Feb., 1901] Bownocker — The Corning Fields. 57 



destroying the life of the well. Had the wells been cased through the 

 "Little Salt Sand" time and money would have been saved, and the 

 production of the field would have been larger. 



The western side of the field is quite free from salt water. It is 

 on that side that the principal gas territory lies. On the easern side 

 of the field the conditions are more variable. In Trimble township, 

 Athens county, the wells are free from water, wliile in Monroe town- 

 ship, Periy county, salt water is found in the northeast corner, and 

 in Morgan county it is so abundant that operating is prevented. 

 From this it appears tliat the western side of tlie Corning field is free 

 from salt water, and that it is absent also on the eastern side at the 

 southern margin of the territory, but tliat it increases rapidly to the 

 northeast. 



While the production of tlie wells after being sliot lias varied 

 greatly, yet they have not furnished the great extremes that many 

 other fields have. Few, if any of the wells, have started better than 

 125 barrels per day, and it has been estimated that the average for 

 the entire field has been 20 barrels. 



The wells have sufficient gas pressure to flow them during the 

 earlier part of their lives, but later as the i^ressure diminishes they 

 have to be pumped. Since the eastern side of the field has salt 

 water the wells there have to be pumped earlier than those on the 

 western side. 



The Gas Wells.— The principal gas territory is that along 

 Muddy Fork in Sections 22 and 29 Trimble township, Athens county, 

 the best wells being found in the western half of the latter section on 

 the lands of the Hocking Coal and Railroad company. The largest 

 well in this field started at 3,000,000 cubic feet per day with a rock 

 pressure of 400 pounds. It was drilled in the fall of 1897, and one year 

 later was producing 2,000,000 cubic feet per day, and still another 

 year later 1,500,000 cubic feet. Of the other wells in this territory 

 two started at 2,000,000 feet each, two at 1,000,000 feet each, and three 

 at 500,000 feet each. The decline in the smaller wells was not as 

 rapid as in the larger ones since the demands made on them were not 

 as heavy. Thus far no dry holes have been found in this territory. 

 The reliance of the community is on this field where 5,000 acres are 

 leased in one block. 



Another district that has yielded considerable gas is that at 

 Oakfield about 3 miles north of Corning. These wells started at 

 2,000,000, 1,500,000, 500,000, and 250,000 cubic feet per day respectively. 

 Two of the smaller of these have been abandoned after having pro- 

 duced for two years. The largest of tliese wells, now four years old, 

 is producing 500,000 cubic feet per day, and the second largest, now 

 three years old, is producing the same amount. The wells in this 

 field produce considerable oil and by some are rated as oil wells 

 rather than gas ones. 



