MABERY. — SULPHUR PETROLEUMS. 43 



Canadian Petroleum. 



Closely connected with the chemistry of Canadian petroleum are 

 cei'tain features relating to its occurrence, and the associated geologi- 

 cal formations, which have not been fully investigated. The de- 

 posits of petroleum in Canada have been longer known than those 

 in the Lima and Findlay fields in Oiiio. As early as 1857 the exist- 

 ence of oil in considerable (quantity in the township of Enniskillen was 

 ascertained, and in 1862, the first flowing well was started. It was 

 estimated by Dr. Winchell* that during the summer of 18G2 not less 

 than 5,000,000 barrels of oil flowed off on the waters of Black Creek. 

 The flow of these early wells was very large. At a depth of 188 

 feet as much as 6,000 barrels of oil daily escaped from a single well, 

 and at 237 feet 7,500 barrels daily, nearly equal to the flow of the 

 great wells at Baku. 



It is now known that these deposits of oil were mainly in the form 

 of "pockets," and they formed no part of the main fields which are 

 still productive. This oil territory is situated on two parallel anti- 

 clinals, about ten miles apart, with the corresponding synclinal 

 between, from which no oil is obtained. In various reports of these 

 oil fields, the larger areq, of oil-bearing strata at Petrolia is given as 

 twenty-seven scpiare miles, but the really productive field is actually 

 contained within an area of less than eight square miles. The pro- 

 ductive field at Oil Springs is included within an area of less than two 

 square miles. The oil deposits are here found in the Corniferous 

 limestone underlying the Hamilton group of shales and limestones. 

 Unlike the Trenton oil rock in Ohio, the oil-bearing limestone is quite 

 near the surface ; the usual depths of wells at present in the Petrolia 

 field is 465 feet. 



I am indebted to the experience and extended observations of 

 Messrs. M. G. Woodward of Petrolia and F. J. Carman for valu- 

 able information concerning the geological features and technology of 

 the Canadian oil, of which a more detailed account will elsewhere be 

 given. f 



Under the general title of American petroleum, with occasional 

 reference to Pennsylvania and to Canada as the particular sources, 

 several partial examinations of crude Canadian oil were early made 

 by French, and English chemists. The first examination of Canadian 



* Geological Keport of Canada, 1888-89. 



t A paper soon to be presented at the Franklin Institute. 



