ON THE PETROLEUM POSSIBILITIES OF FLORIDA. 
BY E. H. SELLARDS AND HERMAN GUNTER. 
The widespread search for petroleum that is now in progress makes it 
certain that all states of the Union will in time be more or less tested 
with respect to their petroleum possibilities. In Florida a few test wells 
have already been drilled and others are sure to be drilled in the future. 
In view of these facts, this report has been prepared to give such infor¬ 
mation as is now available, both as to the character of rocks to be ex¬ 
pected in drilling in Florida and as to structural conditions in the state. 
So far as actual drilling is concerned, Florida has as yet been but little 
tested. Some of the tests made for oil of which record has been obtained 
are the following: In 1903 the Pearson Oil and Gas Company com¬ 
pleted a test well for oil two and one-half miles south of Sumterville in 
Sumter County. This well reached a total depth of 2,002 feet and is 
reported to have given some shows of oil.* A well was subsequently 
drilled by this company in Citrus County, about two miles north of 
Crystal River, to a depth of about 1,900 feet. The Pensacola Develop¬ 
ment Company drilled two wells in Escambia County, one located five 
miles west of Pensacola and two miles north of the Navy Yard, the other 
located on East Hill, Pensacola. These are reported to be 1,620 and 
1,702 feet deep, respectively.f Records indicate that no shows of oil were 
found. In 1905 the Southern States Lumber Company drilled a test well 
for oil about three miles west of Cantonment in Escambia County. This 
well reached a depth of 1,452 feet. No oil shows are reported. In 1914 
the Kissimmee Oil Company attempted a test south of Kissimmee on 
S. 25, T. 26 S., R. 29 E. After much delay this well was finally drilled 
2,000 feet or deeper. A log of this well will be found later in this report. 
(See Osceola County.) In 1916 the Bonheur Development Company 
began drilling near Burns in Wakulla County. Two wells have been 
drilled by this company, one of which reached a depth of 2,169 feet. 
Shows of oil were reported. (See Tallahassee Area.) The second well 
is not completed, but has a depth of about 2,000 feet. In 1917 the Flor- 
*U. S. Geol. Surv., Bull. 298, p. 198, 1906. 
fU. S. Geol. Surv., W. S'. & Irr. Paper 102, pp. 246-247 and 258-259, 1904. 
