Repoet on the Mines and Mining Exhibit. 329 



PETEOLEUM. 



GEO0P 43. 



The specimens of New York petroleum were collected by Mr. Dud- 

 ley A. V an Ingen, Pli. B., a graduate of the school of mines of Col- 

 umbia College. Thej were exhibited in tall bottles containing two 

 quarts each. As it was not possible, with the time and means afforded, 

 to make an accurate study of the oil regions of New York, nothing 

 was done beyond the collection of the specimens. A brief sketch 

 of the oil region by Mr. Van Ingen is appended. 



Petroleum in New Yoek State. 



The oil territory in New York State is a continuation of the Brad- 

 ford field of Pennsylvania. The counties of Cattaraugus and Allegany 

 contain almost all the developed territory for oil, though Erie county has 

 produced some important gas wells. The first drilling was done at 

 Limestone in Cattaraugus county in 1865, followed by wells at Petrolia 

 and Richburgh in Allegany county in 1881 and 1882 respectively. 

 The oil sand is called the " Richburgh " in Allegany county, and the 

 " Bradford " in Cattaraugus county, but many claim them to be iden- 

 tical. The sandstone is a close, fine-grained rock of a dark brown 

 color. The general direction of the strata runs northeast and south- 

 west dipping to the southwest from three to twenty-five feet to the 

 mile. In the southern part of Allegany county a fourth sand, known 

 as the " "Waugh and Porter " is drilled into. This lies some eighty 

 feet below the " Richburgh" sand, and seems to be a diiierent oil sand, 

 although there is much difference of opinion with regard to it. 



The oil varies in color from light yellow to almost black, although 

 the dark green oil is by far the most abundant. Its specific gravity at 

 ten degrees C. runs from thirty-eight degrees to forty-five degrees B. 

 Up to date about 8,000 wells have been drilled in the State, and some 

 6,000 are now producing. They started anywhere from five to 250 

 barrels per day, but now only average sixty-five-one-hundreths barrels 

 in Cattaraugus county, and sixty-two-oue-hundreths barrels in Allegany 

 county. With the oil considerable gas has been found, but now there 

 is little more than enough to supply fuel for pumping. "Edge 

 territory " usually produces good gas wells. 



I. Allegany Field. 



The Allegany field is in the towns of Greenwood in Steuben county, 

 and Andover, Scio, Alma, Bolivar, "Wirt, Clarksville and Genesee in 

 Allegany county. There have been up to December 1, 1892, 5,327 

 wells drilled, and about 4,000 are now producing. On January 1, 1889, 

 25,105,000 barrels of oil had been taken out. The greatest daily pro- 

 duction was in 1882 when 17,000 barrels marked the limit. At present 

 about 2,500 barrels is the daily production. This field is divided into 

 six pools, viz. : 1. Andover ; 2. Alma P. 0. ; 3. Alma ; 4. Bolivar, 



42 



