju s t ou tsid e th e p ro d u c in g a re a a n d in n o n -p ro d u ctiv e areas, h a v e b e e n an aly sed . T hese a n a ly se s show th ree-d im en sio n al geochem ical p a tte rn s , a n d th e rela tio n sh ip b etw een su rfa ce a n d su b -su rface c o n ce n tra tio n s a n d p ro d u c tio n is revealed. S urface “ b a ck g ro u n d ” irreg u laritie s d isa p p ea r w ith d eep er sam pling.
G rid-spacing of th e sam pling p o in ts is p re fe ra b le to profiles. Some of th e spacing w as a t ^ -1 m l. in te rv als , b u t th is is risk y . 660-ft. sp acin g is m u ch m ore s a tis fa c to ry , a n d fo r som e p u rp o ses e v en closer sp a cin g m a y b e used.
Soil v a ria b ility , w e a th e r a n d b a ro m e tric changes, a n d losses on sto ra g e com bine to m ak e re p ro d u c ib ility difficult in som e cases.
I t is n o t possible to d e te rm in e d e p th s fro m geochem ical d a ta , a n d w h en th e re a re m u ltip le san d s th e su rfa ce p a tte rn s m a y be v e ry co m p licated a n d difficult to in te rp re t.
A B S T R A C T S .
A f a u lt c u ttin g a p ro d u c in g h o rizo n is u su a lly m a rk e d b y h ig h v a lu e s v e rtic a lly a b o v e th e lin e of in te rse c tio n of th e fa u lt-p la n e w ith th e p a y horizon.
A p a tte r n sta n d in g o u t w ell ab o v e th e b a c k g ro u n d v alu es m u s t b e so u g h t, a n d th e in te r p r e ta tio n m u s t ta k e in to a cc o u n t a ll a v aila b le geological a n d g eo p h y sical in fo rm a tio n .
A sso ciated w ith th e h y d ro c a rb o n m o v em e n ts in soils a re ch an g es in soil b a c te ria p o p u la tio n , in th e co m p o sitio n of g ro u n d -w a te rs, a n d in seism ic velo cities. G eo
chem ical m eth o d s c an lo ca te o il-tra p s n o t asso c ia ted w ith s tr u c tu r e . T h e y a re a n aid in d iscovery, a n d do n o t w a r r a n t th e d isc a rd in g of geological a n d geo p h y sical m eth o d s.
G. D . H .
Drilling.
16. Blowouts—Their Causes and Prevention. P a r t 2. M. T . W o rk s. Oil W kly, 17.7.44, 114 (7), 35. Paper Presented before American Petroleum Institute.— T h e a u th o r stresses th e im p o rta n c e of p ro p e rly e d u c a tin g th e m en to k n o w th e h a z a rd s of d rillin g a n d m eth o d s of p re v e n tio n . P o s te rs a re su g g ested a s a h ig h ly effective m ed iu m fo r p re sen tin g a n e d u c a tio n a l p ro g ra m m e to w o rk m en , w h ich sh o u ld r e tu r n ex ce p tio n a l d iv id en d s in p re v e n tin g b lo w -o u t causes u n d e r th e c o n tro l of s u b o rd in a te perso n n el. P o s te rs co u ld b e designed to d ire c t a tte n tio n to th e v a rio u s h a z a rd s a n d to e x p la in w h y c e rta in th in g s a re b a d p ra ctic e.
T h is p a r t of th e p a p e r deals p a rtic u la rly w ith causes u n d e r th e c o n tro l of s u b o rd in a te p erso n n el. T hese in clu d e d rillin g gas sa n d s to o fa s t, p u llin g d rill-p ip e off b o tto m to o ra p id ly , b allin g u p b i t o r d rill co llar, use of low -pressure fittin g s in h ig h - p re ssu re co n tro l m an ifo ld s, d e la y in m ak in g re p a irs to rig , la c k of v ig ilan ce fo r u n m is ta k a b le sig n s of gas, a n d o th e r su c h lapses. A . H . N . 17. Horizontal Drilling is Tried in Partially Depleted Fields. W . A . Saw don. Petrol.
Engr, A u g u st 1944, 15 (12), 160.— A m ea n s of ta p p in g less th o ro u g h ly d ra in e d a re a s ly in g b e tw ee n w ells in p a r tly , or alm o st co m p letely , d e p le ted fields h a s re c e n tly b e en d eveloped, a n d th e d rillin g p ro c ed u re u sin g e q u ip m e n t desig n ed fo r t h e p u rp o se h a s b een tr ie d o u t ex p erim e n ta lly in tw o w ells in t h e M id w ay -S u n set a re a of C alifornia.
T h e m e th o d con sists essen tially of c u ttin g a w indow , o r oth erw ise p ro v id in g a n o p e n ing, th ro u g h th e lin e r a t a p re d e te rm in e d d e p th in t h e p ro d u c in g zone of a w ell, a n d th ro u g h th is op en in g d rillin g a h o riz o n ta l hole in a specified d ire c tio n to a d esired d istan c e fro m th e b o re of th e v e rtic a l w ell em p lo y ed fo r th e p u rp o se . U sin g one well, th r e e o r fo u r h o riz o n ta l holes m a y be drilled , a n d th e s e holes m a y b e a t d ifferen t levels.
T h e m e th o d of h o riz o n ta l d rillin g w a s d ev ised a n d th e e q u ip m e n t desig n ed b y J . A.
Z u b lin , of U n iv e rsa l E n g in e e rin g C o m p an y , L td ., L os A ngeles. T h e o u ts ta n d in g f e a tu re s of th e e q u ip m e n t a re a tu r b o - b it a n d flexible d rill-p ip e. T h e b i t is r o ta te d b y th e d rillin g fluid, w h ic h is c irc u la te d b y th e m u d -p u m p s , th e m u d b ein g m a in ta in e d a t a su ita b le v isc o sity fo r o p e ra tio n of th e b it. T h e d rill-strin g is, of course, n o t
r o ta te d . * ,
A sk e tc h show s th e w o rk in g of th e tu r b o d rill o n a c u rv e d jo in t of a p p ro x im a te ly 20 -ft. ra d iu s of c u rv a tu re — d rillin g h o riz o n ta lly th ro u g h a w in d o w in th e s lo tte d lin e r a f te r h a v in g c o m p leted one h o riz o n ta l hole in an o p p o site d ire c tio n a t a low er level.
T h e o p e ra tio n of th e sy s te m is d escribed. A . H . N .
18. Symptoms of Pipe Break-Offs On Mechanical Rotary Rigs. H . F . S im o n s. Petrol.
Engr, A u g u s t 1944, 15 (12), 170.— I f a b reak -o ff is im m e d ia tely recognized, th e fishing jo b of th e clean ly b ro k e n p ip e m a y b e o nly a ro u tin e m a tte r of ru n n in g a n o v e rsh o t once o r tw ice. S hould th e b reak -o ff n o t b e recognized, th e to p of th e fish te n d s to bell o u t o r to sliv er a n d sp ira l, a n d i t m a y ta k e w eeks to reco v er th e fish.
A d rill-p ip e b re ak -o ff a n d th e w a sh e d -o u t c o n d itio n t h a t p reced es i t a re m u c h m o re difficult to recognize on a m e c h an ical rig t h a n o n a ste a m -d riv e n one. O n th e la tte r - ty p e rig only o rd in a ry c a u tio n a n d o b se rv a tio n a re re q u ire d to c a tc h a w a sh -o u t befo re a b re a k develops, a n d u su a lly th e a c tu a l p a r tin g of th e d rill-p ip e is k n o w n im m e d ia tely . T h e sy m p to m s of a p u m p -o u t a n d a b re ak -o ff a re th e sam e on all ty p e rig s, e x c e p t t h a t th e y a re m ask ed o n a m ec h an ic al rig to th e p o in t w h ere th e y a re o fte n m issed. T h e easily recognized sy m p to m s of a le a k in th e p ip e d u e to c ash in g o u t o n a s te a m rig a re : (1) a loss in p u m p p ressu re , (2) a n a cc eleratio n in th e n u m b e r of s tro k e s /m in u te of th e p u m p , a n d (3) a decrease in th e r a te of p e n e tra tio n d u e to p a r t of th e d rillin g
