OIL AND GAS LANDS. 121 



recently completed at a depth of approximately 5,200 feet. In west- 

 ern Pennsylvania one well more than 5,600 feet in depth has been 

 drilled, and another, not yet completed, has been sunk to a depth of 

 more than 6,000 feet. The effect of a few more years of improve- 

 ment in drilling methods on the development of deep-lying oil de- 

 posits can be inferred only from the history of the past, but in land 

 classification, which seeks in a measure to foresee and provide for 

 future conditions, this progress can not be ignored. 



When a conclusion has been reached by the board as to the portions 

 of the field presenting conditions favorable for oil and gas accumu- 

 lation, when a depth limit of profitable extraction has been fixed, 

 and when the boundaries of the favorable and unfavorable areas 

 have been determined and translated into terms of legal subdivisions 

 of the land surveys, withdrawal or restoration orders are prepared 

 and forwarded by the Director through the Secretary of the Interior 

 to the President for final action. Two general types of withdrawals 

 are made — first, preliminary withdrawals, based on more or less 

 meager information, and, second, withdrawals made after field ex- 

 amination. 



The usual type of oil-land withdrawal order, based bn field ex- 

 amination, closely resembles that used in the withdrawal from pub- 

 lic entry of lands valuable for their phosphate content. An example 

 of an order of withdrawal of phosphate lands is given on page 133. 

 Two special petroleum reserves have been created in the State of 

 California in order to retain in Government control bodies of oil- 

 bearing lands containing what are believed to be sufficently large re- 

 serves of fuel oil to provide for the future needs of the United States 

 Navy. An example of an order creating a naval petroleum reser%'e 

 is appended 



Department or the Interior, 



United States Geological Stjevet, 



Washington, August 8, 1912. 



The honorable the Secretaet of the Intebioe. 



Sir: In accordance with your instructions to recommend for inclusion in a 

 special reserve a compact body of public lands containing an ample supply of 

 fuel oil for the use of the United States Navy, I have prepared and recommend 

 for submission to the President the following order of withdrawal, involving 

 approximately 38,068 acres in the Elk Hills, Kern County, Cal. 



Very respectfully, 



Geo. Otis Smith, 



Director. 



August 10, 1912. 

 Respectfully referred to the President with favorable recommendation. 



Walter L. Fisher, 



Secretary. 



