Section III., 1915 [139] Trans. R.S.C. 



A Physical Test on a Natural (Methane) Gas Well. 

 By R. W. Boyle and H. M. Tory, F. R.S.C. 



(Read May Meeting, 1915.) 



During a test on a newly discovered natural gas well at Viking, 

 Alberta, the writers had occasion to refer to available records of tests 

 carried out on such gas wells in Canada and the United States. 

 It appears that data on the physical behaviour of a newly dis- 

 covered well, for a continuous period of three weeks or a month after 

 discovery, are not frequently published. Accordingly it was thought 

 advisable to publish here the record of the behaviour of the well just 

 referred to. Although the tests here described could not go beyond 

 the limits of the terms of a certain agreement, it is thought that the 

 results might be of interest to some geologists and geo-physicists. 



A complete log of the well, taken while drilling operations were 

 in progress, was not obtainable; but the following details concerning 

 the discovery of gas were obtained from an incomplete log which was 

 kept and from personal conversations with some of the persons in 

 charge. 



The first sign of gas, with a little water, was encountered at a 

 depth^of 403 feet. As boring proceeded, small amounts of salt water 

 were encountered at depths of 690 and 740 feet, and at a depth of 

 2,180 feet a small flow of gas was struck. The first measurement on 

 this flow was carried out by the Bitot tube metflod, when the drilling 

 had proceeded to a depth of 2,202 feet. The flow was then found to be 

 delivering at the rate of, approximately, 67,000 cubic feet per day. 

 More and more gas came into this flow as the drilling proceeded, until 

 a much larger flow was struck at a depth of 2,300 feet. This larger 

 strike of gas occurred at 3.00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4th, 

 1914. The drilling was continued to a total depth of 2,340 feet. 



At the time the tests were made there were two separate outlets 

 of gas from the well. The larger flow of gas last mentioned came from 

 the bottom of the well through a pipe, 6 inches in diameter, extending 

 to a depth of 2,311 feet. Around the 6-inch pipe was another pipe, 

 8 inch diameter, extending from the surface of the ground to a depth 

 of 1,444 feet. Most of the sm.aller flow of gas, referred to above, 

 escaped through the space between the 6" and surrounding 8 pipe, 

 and was drawn off at the surface through pipes separate from those 

 conducting the larger flow. 



