60 Natural Brines of Oil Fields [258 



that depth is not a factor in the disappearance of water. This 

 being so, then the usual argument that the water present has 

 originated from descending waters loses weight. The presence 

 of nonwater bearing sands such as the Catskill occurring 

 between saturated strata goes to show that there has been no 

 downward movement of meteoric water across the strata. Thus, 

 on the assumption that the water present has a surface origin 

 it must, then, have reached its present position by entering 

 the strata at their outcrop. This undoubtedly explains the 

 source of the waters occurring in strata of Pennsylvanian age, 

 for these are saturated up to their outcrops with water obvi- 

 ously of surface origin. But the saline waters in the Missis- 

 sippi sandstones are not present towards their eastern outcrop. 

 The synclines along the eastern flank of the basin contain 

 no water and these would have to be filled before water could 

 reach areas in the sands west of them. It is impossible that 

 the water could have come from the westward for some of 

 the sands, i. e., the Maxton and Hundred-foot sands, are not 

 continuous to the western outcrop of the formations. Thus 

 with these facts opposing the possibility of a vertical or lateral 

 movement of the water it must be considered to be of connate 

 origin. 



METHOD OF KEMOVAL OF WATER OF DEPOSITION 



The processes usually suggested by which the sediments 

 have been depleted of the water deposited with them are 

 hydration, consolidation of the sediments, expansion and 

 evaporation of the water due to heat, and drainage resulting 

 from elevation. 



A brief consideration of these hypotheses is .sufficient to 

 prove their ineffectiveness. 



Hydration cannot have been a factor in the removal of the 

 water for the few minerals of sedimentary strata capable of 

 combining with water would more likely be hydrated while 

 they were accumulating as water-borne sediments than while 

 ihey were subjected to the heat and pressure incident to their 

 condition of deeply buried strata. 



