102 ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES TN 1900. 
great that it is questionable whether the oil can be safely shipped, 
in bulk without some refining. There are plenty of good sites for j 
refineries at no great distance from the wells. If a harbor in the 
vicinity of Katalla or elsewhere on Controller Bay is utilized it will 
be a very simple matter to transport the oil from the wells to the 
wharves by short pipe lines on a practically level grade. If no 
harbor in the immediate vicinity can be used it will be necessary 1 
to ship from Orca Bay or elsewhere on Prince William Sound, a (lis- J 
tance of about 80 miles westward and across Copper River. The I 
grades to Orca are almost nothing and there will be no difficulties J 
except in crossing Copper "liiver. The distances from Katalla and | 
from Orca to Seattle by the steamer route, "outside way/' are about 
1,250 and 1,350 statute miles, respectively. 
CONCLUSIONS. 
The geographic conditions are such as to cause heavy initial expense 
of prospecting and drilling, but admit of permanent improvements ] 
which will make these conditions much better without great engineer- 
ing difficulties or excessive cost. 
The geology is complex and difficult to interpret and does not 
show definitely the relation of the occurrence of the petroleum to the 
stratigraphy and structure. The known facts of the local geology 
are unfavorable to the presence of productive bodies of oil, andl 
indicate that if oil is found in quantity the distribution of the pro- 
ductive areas will be very irregular and difficult to locate. 
The surface oil showings (seepages), though widespread and copious, 
are not conclusive evidence of the occurrence of productive oil pools] 
They are apparently more promising than any other known facts in] 
regard to the region would indicate. The only safe conclusion to 
be drawn from them is that they indicate the possibility of pro- 
ductive oil areas in the vicinity. 
Operators and investors who may not be familiar with local con- 
ditions will do well to be governed by the following suggestions: 
1. They should be certain that legal title can be obtained to a 
sufficient area to make it possible to sink many test wells under 
widely different conditions, and to expect a large enough probable 
production to pay for heavy initial expenditures and large permanent 
improvements. 
2. The}' should have large enough capital to be able (a) to pur-; 
chase in quantity and at low rates; (b) to build good roads and other 
improvements and thus reduce the cost of operating; (c) to carry a 
large stock of tools and supplies in order to avoid costly delays in 
drilling and to be able to drill deep; (d) to procure the best professional 
advice and good drillers; (e) to drill many test wells without hope of 
immediate profit ; (f) to market the product in the face of the existing 
