martin.] PETROLEUM IN CONTROLLER BAY REGION. 23 
Petroleum wells. — The first well in the Controller Bay region was 
drilled in the summer of 1901. Work upon it was stopped owing 
to the loss of tools. The same company drilled another well in the 
summer of 1902, which at a depth of about 250 feet yielded some 
petroleum. At a depth of 360 feet the tools appeared to break 
through into a cavity of the rock and a large flow of oil began, 
spouting, it is reported, many feet above the top of the derrick. No 
estimate of the amount of the flow has been made. This well was 
immediately capped, to be reopened in July, 1903, and drilled 
deeper, and it is now reported to have a total depth of 550 feet. 
The following is a record of the well as reported by the Alaska 
Steam Coal and Petroleum Syndicate, and published by Mr. F. H. 
Oliphant : a 
Well record near Controller Bay. 
Depth, in feet. 
6 feet surface drift 
10 feet decomposed shale • 10 
140 feet light-colored shale 150 
18 feet fine-grained sandstone 174 
One-half foot coal contained in the sandstone 174i 
190 feet dark shale, very hard 304^ 
One-half foot quartz containing iron pyrites, and contained in the shale 365 
1 foot oil sand and flow of oil 300 
Total 300 
Length of 12-inch casing -- 220 
Length of 9|-inch casing 34<> 
Numerous small showings of petroleum and natural gas were encountered 
as the drill proceeded, and at 300 feet a large flow of oil was developed. The 
well is said to have continued to flow until capped. 
Another company began work in the spring of 1903 on a well 
about 4,000 feet south of the first producing well mentioned above. 
In July this well was abandoned at a depth of 1,700 feet, that being 
as far as it was possible to drill with the light rig which was used. 
No flow of oil was encountered, but a little was brought up in the 
bailer from time to time. 
It should be noted, in comparing the results obtained in these two 
wells, that the location of the second with reference to the first is in 
the direction of the dip. The dip is very steep in the interval of 
4,000 feet between the wells, and while the exact amount is undeter- 
mined it is surely enough to carry the oil sand that was tapped 
in the first well to a depth considerably exceeding 3,000 feet at the 
location of the second. 
" The production of petroleum in 1902 : Mineral Resources U. S. for 1902, U. S. Geol. 
Survey, 1908, p. 583. 
