Mississippian , 



66S J. A. BOWNOCKER PETROLEUM IN OHIO AND INDIANA 



AYashington Count}', Oliio. There, late in 18G0, oil was found at a depth 

 of 59 feet, and this marks the real beginning of the petroleum industry 

 in Ohio. The oil from this pioneer well had a density of 28° Baume 

 and commanded as much as $28 per barrel. Other wells were drilled 

 in eastern and southeastern Ohio about the same time and the tools have 

 not been quiet for long periods since that time. As early as 1862 drilling 

 was done for petroleum in Crawford County, Indiana, but only a trace 

 of oil was found and wells which were sunk in different parts of the 

 State about that time gave similar results. 



Principal Oil-producing Rocks in Ohio and Indiana 



The principal oil-producing rocks are : 



I'Mitcliell sand (Ohio). 



Pennsylvanian ^ Macksburg 140-foot, or first Cow Run, sand (Ohio). 



[Macksburg 500-foot sand (Ohio). 



'Huron sandstone^ (Indiana). 

 Keener sand (Ohio). 

 Big Injun sand (Ohio). 

 Berea sand (Ohio). 



Devonian "Oorniferous" limestone ( Indiana) . 



Silurian "Clinton" sand (Ohio) . 



Ordovician Trenton limestone (Ohio and Indiana) . 



The second great event in the petroleum industry of Ohio and Indiana 

 was the discovery of oil in the Trenton limestone at Findlay, Ohio, in 

 1885^ and in Wells County, Indiana, in 1890.* 



The Trenton Limestone Field in Ohio and Indiana 



The discovery at Findlay, referred to in the preceding paragraph, 

 soon started the drill at work in every county in western Ohio and east- 

 ern Indiana. A result was a large production of a dark, strong smelling 

 oil, unpopular with both producer and refiner and for which there was 

 an unwilling market. Not only did the oil appear to poor advantage in 

 comparison with that of Pennsylvania, but it had a pungent odor due to 

 the sulphur compounds. The density of the oil usually varied between 36 

 and 42° Baume, and it was therefore heavier than the Pennsylvania oil. 

 Moreover, the source also of the oil was prejudicial, for drillers and 

 operators had little regard for an oil that came from a limestone. How- 



3 Edward Barrett : Dept. of Geo!, and Nat. Res. of Indiana, 39th Ann. Kept, p. 18. 

 * Ibid., 38th Ann. Rept, p. 10. 



