14 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY I3TH ANNUAL REPORT 



Geological Survey during the recent war and prepared the greater 

 number of the maps embracing a portion of northeastern Florida. 

 The usefulness of these maps calls for the continuation of 

 work along these lines, with the State bearing its proportionate 

 part of the cost. To do this increased funds must be made 

 available. The willingness on the part of the United States Geo- 

 logical Survey to aid in this work is shown by the offer to co- 

 operate with the Florida Geological Survey on a dollar for dollar 

 basis. In addition, the expense of printing and engraving is borne 

 by the Federal Survey. It is recommended that at least $5000.00 

 be appropriated each year by the State for the prosecution of 

 field work in order that the mapping may progress and be com- 

 pleted within a reasonable number of years. 



OIL PROSPECTING. 



Interest in the probability of finding oil and gas in Florida 

 is increasing and much money is being spent in drilling test wells 

 at the present time. During the past several years a number of 

 such wells have been drilled in the State, particularly in the pen- 

 insular portion, the deepest in that section being one near Bush- 

 nell, in Sumter County, which reached a depth of 3080 feet. 



The area in which prospecting is now most active is in the 

 northern and western portion of the State. Wells are being drilled' 

 near Burns in Wakulla County about fifteen. miles south of Tal- 

 lahassee, near Clarksville in northern Calhoun County, near Chip- 

 ley in northern Washington County, and two in Walton County, 

 near Mossy Head and Bruce. Other wells are to be commenced 

 in the near future, locations having been decided upon, operations 

 only awaiting the delivery and placing of the drilling rig and other 

 necessary machinery. 



It is becoming more and more generally recognized that the 

 accumulation of oil and gas is dependent upon the character and 

 structure of the underlying geological formations. A detailed 

 study of the geology of the region should be made before a loca- 

 tion for a test well is decided upon. These studies should cover 

 a large territory in order to make it possible to properly correlate 

 the different formations and the structure within them. Some 

 of the promoters of the wells that have been and are being drilled 



