432 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



shale and the Utica shale, and most of all in the Trenton lime- 

 stone. In the latter formation it was confined to no particular 

 horizon except that the greatest stock was found 200 to 300 

 feet below its uppermost bed. Each minor accumulation of gas 

 seemed independent of the rest. In one well 22 distinct acces- 

 sions were recorded in a single day. 



Neither sandstone nor dolomite are found in the section and 

 salt water was struck in but a single instance in the entire ex- 

 perience of the Fulton company. There is practically no differ- 

 ence in the conditions of the gas, whether found in the Utica 

 shale or in the underlying Trenton limestone. 



The rock pressure of the gas is, however, enormous. In shale 

 gas this element generally ranges low, though pockets are occa- 

 sionally found in all the shales in which high figures may be 

 reached. 200 to 300 pounds make a limit that is not often over- 

 used. In the Fulton field the pressure ran up to the maximum 



■ 1525 pounds, 1200 pounds being noted for some weeks in a 

 ingle well. 



The amount of gas from the wells of this series is compara- 

 tively small. As is well known, there is no relation between the 

 rock pressure and the volume of wells. Wells of very small 

 volume may reach very high figures in pressure. None of the 

 Fulton wells proved themselves able to withstand the steady 

 drain of the pipe line. Volume and pressure declined at once 

 when the draft was put on them. 



The question at once rises as to what use the gas discovery of 

 Fulton could have been turned that would have brought profit to 

 the company. As it is, a great deal of time and business energy 

 and |40,000 in cash have been expended in the development and 

 there is nothing whatever to show for it, so far as assets are 

 concerned. The pipes buried in the earth could be recovered, 

 it is true, but they could only be sold as junk. Practically the 

 whole amount expended by the company can be counted as lost. 

 Besides the expenditures named above a considerable amount has 

 been expended in piping and equipping the dwellings of the town 

 for the use of gas. Is there any possible use of the discovery 

 that could have given to the community good returns in money 

 value? 



