KGS--Oil and Gas Resources (1917)--Reports

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Chapter IX—Oil and Gas Production in Kansas

County Reports

Introduction

The following discussion of the oil and gas resources of Kansas has been organized on the basis of the county divisions of the state. Although this is not the most desirable method from some viewpoints, since producing districts and geologic conditions do not necessarily accord with such political units, it permits a readily accessible statement of the oil and gas possibilities in all parts of Kansas and facilitates reference to the conditions in any locality.

Comparatively few of the counties in Kansas are very important in the production of oil and gas at the present time. The oil and gas industry has developed so remarkably, however, in recent years and such important new fields have been discovered in entirely new territory, that the whole state is regarded by very many as possible oil or gas territory. It has been reported from reliable sources that tests will be made in the near future of almost all parts of Kansas. To meet the ever-increasing number of inquiries from those who are interested in land outside the proven areas, as well as to describe the conditions in the producing districts, a brief account of the essential geologic data which is available is given. It has been impossible to present any detailed description of the structure or to prepare such detailed structure maps as are most useful and desirable in the development of the oil and gas resources of the state, on account of lack of funds. The description of the counties should be supplemented by study of the proper divisions of chapter VI.

In a large number of the counties selection of typical well records have been made, and these are included with the report. Space limits the inclusion of more information of this sort, but it is believed that the records which are presented are representative. As far as possible the well records have been correlated with the recognized geologic divisions of the Kansas sedimentary rocks, but in some cases it has not been possible to do this with any degree of accuracy.

Allen County

The rocks of Allen county belong to the Pennsylvanian system. The Kansas City formation outcrops throughout the southern and eastern part of the county and along the valley of Neosho river. The Lansing formation occupies most of the central and western portion. The lower part of the Douglas formation appears along the western and northwestern margin. The geologic map of the county accompanying this report shows the distribution of these formations and their divisions, together with the location and character of wells drilled in the county.

The chief producing fields lie in the central part of the county in the vicinity of Iola and Gas City. Subordinate areas lie farther east near Moran and in the southwestern part of the county south of Humboldt, reaching across to the Chanute field. The Iola field is almost entirely a gas-producing area, but the Moran and Humboldt districts produce a larger proportion of oil. The need of the smelters about Iola for great quantities of natural gas is one of the reasons for the extension of this field during the past year or two. Some of the wells near Gas City produce from 8,000,000 to 15,000,000 feet of gas. Most of the oil wells produce less than 25 barrels, but a few are rated as high as 75 and 100 barrels. There are several good oil and gas sands in the county, one lying at a depth of 630 to 640 feet, and another at 800 to 850 feet. The following list of sand records for a number of the wells in this county will serve to show their depth and initial production.

Record of producing sands in the Allen county fields
Location			Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
Sec.	Twp.	Range	Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
35	24	18	855	15	Gas
35	24	18	792	35	Oil
9	25	18	630		Oil, 25 bbls
11	25	18		640	Oil, 10 bbls
11	25	18	617	14	Oil
4	26	18	775	18	Oil
4	26	18	795	7	Oil
4	26	18	864	14	Oil
15	26	18			Oil, 7 bbls
20	26	18	816	27	Oil
22	26	18	755	8	Oil
22	26	18	790	43	Oil
22	26	18	776	7	Oil
22	26	18	798	28	Oil
22	26	18	767	10	Oil
22	26	18	804	28	Oil
26	26	18	764	8	Oil
26	26	18	834	14	Oil
26	26	18	798	25	Oil
26	26	18	823	13	Oil
26	26	18	808	13	Oil
27	26	18	833	5
27	26	18	844	12
27	26	18	872	5	Gas, 1,000,000 cu. ft.
12 miles northwest of Chanute			820		Oil, 50 bbls.
12 miles northwest of Chanute				925	Oil
2 miles north of Gas City			785	15	Oil
16	26	20	685
34	26	20	780		Oil, 35 bbls.
1 mile north of Petrola			765	50	Oil
3 miles east of Humboldt			800	20

Wells drilled and acreage held in Allen county, 1905 to 1916, inclusive. Data from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey.
Year	Wells					Acreage
	Wells productive Jan. 1	New wells completed		Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
	Wells productive Jan. 1	Oil	Dry	Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
1909	158	2	1	4			6,086
1910	156	9	18	5	1,017	7,529	8,546
1911	160	46	11	36	613	8,465	9,078
1912	170	34	14	32	1,452	7,913	9,365
1913	172	142	9	5	1,126	13,117	14,243
1914	309	66	5	10	2,008	12,735	14,743
1915	365	50	32	28	2,941	16,773	19,714
1916	387	314	6
1917	701

New wells completed in Allen county, 1904 to 1916, inclusive. Data compiled from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey. Figures for 1916 from trade journals.
Year	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total
1904	387		63	450
1905	7	3	3	13
1906		2		2
1907	6	37	2	45
1908	22	133	37	192
1909	16	100	35	151
1910	13	51	14	78
1911	30	19	10	59
1912	50	2	6	58
1913	154	6	11	171
1914	175	8	10	193
1915	49	13	3	65
1916	314	6	6	326

Record of new wells drilled in Allen county, January, 1916, to October, 1917, inclusive, by months.
Month	New wells completed				Total initial daily production, in barrels
Month	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total	Total initial daily production, in barrels
1916
January	11	2		13	130
February	15			15	150
March	33			33	435
April	42		2	44	540
May	46	1	1	48	582
June	49		2	51	475
July	57			57	807
August	11			11	151
September	7	2	1	10	73
October	8	1		9	85
November	16			16	220
December	19			19	165
Totals	314	6	6	326	3,713
1917
January	20			20	295
February	22			22	290
March	13			13	140
April	8			8	7
May	21			21	123
June	16			16	205
July	13	1		14	200
August	41			41	615
September	2	2	4	8	38
October	24		1	23	239
Totals	180	3	5	186	2,215

Total and average initial daily production of new wells in Allen county, 1911 to 1915, inclusive, in barrels
Year	Total initial production, in barrels	Average per well, in barrels
1911	353	11.8
1912	1,632	12.6
1913	2,960	19.2
1914	1,896	10.8
1915	500	10.2

Record of Iola deep well. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 6)
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	19	19
Pennsylvanian system—
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	44	63
		Chanute shale
			Shale, coal bed at base	12	75
			Sandstone	5	80
			Shale	6	86
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	3	89
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	44	133
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	24	157
		Galesburg shale
			Shale	25	182
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	25	207
			Shale	4	211
			Limestone	29	240
		Ladore shale
			Shale	25	265
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	23	296
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Sandstone, shaly	60	356
		Walnut shale (?)
			Shale	139	495
		Altamont limestone
			Limestone	3	498
		Bandera shale
			Shale	13	511
			Sandstone, shaly	51	562
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	3	565
			Shale	6	571
			Limestone	5	576
			Shale	10	586
			Limestone	3	589
		Labette shale
			Shale	28	617
		Fort Scott limestone (?)
			Limestone	9	626
			Shale	9	635
			Limestone	11	646
			Shale	20	666
			Limestone	8	674
	Cherokee shale:
			Sandstone, shaly in lower part	20	694
			Shale	13	707
			Limestone	3	710
			Shale	20	730
			Limestone	2	732
			Shale	308	1,040
Mississippian system—
	Keokuk and Burlington limestones:
			Limestone, very flinty	168	1,208
			Limestone, arenaceous	29	1,237
	Kinderhook formation (?):
			Shale, calcareous	31	1,268
Cambrian and Ordovician system—
			Limestone	50	1,318
			Shale, calcareous	22	1,340
			Sandstone	8	1,348
			Flint	12	1,360
			Dolomite, arenaceous, with flint nodules	140	1,500
			Limestone, dolomitic, cherty	195	1,695
			Sandstone, dolomitic	29	1,724
			Dolomite, arenaceous	326	2,050
			Shale, dolomitic, arenaceous	30	2,080
			Sandstone, olive	25	2,105
			Sandstone	52	2,157
			Conglomerate	23	2,180
Cambrian system, perhaps Algonkian in part—
			Sandstone, conglomerate (?)	823	3,003

Record of well at Moran. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 90.) Situated near center of section 34, two miles west of Moran. Coffman well No. 1.)
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Pennsylvanian system—
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	28	28
		Chanute shale
			Shale	30	58
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	15	73
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	35	108
		Winterset and Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	75	183
		Ladore shale
			Shale	20	203
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	40	243
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale	50	293
		Coffeyville limestone
			Limestone	5	298
		Walnut shale (?)
			Shale	85	383
		Altamont limestone
			Limestone	30	413
		Bandera shale
			Shale	70	483
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	20	503
		Labette shale
			Shale	80	583
		Fort Scott limestone (?)
			Limestone	50	633
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	186	819
			Sandstone (oil in top)	42	861
			Shale	50	911
			Sandstone (salt water)	15	926
			Shale	12	938
Mississippian system—
			Limestone	10	948

Record of well near Humboldt, Sec. 4, T. 26 S., R 18 E.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	3	3
Pennsylvanian system—
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	20	23
		Chanute shale
			Shale	17	40
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	18	58
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	45	103
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	74	177
		Galesburg shale
			Shale	5	182
			Limestone	5	187
			Shale	10	197
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	20	217
		Ladore shale
			Shale	10	227
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	40	267
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton and Walnut shales
			Shale, slaty	158	425
		Altamont limestone
			Limestone	25	450
		Bandera shale
			Shale, slaty	20	470
			Sandstone	10	480
			Shale, slaty	42	522
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	20	572
		Labette shale
			Shale	35	607
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	18	625
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	169	794
			Sandstone (oil)	8	802
			Shale, slaty	62	864
			Sandstone (oil)	14	878
			Shale, slaty	9	887

Anderson County

Anderson county is located within the belt of Pennsylvanian rocks. The upper members of the Kansas City formation outcrop in the eastern and southeastern part of the county, the Lansing formation occupies most of the central part, and the Douglas formation the western part. The Stanton limestone at the top of the Lansing formation produces a high escarpment, the most striking feature of the topography. There has been comparatively little attempt at development work in Anderson county up to the present time. There are a number of old gas wells in various parts of the county, but most of these are not now productive. Recently there has been drilling near Garnett, and one well was brought in about five miles northeast of Garnett (NW, Sec. 14, T. 20 S., R. 20 E.) A gas sand was reached in this well at a depth of about 611 feet and drilling was continued to 620 feet, where oil was encountered. The oil flows so slowly into the well that it has not been possible to pump it at all steadily. There have been some attempts to drill the old gas wells deeper and reach this oil sand, and some new test wells are being drilled in the vicinity of Kincaid in the southeastern part of the county. So far only scattered production of small amount has been obtained in this county.

Record of Lone Elm well, Sec. 5, T. 23 S., R. 20 E.
Stratum			Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
		Soil	7	7
Pennsylvanian system—
	Lansing formation:
		Shale	93	100
	Kansas City formation:
		Limestone	4	104
		Shale	100	204
		Limestone	40	244
		Shale (salt water)	50	294
		Limestone	3	297
		Shale	25	322
		Limestone	35	357
	Marmaton formation:
		Shale	100	457
		Sandstone	3	460
		Shale	95	555
		Sandstone	2	557
		Shale (salt water)	135	692
		Limestone	15	707
		Shale, black	40	747
		Limestone	25	772
	Cherokee shale:
		Shale	195	967
		Sandstone	5	972
		Shale	55	1,027
		Sandstone (gas)	18	1,045
		Shale	55	1,100
Mississippian system—
		Limestone	40	1,140

Atchison County

Atchison county lies entirely within the outcrop of the Upper Pennsylvanian. The Douglas formation is exposed along the valley of Missouri river. The central part of the county is occupied by the Shawnee formation and the northwestern portion by the Wabaunsee formation. The formations are similar to those in Jefferson county immediately to the south. Glacial drift obscures the escarpments characteristically developed by members of these formations farther south and locally covers their outcrops. The Cherokee sands are buried from 1,000 to 1,500 feet in this part of the state.

A number of wells have been drilled in Atchison county, but none has obtained production. The following record shows very accurately the character of the strata in the vicinity of Atchison to a depth of 1,350 feet.

Record of well two miles south of Atchison. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 106) Location two miles south of city on right bank Missouri river. Diamond drill record.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Clay and loose rock	18	18
Pennsylvanian system—
	Douglas formation:
		Lawrence shale
			Shale, clayey	6	24
			Sandstone	7	31
			Shale, blue	33	64
			Sandstone	1	65
			Shale, blue	40	105
		Iatan limestone (?)
			Limestone (?), conglomeratic	2	107
		Weston shale
			Shale, sandy	53	160
			Sandstone	7	167
			Shale, blue	9	176
			Sandstone	3	179
			Shale, sandy	11	190
			Sandstone	34	224
			Limestone	2	226
			Shale, blue	8	234
			Sandstone	2	236
			Shale, sandy	3	239
			Sandstone	5	244
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton limestone
			Limestone	20	264
			Sandstone	4	268
			Limestone	1	269
		Vilas shale
			Sandstone	12	281
			Shale, blue	2	283
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone	8	291
		Lane shale
			Shale, sandy	35	326
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	11	337
			Shale, blue	8	340
			Limestone	9	349
		Chanute shale
			Shale, blue and black	4	353
			Limestone	1	354
			Shale, blue	9	363
			Limestone	5	368
			Shale	10	378
			Limestone	5	383
			Shale, with limestone	4	387
			Limestone	1	388
			Shale, blue	4	392
		Drum limestone (?)
			Limestone	5	397
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	11	408
			Limestone	3	411
			Shale, blue	1	412
			Conglomerate	8	420
			Shale, blue	7	427
			Conglomerate	2	429
			Limestone	6	435
			Conglomerate	4	439
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	15	454
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Shale, blue	8	462
			Limestone	19	481
			Shale, black	5	486
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	16	502
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale	6	508
			Sandstone (coal, 1 inch)	5	513
			Shale, sandy	6	519
			Limestone	1	520
		Walnut shale
			Shale, sandy	42	562
			Shale blue, clayey	22	584
			Sandstone	5	589
			Shale, clayey	24	613
			Limestone	1	614
		Bandera shale
			Shale, clayey	4	618
			Sandstone	4	622
			Shale, blue, clayey	5	627
			Shale, black, soft	4	631
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	4	635
			Shale, with limestone	8	643
			Shale, blue	6	649
			Shale and limestone	2	651
			Shale, blue	2	653
			Shale and limestone	5	658
			Limestone	2	662
		Labette shale
			Shale, sandy, black	16	678
			Limestone	2	680
			Shale, black	2	682
			Coal	1	683
			Shale	2	685
		Fort Scott limestone (?)
			Shale, limey	2	687
			Limestone	5	692
			Shale, limey	2	694
			Limestone	3	697
			Shale	10	707
			Limestone	1	708
			Shale and limestone	4	712
			Limestone	1	713
			Limestone and shale	3	716
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale, black, and limestone	2	718
			Shale	46	764
			Coal, shale partings	1	765
			Sandstone and shale	10	775
			Shale, coal 2 1/2 inches	3	778
			Shale, sandy	15	793
			Limestone, dark shaly	6	799
			Coal, a little bony	1	800
			Shale, with nodules	3	803
			Limestone and shale	4	807
			Shale, soft	3	810
			Shale, sandy	9	819
			No core	4	823
			Limestone and shale	5	828
			Shale	7	835
			Coal	1	836
			Shale	15	851
			Sandstone	9	860
			Shale, sandy	5	865
			Sandstone	1	866
			Shale	12	878
			Coal	1	879
			Shale (salty water)	7	886
			Shale, sandy	3	889
			Limestone and shale	3	892
			Sandstone	11	903
			Shale, sandy	6	909
			Sandstone	49	958
			Coal and shale partings, sandstone	17	975
			Sandstone	45	1,020
			Shale	23	1,043
			Sandstone, light gray	20	1,063
			Shale	4	1,070
			Coal	2	1,072
			Sandstone	6	1,078
			Shale, light, sandy	30	1,108
			Shale, dark, carbonaceous	3	1,111
			Sandstone, light gray	5	1,116
			Shale, very dark	1	1,117
			Sandstone and limestone, coal 1 inch	4	1,121
			Sandstone, light colored	1	1,122
			Coal	3	1,125
			Sandstone	4	1,129
			Shale, very dark	4	1,133
			Coal	1	1,134
			Sandstone	11	1,145
			Shale, dark	3	1,148
			Sandstone	2	1,150
			Shale, coal	2	1,152
			Sandstone	12	1,164
			Shale, black, coal	1	1,165
			Shale, carbonaceous
			Shale, dark, fossiliferous	22	1,187
			Coal	2	1,189
			Shale, black	7	1,196
			Coal, very brittle	2	1,198
			Shale, dark	57	1,255
			Coal	1	1,256
			Sandstone, shaly	40	1,296
			Shale, dark	2	1,298
			Sandstone	16	1,314
Mississippian system—
			Limestone, crystalline	38	1,352

Barber County

The red beds of the Cimarron group of the Permian occupy all the southern portion of Barber county. Along the northern and northwestern part the Comanchean strata lie upon the Permian formations, and along the northern margin Tertiary deposits cover the Comanchean. The general geologic conditions are similar to those in Comanche county lying to the west. The topography of a large part of Barber county is very much broken, due to the uneven weathering and erosion of the redbeds sandstone, shale and gypsum. The well-known Gypsum hills are a portion of the red-beds bad lands. There has been some geologic reconnaissance in Barber county and anticlinal structures located, but so far as known no deep tests have been drilled. The sands of the Cherokee and Lower Pennsylvanian formations are so deeply buried that they are almost beyond the reach of the drill, but oil-bearing strata at higher elevations may be discovered.

Barton County

The southern half of Barton county is underlain by the Dakota sandstone, and the northern half by the Benton shale, both belonging to the Cretaceous system. Along the Arkansas valley is much alluvial material and many sand dunes.

The structure of the rocks of this region has not been examined in detail, but in general they are almost horizontal. No oil or gas production has been reported. The Dakota sandstone is penetrated by many wells, 180 to 230 feet in depth, which usually obtain a satisfactory water supply. Four miles northeast of Great Bend a deep well was sunk several years ago to the depth of 1,365 feet to test the water supply of the formations below the Dakota sandstone. At a depth of 344 feet a good flow of water was encountered, but this water is too salty to be of use. In the deeper part of the well is much red and blue shale, with rock salt and gypsum. It is evident that most of this well is in the Permian.

Record of well four miles northeast of Great Bend. (Darton, 1905, p. 291)
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Surface material, soil, sand and clay	60	60
Cretaceous system—
	Dakota sandstone:
			Sandstone, red	15	75
			Shale, red	65	140
			Shale, blue	15	155
			Sandstone, brown near top, hard near bottom	100	255
			Shale	3	258
			Sandstone, hard	17	275
			Conglomerate, water	35	310
Comanchean system (?)—
		Cheyenne sandstone (?)
			Sandstone, gray (artesian flow salt water)	50	360
			Sandstone, gray, and shale, (salt water)	40	400
Permian system—
	Cimarron series:
			Shale, red	20	420
			Shale, blue	5	425
			Sandstone	50	475
			Shale, red, with some sandstone	635	1,110
	Big Blue series:
		Wellington formation
			Shale, blue	130	1,240
			Sand and shale	125	1,365

Bourbon County

The rocks appearing at the surface in Bourbon county belong for the most part to the lower part of the Pennsylvanian. The Cherokee shale outcrops in the extreme eastern and southeastern corner of the county and along some of the deeper river valleys. The Marmaton formation crosses the central portion and the Kansas City formation the western portion of the county. The various limestone and shale members of these formations have a nearly north-and-south trend across the county, and a general westerly dip of a few feet to the mile. The thicker limestone members form fairly prominent escarpments, while the shales are usually eroded away and form the valleys. Only the lower members of the Kansas City formation are exposed in Bourbon county.

Development has not been very extensive in this county, and as yet has yielded chiefly gas wells. Some of these, however, are good producers, one about twenty miles southwest of Fort Scott being reported to have 1,000,000 feet. A few oil wells have been brought in within Bourbon county, one near Mapleton about 540 feet deep having a 10-barrel production. Little information is available concerning projected development work.

Record of Enterprise well near Fort Scott, NW 14, Sec. 6, T. 26 S., R. 24 E.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Pennsylvanian system—
	Marmaton formation:
		Fort Scott limestone
			Cement rock, shale and coal	20	20
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	90	110
			Limestone	7	117
			Shale	162	279
			Sandstone (gas)	39	318
			Shale	62	380
			Sandstone (gas)	70	450
Mississippian system—
			Limestone and flint	205	655
			Sandstone and limestone	34	689
			Shale	10	699
			Limestone, gray	44	743
			Shale	5	748
Cambrian-Ordovician—
			Limestone	40	788
			Sandstone	135	923
			Flint	1	924
			Limestone	24	948
			Flint	4	952
			Sandstone	55	1,007
			Limestone	31	1,038
			Quartz sand	1	1,039
			Sandstone	14	1,053
			Limestone	255	1,398
			Sandstone, gray	110	1,508

Record of Fort Scott well No. 1, SW, Sec. 15, T. 25 S., R. 24 E.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	2	2
Pennsylvanian system—
	Marmaton formation:
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	18	20
		Labette shale
			Shale	14	34
			Coal	1	35
			Shale, clay	2	37
			Shale	8	45
			Limestone	3	48
			Shale	20	68
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	17	85
			Shale, dark	4	89
			Cement rock	8	97
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	53	150
			Limestone, shelly	3	153
			Shale	40	193
			Limestone	4	197
			Shale	45	242
			Sandstone	20	262
			Shale, dark	3	265
			Limestone, hard	2	267
			Shale	108	375
			Sandstone (salt water)	35	410
			Shale	62	472
Mississippian system—
			Limestone	28	500

Brown County

The upper beds of the Pennsylvanian, including parts of the Wabaunsee and Shawnee formations, cover the entire area of Brown county. Strata belonging to the lower Wabaunsee comprises the remainder of the surface rocks, but outcrops are obscured by a mantle of glacial drift. The porous sandy strata of the Cherokee shale and other formations in the Lower Pennsylvanian, which are the chief oil-bearing rocks of producing districts farther south, are buried from 1,000 to 1,600 feet in northeastern Kansas. Little geologic work has been done in Brown county and no statement can be made regarding structures favorable for oil accumulation. Few wells have been drilled in northeastern counties and no oil has been reported.

Record of well at Horton. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 103) Diamond drill record.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	37	37
Pennsylvanian system—
	Wabaunsee formation:
		Willard shale
			Shale, soft	29	66
			Limestone	5	71
			Shale, gray, hard	14	85
		Burlingame limestone
			Limestone	3	88
			Shale, black, slaty	3	91
			Limestone	1	92
			Shale, black, slaty	4	96
			Limestone	4	100
	Shawnee formation:
		Scranton and Severy shales
			Shale, gray	3	103
			Shale, sandy	7	110
			Shale, clayey	18	128
			Limestone, black, conglomerate	3	131
			Coal	1	132
			Shale, clayey	12	144
			Conglomerate (?)	1	145
			Shale, clayey	95	240
		Topeka limestone
			Limestone	2	242
			Shale, clayey	18	260
			Limestone	1	261
		Calhoun shale
			Shale, sandy	30	291
			Shale, clayey	8	299
		Deer Creek limestone
			Limestone	3	302
			Shale, black, slaty	2	304
			Limestone	5	309
		Tecumseh shale
			Shale, clayey	13	322
		Lecompton limestone
			Limestone	6	328
			Shale, sandy	3	331
			Limestone	3	334
		Kanwaka shale
			Shale, black, slaty	9	343
			Shale, sandy	2	345
			Shale, clayey	6	351
	Douglas formation:
		Oread limestone
			Limestone	28	379
			Limestone, sandy	4	383
		Lawrence shale
			Shale, clayey	2	385
			Sandstone (water)	6	391
			Shale, micaceous	5	396
			Shale, sandy	43	439
			Shale, clayey	20	459
		Iatan limestone
			Limestone	15	474
		Weston shale
			Shale, black, slaty	4	478
			Limestone	3	481
			Shale, black, slaty	1	482
			Limestone	4	486
			Shale, hard	6	492
			Shale, sandy (salt water)	8	500
			Sandstone	13	513
			Shale, hard	23	536
			Limestone, conglomeratic	4	540
			Shale, hard	16	556
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton limestone
			Limestone, sandy	2	558
			Shale and limestone	2	560
			Shale, hard	3	563
			Limestone, conglomeratic	2	565
			Limestone and shale	23	588
		Vilas shale (?)
			Shale, black, slaty	9	597
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone	18	615
		Lane shale
			Shale, green	14	629
			Shale, red	1	630
			Shale, clayey	26	656
			Sandstone	4	660
			Shale, clayey	23	683
			Shale, sandy	2	685
			Shale, hard	23	708
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone, blue	2	710
			Shale, hard	2	712
			Limestone, blue	6	718
		Chanute and Cherryvale shales
			Shale, red	8	726
			-Shale, sandy, micaceous	4	730
			Shale, red	5	735
			Shale, micaceous	31	766
			Shale, clayey	34	800
		Winterset limestone (?)
			Limestone	5	805
		Galesburg shale (?)
			Shale, sandy, hard	13	818
		Bethany Falls and Hertha limestones
			Limestone, with sandy shale	49	867
			Limestone	16	883
	Marmaton formation (?):
			Shale clay	16	899
			Limestone	4	903
			Shale	13	916
			Limestone	9	925
			Shale	12	937
			Limestone	13	950
			Shale	2	952
			Shale, black, slaty	2	954
			Limestone, conglomerate	2	956
			Shale	7	963
			Limestone	4	967
			Shale	7	974
			Limestone	13	987
			Shale	10	997
			Shale, slaty and limestone	99	1,096
			Limestone	12	1,108

Butler County

One of the most important oil districts in the Midcontinent field and the area of largest production in Kansas is in Butler county, in the south central portion of the state. Bounded on the east by the prominent escarpment of the Flint Hills lies a region of open, rolling, rich farm land, interrupted in places by oil fields with thick clusters of derricks, and rapidly growing towns and cities.

The strata which appear at the surface in Butler county belong to the Pennsylvanian and Permian systems. The former is represented by rocks belonging to the upper part of the Wabaunsee formation, which occupy a narrow belt beneath the Flint Hills escarpment of the Cottonwood and Wreford limestones at the extreme eastern border of the county. The Permian strata consist chiefly of alternating formations of shale and more or less hard, flinty limestone, the lowermost beds being found to the east and successively higher formations to the west. The outcrops of the shales and limestones form rather narrow bands with a general north-south trend, the limestones appearing along the crests of the ridges. The geologic division of these beds has been made," but detailed geologic mapping of the county has not yet been completed. [Note: See description of formations, Wabaunsee to Marion, Chapter VI.] The general geologic map (Plate XXIX) shows the boundary between the Pennsylvanian and Permian at the east border of Butler county.

The structural geology of a large part of Butler county has been examined in considerable detail by oil companies operating in the district. A number of well-defined anticlines have been discovered and in some cases extensively developed. The State Geological Survey, in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey, is conducting an examination of Butler county fields, but can not publish at this time detailed information concerning the geology of the region.

For a number of years it has been known that quantities of gas exist in Butler county (Haworth, 1908, p. 226; see also chapter I, this report). It is only within the last three or four years, however, that the region has become an important oil field. Unlike the other oil fields of Kansas, individual wells here have large production, and in very many cases come in as gushers. Since the greater part of the oil production comes from deep sands, standard rigs are generally used in drilling and the wells are pumped on the walking beam. There are few power plants in the district.

Oil in commercial quantities was discovered in Butler county in June, 1914, when a well in the Augusta gas district reached an oil sand at an approximate depth of 2,500 feet. Five oil wells were completed in the heart of the gas pool before the close of the year, and by the close of 1915 the number was increased to 12, one of which, on the farm of E. C. Varner (NE, Sec. 17, T. 28 S., R. 4 E.), is reported to have had an initial output of 1,500 barrels, natural flow.

The first development of importance in the El Dorado district from the standpoint of petroleum production came toward the close of 1915, when a 100-barrel well was brought in by the Continental Oil and Gas Company, now Empire Gas and Fuel Company, on the Stapleton farm (NE, SE, 14, Sec. 29, T. 25 S., R. 5 E.), about fifteen miles northeast of Augusta. The discovery was in a sand penetrated at a depth of about 660 feet. Offset wells confirmed the importance of the shallow sand, but in the first well the sand was cased off and drilling continued. A lower zone of production was found at a reported depth of 2,460 feet, the well being completed with an initial production of 120 barrels a day from this horizon. By the end of 1915 nine productive oil wells had been completed in the El Dorado district, all of which, except Stapleton No. 1, were from the shallow sand at a depth of 540 to 660 feet below the surface.

The most important producing areas in Butler county lie in the west central and southwestern part, and constitute the El Dorado and Augusta-Gordon pools. Recent development has extended the limits of these producing areas and has located many smaller more or less isolated areas. Some of the pools of lesser importance are the Douglass, Potwin and Beaumont areas. (See map, Plate XXIX.)

The El Dorado district is one of the most productive fields in the country. The area which has been outlined by the development to date lies chiefly west and northwest of the town of El Dorado, and includes most of T. 25 S., R. 5 E., and the northeastern part of T. 26 S., R. 4 E., and the northern part of R. 5 E. There is a well-developed domal structure in this area, and the production is closely related to it. The five important oil sands in this field are shown in the table of sand records below. A large production has been obtained from certain of these sands since the opening of the field, and the production is holding up remarkably well. In Towanda township, on the western slope of the dome, some of the biggest gushers in the country have been brought in since May, 1917. The most productive area includes much of Secs. 10 and 11, T. 26 S., R. 4 E. The famous Trapshooter lease, in NW of Sec. 11, which is being developed by the Eureka Oil Company, has yielded about a dozen gushers to date, with a daily flow ranging from 500 to over 20,000 barrels each. (See Plates XXX and XXXI.) Other companies developing neighboring leases have been almost as successful in getting wells with a big flow.

The great increase in weekly production with the coming in of these gushers is clearly shown in the graph, Plate XXVII. The sharp rise in June and the later rise during the fall of 1917 is due to new wells of large production from this part of the El Dorado field.

The Augusta-Gordon pool, which extends from north of Augusta to the vicinity of Gordon, is also noted for its gushers. This field was first developed on account of its gas, but in the last two years it has advanced to front rank among the Midcontinent oil fields. The two most important sands in this field are the Kramer sand, at about 2,000 feet depth, and the Varner, about 400 feet deeper. The Kramer sand thins out to the south. Much trouble has been caused by water flooding the producing sands in this pool.

The Douglass pool, north of Douglass, is the southernmost oil field in the county. It has been developed more recently than either of those mentioned above and at present is of small extent, but contains a number of wells with large production. The chief sand is reached at about 1,800 feet.

The other small pools in the county, while frequently containing a few wells with good production, are not of sufficient importance, as compared with those already described, to be discussed in any detail here.

The oil-field activity in Kansas in the last two years has centered in Butler county, principally in the El Dorado and Augusta districts. In 1916, 835 successful oil wells, credited with an average initial yield of 256 barrels each on the first day of production, were brought in during the year (U. S. Geol. Survey: Press Bulletin, July, 1917). At the beginning of 1917 there were 600 producing wells in the El Dorado district, the combined potential output of which was estimated at 15,000 barrels, and in the Augusta district there were about 200 producing wells, estimated as capable of yielding a combined daily output of 45,000 barrels. Since these figures were issued the daily output of the El Dorado field has risen until it is estimated at more than 30,000 barrels, and is very nearly equal to that of the Augusta field.

The following table of sand records and well records shows in a somewhat detailed manner the depth to the producing sands and the initial production in wells in different portions of the county.

Record of producing sands in the Butler county fields
Location			Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
Sec.	Twp.	Range	Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
9	23	3	800		Oil, showing.
36	24	3	2,660		Oil, showing.
36	24	3	2,654	48
36	24	3	2,650	40
36	24	3	2,652
36	24	3	2,644	26
30	24	4	2,634	35
31	24	4	2,718
31	24	4	2,664
31	24	4	2,683
30	24	4	2,317		Oil, showing.
16	24	5	2,482		Dry.
23	25	4	2,431		Dry.
25	25	4	2,437
25	25	4	2,457
35	25	4	2,430
35	25	4	2,455
34	25	4	1,455	10	Gas.
35	25	4	2,391		Oil, 50 bbls.
35	25	4	2,400	47	Oil, 1,440 bbls.
35	25	4	1,200		Gas.
35	25	4	2,393	51
35	25	4	1,483		Gas, 2,000,000 cu. ft.
35	25	4	2,383	21	Dry.
35	25	4	2,415	40
35	25	4	2,393
36	25	4	2,482	10
36	25	4	1,482	11
36	25	4	2,398	40	Oil, 200 bbls.
36	25	4	663
4	25	5	2,537		Oil, 125 bbls.
5	25	5	720	17
6	25	5	2,488
6	25	5	633	18
8	25	5	665		Oil, showing.
8	25	5	665	20	Oil, 150 bbls.
8	25	5	2,440
8	25	5	665
			1,410
			1,950
			2,435
15	25	5	2,526	50	Oil, 1,000 bbls.
15	25	5	2,502	50
16	25	5	600		Oil, 25 bbls.
17	25	5	570	12
17	25	5	2,464	15
17	25	5	827		Gas, 4,000,000 cu. ft.
21	25	5	627	11
21	25	5	623	21	Oil, 15 bbls.
21	25	5	1,215		Gas, 16,000,000 cu. ft.
21	25	5	623	21	Oil, 15 bbls.
22	25	5	2,643	8
22	25	5	616
22	25	5	2,540	17	Oil, 250 bbls.
22	25	5	2,624	86	Oil, 600 bbls.
22	25	5	2,626	41
25	25	5	680	10
27	25	5	2,487	27
27	25	5	2,556
27	25	5	2,600		Oil, 1,000 bbls.
27	25	5	625		Oil, 200 bbls.
27	25	5	2,456	27	Oil, 225 bbls.
27	25	5	2,525	35	Oil, 100 bbls.
27	25	5	2,730
27	25	5	2,500	30
27	25	5	2,650	35
27	25	5	2,703	30
28	25	5	635	18
28	25	5	647	8
28	25	5	624	15
28	25	5	621	36
28	25	5	667	12
28	25	5	2,465	28
28	25	5	2,465	18	Oil, 700 bbls.
28	25	5	2,425	18
28	25	5	623	23	Oil, 20 bbls.
28	25	5	635	18	Oil, 20 bbls.
29	25	5	660	18
29	25	5	2,470	23	Oil, 500 bbls.
29	25	5	694	8
29	25	5	672	6
31	25	5	650	31	Oil, 15 bbls.
31	25	5	1,314		Gas, 1,000,000 cu. ft.
31	25	5	675	10
31	25	5	2,470	17
31	25	5	655	25
			905	50	Dry.
			1,550	35	Dry.
			2,452	5	Oil.
31	25	5	2,456		Oil, 200 bbls.
31	25	5	2,490		Oil, 1,000 bbls.
31	25	5	1,505	5	Gas, 10,000,000 cu. ft.
31	25	5	1,570	4	Gas, 11,000,000 cu. ft.
31	25	5	2,460		Oil, 500 bbls.
31	25	5	2,463
31	25	5	650	31	Oil, 15 bbls.
32	25	5	630	15
32	25	5	2,460	13
32	25	5	644	18
32	25	5	2,446
32	25	5	645	21
32	25	5	2,478		Oil, 50 bbls.
32	25	5	2,432
32	25	5	2,482	10	Oil, 100 bbls.
32	25	5	620	15
33	25	5	2,530	16	Oil, 150 bbls.
33	25	5	615	20
33	25	5	2,435	30
33	25	5	2,000		Oil, 150 bbls.
33	25	5	2,576		Oil, 250 bbls.
33	25	5	2,530	20	Oil, 50 bbls.
33	25	5	790
33	25	5	2,518
33	25	5	1,093	17	Gas, 1,000,000 cu. ft.
34	25	5	2,507		Oil, 300 bbls.
34	25	5	2,599
34	25	5	2,468
34	25	5	2,485	17
34	25	5	2,520	22
34	25	5	2,560
34	25	5	2,485
2	25	6	2,672		Dry.
1	26	4	1,690		Gas.
1	26	4	2,078	72	Salt sand.
1	26	4	2,447		Oil, 100 bbls.
10	26	4	2,391	24	Oil, 100 bbls.
10	26	4	2,404	24
10	26	4			Oil, 200 bbls.
11	26	4	2,414	26	Oil, 15,000 bbls.
3	26	5	2,561		Oil, 250 bhl a,
3	26	5	2,589
3	26	5	2,564	18
3	26	5	2,608		Oil, 200 bbls.
4	26	5	2,590	8	Oil, 100 bbls.
4	26	5	2,597		Oil, 200 bbls.
4	26	5	2,600	15	Oil, 300 bbls.
4	26	5	2,562	13	Oil, 300 bbls.
4	26	5	2,770	20	Oil, 500 bbls.
4	26	5	2,577		Oil, 200 bbls.
4	26	5	2,529		Oil, 750 bbls.
4	26	5	2,617	17	Oil, 150 bbls.
4	26	5	2,548
4	26	5	2,519
4	26	5	2,635
4	26	5	2,570
5	26	5	2,430	10	Oil, 200 bbls.
5	26	5	2,422	20	Oil, 400 bbls.
5	26	5	2,431	24	Oil, 150 bbls.
5	26	5	2,425
5	26	5	628	17
5	26	5	2,435	17
5	26	5	618	20
5	26	5	630	23
5	26	5	633	21
6	26	5	2,424		Oil, 75 bbls.
5	26	5	633	7
5	26	5	626	19
6	26	5	2,030	20	Oil, 200 bbls.
6	26	5	2,430
6	26	5	1,500		Gas, 5,000,000 cu. ft.
6	26	5	2,470		Oil, 70 bbls.
6	26	5	2,450		Oil, 750 bbls.
6	26	5	1,290	10	Gas.
6	26	5	2,415	30	Oil, 800 bbls.
6	26	5	636	16
6	26	5	624	18
6	26	5	637	14
7	26	5	2,418
7	26	5	2,407
7	26	5	2,418
7	26	5	2,453
7	26	5	700		Gas, 2,000,000 cu. ft.
7	26	5	2,430		Oil, 100 bbls.
7	26	5	900		Gas, 3,000,000 cu. ft.
7	26	5			Oil, 100 bbls.
7	26	5	660	10
			910	35	Gas.
			1,695	10	Oil.
			2,431	60	Oil, water.
7	26	5	2,490		Oil, 75 bbls.
8	26	5	2,416	60
8	26	5	2,414		Oil, 200 bbls.
8	26	5	2,424	50
8	26	5	2,419	28
17	26	5	1,653		Oil, 200 bbls.
17	26	5	1,675		Oil, 200 bbls.
17	26	5	1,690
17	26	5	1,655	18	Oil, 100 bbls.
17	26	5	1,617	3	Gas.
			1,470	25	Dry.
			1,653	25
29	26	5	554	6
29	26	5	660	10
30	26	5	2,465		Oil, 1,000 bbls.
30	26	5	2,605
22	27	3	2,750		Showing.
9	27	4	2,337		Oil, 150 bbls.
9	27	4	1,655	65	Gas.
9	27	4	1957	Kramer
			1,130	120	Gas.
			1,675	15
			1,962	Kramer	Oil, 50 bbls.
9	27	4	2,444	36
9	27	4	2,505	30
9	27	4	1,970	65	Oil, 400 bbls.
9	27	4	2,384	15	Oil, 550 bbls.
9	27	4	1,950		Oil, 100 bbls.
10	27	4	2,467		Oil, 200 bbls.
10	27	4	2,430	60	Oil, 250 bbls.
10	27	4	1,175	48	Gas.
10	27	4	1,980	55 Kramer
10	27	4	2,579		Oil, 200 bbls.
10	27	4	2,430		Oil, 1,200 bbls.
10	27	4	1,965
10	27	4	1,950		Oil, 75 bbls.
10	27	4	2,447	50	Oil, 600 bbls.
15	27	4	1,395	10	Gas.
			2,005	Kramer
			2,472	8 Varner
15	27	4	2,005
15	27	4	2,480	16
15	27	4	2,491		Oil, 200 bbls.
15	27	4	2,588		Oil, 550 bbls.
16	27	4	2,438	85	Oil, 500 bbls.
16	27	4	1,191		Oil, 125 bbls.
16	27	4	3,535		Showing oil.
16	27	4	2,477		Oil, 40 bbls.
16	27	4	2,454		Oil, 500 bbls.
16	27	4	1,950		Oil, 400 bbls.
16	27	4	2,570		Oil, 40 bbls.
16	27	4	2,517		Oil, 100 bbls.
16	27	4	2,389	28	Oil, 400 bbls.
21	27	4	1,983		Oil, 35 bbls.
21	27	4	1,930		Oil, 200 bbls.
21	27	4	2,334		Oil, 350 bbls.
21	27	4	2,350		Oil, 350 bbls.
21	27	4	2,330		Oil, 150 bbls.
21	27	4	2,360		Oil, 75 bbls.
21	27	4	2,009		Oil, 50 bbls.
21	27	4	1,960		Oil, 50 bbls.
21	27	4	2,333		Oil, 250 bbls.
21	27	4	2,400		Oil, 3,000 bbls.
21	27	4	2,315	31	Oil, 3,300 bbls.
21	27	4	1,445		Gas.
			1,920	Kramer
			2,327	42 Varner	Oil, 250 bbls.
21	27	4	1,905	35 Kramer
21	27	4	2,300	12 Varner
21	27	4	2,614		Oil, 200 bbls.
21	27	4	1,916		Oil, 40 bbls.
21	27	4	2,015		Oil, 85 bbls.
21	27	4	2,035		Oil, 35 bbls.
21	27	4	2,329		Oil, 1,200 bbls.
27	27	4	1,340	10	Gas.
			2,015	10 Kramer	Oil, showing.
			2,362	17 Varner
			2,422	15	Oil, 1,200 bbls.
28	27	4	2,417	43	Oil, 250 bbls.
28	27	4	1,370	45	Gas.
28	27	4	2,416	60	Oil, 1,900 bbls.
28	27	4	1,920	Kramer
28	27	4	2,320	35 Varner
28	27	4	1,978		Oil, 60 bbls.
28	27	4	1,950		Oil, 50 bbls.
28	27	4	2,400	28	Oil, 100 bbls.
28	27	4	2,326		Oil, 2,000 bbls.
28	27	4	2,369	75	Oil, 2,000 bbls.
28	27	4	2,370	85	Oil, 2,400 bbls.
35	27	4	2,084
35	27	4	2,060		Oil, 100 bbls.
35	27	4	2,547		Oil, 150 bbls.
2	27	5	2,550	15	Oil, showing.
23	27	7	2,100	45	Oil, showing.
			2,235	15	Oil, showing.
			2,652	75	Oil, showing.
2	28	4	2,555	50	Oil, 150 bbls.
2	28	4	2,570	16	Oil, 600 bbls.
2	28	4	2,600		Oil, 60 bbls.
2	28	4	2,570	33	Oil, 240 bbls.
3	28	4	2,575		Oil, 500 bbls.
3	28	4	2,587	11	Oil, 100 bbls.
3	28	4	2,600	13	Oil, 200 bbls.
3	28	4	2,581	14	Oil, 150 bbls.
8	28	4	2,371		Oil, 250 bbls.
8	28	4	2,514	23	Oil, 240 bbls.
8	28	4	2,390		Oil, 200 bbls.
8	28	4	2,515	15	Oil, 75 bbls.
8	28	4	2,413	59	Oil, 100 bbls.
8	28	4	2,421	Oil,	175 bbls.
8	28	4	2,396		Oil, 40 bbls.
9	28	4	2,800		Oil, 150 bbls.
9	28	4	1,777	16	Oil, 100 bbls.
9	28	4	2,488		Oil, 1,000 bbls.
10	28	4	2,400		Oil, 300 bbls.
10	28	4	2,527		Oil, 100 bbls.
10	28	4	1,480	30	Gas, 2,000,000 cu. ft.
10	28	4	2,546	10	Oil, 670 bbls.
10	28	4	2,478		Oil, 350 bbls.
10	28	4	2,602	26	Oil, 100 bbls.
14	28	4	2,555		Oil, 500 bbls.
15	28	4	2,594	10	Oil, 150 bbls.
15	28	4	2,593		Oil, 50 bbls.
16	28	4	2,544	22	Oil, 100 bbls.
16	28	4	2,469		Oil, 250 bbls.
16	28	4	2,474		Oil, 75 bbls.
16	28	4	2,500	8	Oil, 120 bbls.
16	28	4	1,695	40
16	28	4	2,490	35	Oil, 150 bbls.
17	28	4	2,380		Oil, 500 bbls.
17	28	4	2,469		Oil, 100 bbls.
17	28	4	2,350		Oil, 500 bbls.
17	28	4	1,340	55	Big gas.
17	28	4	2,368	30
17	28	4	2,462	26	Oil, 500 bbls.
17	28	4	2,369	21	Oil, 1,080 bbls.
18	28	4	2,567	11	Oil, 20 bbls.
19	28	4	2,430		Oil, 80 bbls.
20	28	4	2,497		Oil, 350 bbls.
20	28	4	1,410		Gas.
20	28	4	1,494	9	Gas.
20	28	4	1,370	30	Gas.
			1,625	35	Big gas.
			1,700	15	Oil, 2,000 bbls.
20	28	4	1,422	8	Gas, 700,000 cu. ft.
20	28	4	2,431	60
21	28	4	1,742
21	28	4	2,478		Oil, 100 bbls.
21	28	4	2,522		Oil, 240 bbls.
21	28	3	2,522	10	Oil, 125 bbls.
22	28	4	1,550	20	Gas.
22	28	4	2,053	20	Oil, 120 bbls.
29	28	4	2,447		Oil, 65 bbls.
29	28	4	2,471		Oil, 100 bbls.
29	28	4	2,557	11	Oil, 200 bbls.
30	28	4	1,730		Oil, 3,500 bbls.
31	28	4	2,553	7	Water.
12	29	3	1,700		Gas.
6	29	4	1,805	25	Gas.
9	29	4	1,780		Oil, 1,500 bbls.
9	29	4	1,788		Oil, 250 bbls.
9	29	4	1,790	8	Oil, 650 bbls.
9	29	4	1,780	14	Oil, 925 bbls.
9	29	4	1,782		Oil, 250 bbls.
18	29	4	1,865	16	Oil, 30 bbls.
13	29	5	2,810	17	Oil, 25

Wells drilled and acreage held in Butler county, 1914 to 1916, inclusive. Data from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey.
Year	Wells				Acreage
	Wells productive Jan. 1	New wells completed		Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
	Wells productive Jan. 1	Oil	Dry	Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
1914		1				60,108	60,108
1915	1	19	4			104,060	104,060
1916	20	836	126			?	?
1917	730

New wells completed in Butler county, 1914 to 1916, inclusive. Data compiled from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey, and trade journals.
Year	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total
1914	5	24		29
1915	22	34	4	60
1916	836	35	126	997

Record of new wells drilled in Butler county, January, 1916, to October, 1917, inclusive, by months
Month	New wells completed				Total initial daily production, in barrels
Month	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total	Total initial daily production, in barrels
1916
January	9	1		10	645
February	15	1	3	19	1,380
March	53	3	8	64	3,130
April	58		13	71	5,920
May	113	3	16	132	10,810
June	111	3	15	129	28,794
July	70	6	2	78	23,050
August	108	3	17	128	28,915
September	94	4	17	115	48,160
October	81		7	88	34,184
November	74	1	19	94	18,295
December	50	10	9	69	11,315
Totals	836	35	126	997	214,598
1917
January	48	2	4	54	15,350
February	71	4	18	93	12,020
March	69	3	3	75	14,870
April	63	3	6	72	11,165
May	55	2	11	68	10,470
June	81	1	6	88	24,225
July	89	2	21	112	35,440
August	122		32	154	38,302
September	76	2	7	85	58,035
October	143		16	159	40,147
Totals	817	19	124	960	260,024

Record of George Parsley well No. 1, Sec. 23, T. 25 S., R. 4 E., west of El Dorado.
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Limestone	25	25
Shale	25	50
Sandstone	20	70
Shale	10	80
Sandstone	10	90
Limestone	5	95
Shale	65	160
Limestone	25	185
Red rock	5	190
Limestone	30	220
Red Rock	10	230
Limestone	40	270
Shale	135	405
Sandstone (water)	20	425
Shale	95	520
Limestone	20	540
Shale	10	550
Limestone	10	560
Shale	55	615
Sandstone (water)	15	630
Shale	40	670
Red rock	15	685
Shale	45	730
Sandstone (water)	25	755
Shale	150	905
Limestone	40	945
Shale	125	970
Limestone	20	990
Shale	45	1,035
Limestone	2	1,037
Sandstone	3	1,040
Shale	45	1,085
Limestone	20	1,105
Shale	10	1,115
Limestone	20	1,135
Shale	10	1,145
Limestone	10	1,155
Shale	5	1,160
Limestone	45	1,205
Shale	35	1,240
Limestone	40	1,280
Shale (water)	20	1,300
Limestone	50	1,350
Shale	45	1,395
Limestone	20	1,415
Shale	35	1,450
Limestone	15	1,465
Shale	25	1,485
Limestone	5	1,490
Shale	30	1,520
Sandstone	20	1,540
Limestone	38	1,578
Sandstone	7	1,585
Shale	33	1,618
Sandstone	5	1,623
Shale	15	1,638
Limestone	20	1,658
Shale	55	1,713
Shale	5	1,718
Limestone (water)	151	1,869
Shale	132	2,001
Limestone	17	2,018
Sandstone (water)	6	2,024
Limestone	110	2,134
Shale	6	2,140
Sandstone	7	2,147
Shale	5	2,152
Limestone	6	2,158
Shale	60	2,218
Limestone	15	2,233
Shale	5	2,238
Limestone	5	2,243
Sandstone	5	2,248
Shale	20	2,268
Sandstone	5	2,273
Shale	20	2,293
Limestone	7	2,300
Shale	50	2,350
Limestone	10	2,360
Shale	80	2,440
Limestone	5	2,445
Shale	50	2,495
Limestone	8	2,503
Shale	16	2,519
Limestone	16	2,535
Sandstone	18	2,553
Limestone	20	2,573
Shale	10	2,583
Limestone	30	2,613
Shale	40	2,653
Limestone	20	2,673
Shale	30	2,703
Limestone	10	2,713
Shale	31	2,744
Sandstone	13	2,757

Record of well near Augusta, Sec. 28, T. 27 S., R. 4 E.
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Soil	10	10
Shale	10	20
Sandstone	10	30
Shale	40	70
Sandstone (water)	10	80
Shale	140	220
Limestone	10	230
Shale	190	420
Sandstone	15	435
Shale	135	570
Sandstone (water)	30	600
Shale	100	700
Limestone	10	710
Shale	180	890
Limestone	20	910
Shale	115	1,025
Limestone	10	1,035
Shale	5	1,040
Limestone	50	1,090
Shale (water)	20	1,110
Limestone	35	1,145
Shale	0	1,155
Limestone	55	1,210
Shale	20	1,230
Sandstone	30	1,260
Shale	5	1,265
Limestone	5	1,270
Shale	50	1,320
Limestone	5	1,325
Shale	15	1,340
Limestone	15	1,355
Shale	85	1,440
Limestone	15	1,455
Shale	10	1,465
Gas sand	10	1,475
Shale	75	1,550
Limestone	20	1,570
Shale	45	1,615
Limestone	155	1,770
Shale	150	1,920
Sandstone (Kramer)	190	2,110
Shale	210	2,320
Sandstone (Varner)	30	2,355

Plate XXX—A. Panoramic view looking southeast on Trapshooter lease, sec. 11, T. 26 S., R. 4 E., El Dorado field, Butler county, July, 1917. B. The Churchyard oil field (sec. 27, T. 28 S., R. 4 E.), Butler county.

Two black and white photos; Panoramic view looking southeast on Trapshooter lease; Churchyard oil field.

Plate XXXI—Trapshooter well No. 2, flowing 12,000 barrels a day from a six-inch pipe, June 2, 1917. Sec. 11, T. 26 S., R. 4 E., El Dorado field, Butler county. (Photos by L. J. Pepperberg.)

Two black and white photos of Trapshooter well No. 2.

Plate XXXII—A. Oil field west of Gordon, Butler county. B. Oil tanks west of Gordon, Butler county.

Two black and white photos; Oil field west of Gordon, Butler county; Oil tanks west of Gordon, Butler county.

Record of the H. W. Hardenbower well No. 1, Sec. 5, T. 29 S., R. 4 E., near Douglass.
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Soil	10	10
Clay, yellow, and gravel	20	30
Limestone, sandy (water)	65	95
Shale, blue	10	105
Limestone	5	110
Shale, blue	25	135
Red rock	10	145
Limestone	35	180
Shale, blue	5	185
Red rock	5	190
Shale, white, fossiliferous	80	270
Limestone	5	275
Shale, dark	5	280
Shale, blue	20	300
Limestone	10	310
Shale, black	10	320
Limestone	20	340
Shale, white	20	360
Limestone	5	365
Shale	40	405
Limestone	10	415
Shale	5	420
Limestone	75	495
Shale, blue	5	500
Limestone, hard	15	515
Shale	30	545
Limestone	5	550
Shale, brown	60	610
Limestone	5	615
Red rock	5	620
Shale, white	28	648
Limestone, hard	4	652
Shale, white	33	685
Shale, blue	35	720
Sandstone	5	725
Shale, blue	75	800
Limestone	10	810
Shale, blue	15	825
Limestone	5	830
Shale, blue	25	855
Limestone	5	860
Shale, white	10	870
Limestone	10	880
Shale, blue	5	885
Limestone	10	895
Shale, white	20	915
Sandstone	5	920
Shale, brown	35	955
Limestone	5	960
Shale, blue	35	995
Limestone	60	1,055
Shale, blue	5	1,060
Limestone	5	1,065
Shale	50	1,115
Limestone	60	1,175
Shale	10	1,185
Limestone	35	1,220
Shale	15	1,235
Limestone	5	1,240
Shale, black	5	1,245
Limestone	10	1,255
Shale, white	3	1,258
Limestone	17	1,275
Shale	15	1,290
Limestone	15	1,305
Shale	10	1,315
Limestone	10	1,325
Shale	35	1,360
Limestone	10	1,370
Shale, brown	103	1,473
Limestone (little gas at 1,481, water)	37	1,510
Shale, blue	190	1,700
Sandstone, water	25	1,725
Shale	35	1,760
Limestone	65	1,825
Shale	10	1,835
Limestone	45	1,880
Shale, fossils	25	1,905
Limestone	55	1,960
Shale	80	2,040
Limestone	10	2,050
Shale	50	2,100
Limestone (showing of oil at 2,160)	160	2,260
Shale	5	2,265
Limestone	20	2,285
Shale, black	35	2,320
Limestone	12	2,332
Shale	18	2,350
Limestone	5	2,355
Shale	80	2,435
Limestone	15	2,450
Shale, black	10	2,460
Limestone	25	2,485
Shale	5	2,490
Limestone	5	2,495
Shale	10	2,505
Limestone	5	2,510
Shale	5	2.515
Limestone, sandy	10	2,525
Shale	35	2,560
Limestone	4	2,564
Shale, black	10	2,574
Limestone, flinty	6	2,580
Shale, blue	10	2,590
Limestone	14	2,604
Shale	6	2,610
Limestone	5	2,615
Shale, white	10	2,625
Limestone	5	2,630
Shale	5	2,635
Limestone, sandy	20	2,655
Shale, blue and brown	103	2,75S
Limestone	7	2,765
Shale	70	2,835
Limestone, sandy, cherty	10	2,845
Limestone	55	2,900
Shale	15	2,915
Limestone	5	2,920
Sandstone	8	2,928
Limestone, hard, sandy (water at 3,010)	157	3,085
Shale	2	3,087
Limestone, hard, sandy	23	3,110
Limestone, hard	375	3,485

A record of the Lilly well No. 1 (Sec. 14, T. 23 S., R. 5 E.), near the north border of Butler county, is included in Chapter VII, on The Crystalline Rocks of Kansas. This well encountered granite at a depth of 2,331 feet.

Chase County

In Chase county are found many of the localities at which stratigraphic divisions of the Pennsylvanian and Permian strata were first studied and named (Prosser and Beede, 1904). A number of well-defined anticlinal structures have been known for a long time (Prosser and Beede, 1904). The Wabaunsee formation of the Pennsylvanian occupies the eastern and central portion of the county, and the Permian strata the western, northwestern and southwestern borders. The Permian beds include the Cottonwood limestone, Garrison limestone and shale, and the Chase formation, containing from the base upward the Wreford limestone, Matfield shale, Florence flint, Fort Riley limestone, Doyle shale, and Winfield limestone. The lower portion of the Marion formation outcrops in the western and southwestern part of the county.

Some drilling is going on in the southeastern part of Chase county, but no production is reported. Several holes have been drilled in more or less well-defined structures, but have been abandoned as dry. The most noteworthy of these are two wells a short distance south of Elmdale, which encountered granite at a depth of about 1,900 feet. (For logs of these wells, see Chapter VII.) The record of a deep well drilled in the Patton ranch in the north part of the county is given below.

Record of Robt. Watchorn well, Patton ranch, Sec. 8, T. 18 S., R. 8 E.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	2	2
Permian system—
	Chase formation:
		Matfield shale
			Shale	15	17
			Limestone	3	20
			Shale, blue	25	45
			Shale, red	5	50
		Wreford limestone
			Limestone	2	52
			Shale, red	2	54
			Limestone	22	76
	Council Grove formation:
		Garrison limestone and shale
			Shale, black, clayey	7	83
			Shale	183	266
		Cottonwood limestone
			Limestone	8	274
Pennsylvanian system—
	Wabaunsee formation:
		Eskridge shale
			Shale, black	34	308
			Limestone	2	310
			Shale, blue	1	311
		Neva limestone (?)
			Limestone	3	314
			Shale, blue	1	315
			Limestone	1	316
		Elmdale shale
			Shale	83	399
			Limestone	2	401
			Shale	42	443
		Americus limestone (?)
			Limestone	4	447
		Admire shale
			Shale, black	44	491
			Limestone	2	493
			Shale, black	35	528
			Limestone	4	532
			Shale (gas at 548 and 570)	51	583
			Limestone	2	585
			Shale	105	690
		Emporia limestone
			Limestone	18	708
			Shale, black	6	714
			Limestone	4	718
		Willard shale
			Shale, black	13	731
			Limestone	6	737
			Shale, black	6	743
			Limestone	4	747
			Shale, black	10	757
		Burlingame limestone
			Limestone	8	765
	Shawnee formation:
		Scranton shale
			Shale, black	25	790
			Limestone	5	795
			Shale	88	883
			Limestone	3	886
			Shale, black	4	890
			Limestone	5	895
			Shale, black	102	997
		Howard limestone (?)
			Limestone	6	1,003
		Severy shale (?)
			Shale, black	52	1,055
			Limestone	5	1,060
			Shale, black	36	1,096
		Topeka limestone
			Limestone	7	1,103
		Calhoun shale
			Shale, black	18	1,121
			Limestone	1	1,122
			Shale, black	3	1,125
		Deer Creek limestone
			Limestone	17	1,142
			Shale, black	15	1,157
			Limestone	13	1,170
		Tecumseh shale (?)
			Shale, black	17	1,187
		Lecompton limestone
			Limestone	1	1,188
			Shale, black	1	1,192
			Limestone	2	1,194
			Shale, black	3	1,197
			Limestone	3	1,200
			Shale, black	2	1,202
			Limestone	2	1,204
		Kanwaka limestone
			Shale, black	66	1,270
	Douglas formation:
		Oread limestone
			Limestone	28	1,298
			Shale, brown	3	1,301
			Limestone	6	1,307
			Shale, black	6	1,313
			Limestone	12	1,325
		Lawrence shale
			Shale, black	140	1,465
		Iatan limestone
			Limestone (water)	5	1,470
		Weston shale
			Shale, blue	95	1,565
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton limestone
			Limestone	28	1,593
		Vilas shale (?)
			Shale, black	4	1,597
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone	53	1,650
		Lane shale (?)
			Shale, black	10	1,660
			Limestone	10	1,670
			Sandstone, white	5	1,675
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	35	1,710
		Chanute shale (?)
			Sandstone, hard, white	22	1,732
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	61	1,793
		Cherryvale shale
			Sandstone, white (water)	17	1,810
			Shale, black	12	1,822
			Limestone, hard	2	1,824
			Shale, black	8	1,832
		Winterset and Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	73	1,905
			Sandstone, white	4	1,909
		Hertha limestone (?)
			Limestone	8	1,917
			Shale, black	4	1,921
			Limestone	9	1,930
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale, shelly, black	115	2,045
		Coffeyville limestone
			Limestone	20	2,065
		Walnut shale
			Shale, black	30	2,095
		Altamont limestone
			Limestone	8	2,103
		Bandera shale
			Shale, black	37	2,140
		Pawnee limestone (?)
			Limestone	7	2,147
		Labette shale
			Shale	43	2,190
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	6	2,196
			Shale, black	30	2,266
			Limestone	9	2,275
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale, black	181	2,456
			Sandstone, salt water	14	2,470

Chautauqua County

An essential part of the southeast Kansas oil fields, Chautauqua county has long been known as an oil-producing district. The county lies between the chiefly gas-producing areas farther north and the rich oil land of northern Oklahoma, and is still an important contributor to the Kansas oil yield.

The rocks of Chautauqua county belong to the Upper Pennsylvanian. In the extreme southeastern corner of the county the Lansing formation is present, across the eastern part the Douglas formation, the west central part the Shawnee formation, and along the extreme western border the Wabaunsee formation. The various members of these formations and their outcrops are shown upon the geologic map of the county which accompanies this report.

Chautauqua county's first oil and gas was found near Peru about seventeen years ago. Upon July 1, 1903, the county had 32 producing wells, but by the close of that year the number reached 151 wells. Almost all of the early production was around Peru (Haworth, Erasmus, Mineral Resources of Kansas, 1903).

The county is noted for its large number of small but steadily producing oil wells. These wells come in with a fairly large initial production in very many cases, but after they have been pumped for several months they settle down to a dependable yield of from three to five barrels daily. The fact that the county offers a fairly large production at a shallow depth makes it possible for a number of individual producers to operate without great hazard. The county map shows the location and extent of the production to date.

The producing sands of Chautauqua county are for the most part regular and consistent. However, from the nature of the formation of the sands it is not at all surprising to find them pinching out entirely here and there, causing dry holes in the midst of good production. In some localities the sands have a tendency to pinch out on the anticline and to be productive on the syncline. In some cases lack of production in the sand appears to be due to nearly complete filling of the space between the grains of the rock with cement. (See p. 247.) The greatest part of the oil comes from three fairly well-defined and persistent sands, the "Bartlesville," "Peru," and the "Red" or "Stray" sands.

The Bartlesville sand is confined almost entirely to the southern borders of the county. However, in T. 33 S., R. 9 E., a good gas well was brought in at a depth of 1,655 feet from a 65-foot sand, which may be the Bartlesville. In T. 32 S., R. 11 E., the Bartlesville sand was reached at a depth of 1,610 feet, but was barren. The sand is found about 200 feet above the Mississippian limestone.

The Peru sand is the most persistent and the best producer of the Chautauqua county sands. It is found about 300 feet above the Bartlesville and has a thickness varying from 20 to 55 feet. About 90 feet below the Peru another producing sand, the Hancock, is sometimes encountered. However, this sand is very erratic in thickness and nonpersistent.

Around Sedan a good share of the production is obtained from the Red or Stray sand, which varies in thickness from 15 to 50 feet and is found from 125 to 200 feet above the Peru. The interval between these two sands is composed almost entirely of shale. The sands are capped, as a rule, with an impervious lime stratum 8 to 12 feet thick.

The accompanying table of sand records shows the depth at which the different sands are encountered in the various fields of the county. The difference in the depths is due to differences in casing-head elevations, westward dip, and special structures of the formations, and to irregularities due to the lenticular nature of the sand. The Prairie Pipe Line Company handles the bulk of the production in Chautauqua county.

Record of producing sands in the Chautauqua county fields.
Location			Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Name of sand	Initial production
Sec.	Twp.	Range	Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Name of sand	Initial production
22	32	11	1,275		Peru	Dry.
22	32	11	1,610		Bartlesville	Dry.
5	33	9	1,600	65	Bartlesville	Gas, 3,000,000 cu. ft.
30	33	11	702	10		Gas, 2,225,000 cu. ft.
26	33	11	1,154	33	Peru
26	33	11	1,201	25	Peru
26	33	11	1,140	36	Peru
26	33	11	1,054	34	Peru
26	33	11	1,131	35	Peru
27	33	11	1,058	31	Red
27	33	11	1,195	45	Peru
33	33	11	980	40	Red
33	33	11	1,164	27	Peru
33	33	11	1,050	38	Red
33	33	11	922	30
33	33	11	1,123	37
32	33	12	1,042	13	Peru	Dry.
32	34	10	1,500	40		Oil, 100 bbls.
3	34	11	900	50	Red
3	34	11	1,090	40	Peru
3	34	11	998	42	Red
3	34	11	1,085	38	Peru
3	34	11	880	50	Red
3	34	11	1,078	35	Peru
3	34	11	890	50	Red
3	34	11	1,085	18	Peru
3	34	11	845	45	Red
3	34	11	1,037	30	Peru
5	34	11	1,044	34	Peru
5	34	11	1,073	38
3	34	11	1,082
25	34	11	1,118	31
26	34	11	1,060	20	Red
26	34	11	1,077	20	Red
36	34	11	1,153	19
36	34	11	1,153	19
36	34	11	1,122	12
36	34	11	1,153	13
36	34	11	1,148	19
36	34	11	1,126	34
36	34	11	1,125	17
36	34	11	1,122	40
36	34	11	1,118	25
36	34	11	1,157	43
36	34	11	1,142	39
36	34	11	1,155	42
36	34	11	1,131	35
36	34	11	1,170	32
36	34	11	1,127	23
36	34	11	1,125	35
36	34	11	1,143	30
36	34	11	1,168	27
36	34	11	1,145	29
36	34	11	1,125	35
31	34	12	1,100-1,200	48-60
12	34	12	615	15
12	34	12	934	26
	34	13	865	20		Oil showing.
15	34	13	1,055-800	16
18	35	9	1,815	60		Dry.
6	35	13	892	36
6	35	13	873	27

Wells drilled and acreage held in Chautauqua county, 1909 to 1916, inclusive
Year	Wells				Acreage
	Wells productive Jan. 1	New wells completed		Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
	Wells productive Jan. 1	Oil	Dry	Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
1909	784	25	7	24			29,969
1910	785	34	3	5	4,125	30,447	34,572
1911	767	53	4	54	5,967	36,911	42,878
1912	766	106	19	61	10,600	47,982	58,582
1913	811	292	27	27	12,458	49,754	62,213
1914	1,076	193	25	36	9,154	44,691	53,845
1915	1,223	114	29	32	12,914	52,992	65,906
1916	1,315	440	51

New wells completed in Chautauqua county, 1904 to 1916, inclusive. Data compiled from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey. Figures for 1916 from trade journals.
Year	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total
1904	566		64	630
1905	191	15	29	235
1906	125	6	25	156
1907	20	17	10	47
1908	16	5	3	24
1909	23	5	3	31
1910	42	4	14	60
1911	64	6	12	82
1912	182	12	28	222
1913	311	54	77	442
1914	308	30	38	376
1915	112	26	26	164
1916	440	20	51	511

Record of new wells drilled in Chautauqua county, January, 1916, to October, 1917, inclusive, by months
Month	New wells completed				Total initial daily production, in barrels
Month	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total	Total initial daily production, in barrels
1916
January	31		2	33	717
February	25	2	4	31	775
March	50	3	2	55	1,000
April	43	4	4	51	1,090
May	46	2	5	53	1,195
June	56	4	11	71	1,400
July	77	1	5	83	1,850
August	36	1	4	41	553
September	26	2	10	38	525
October	8	1	2	11	205
November	30		2	32	385
December	12			12	330
Totals	440	20	51	511	9,825
1917
January	16		2	18	375
February	26	2	6	34	668
March	10	1	5	16	323
April	13	3	5	21	225
May	19	3	5	27	366
June	18	1	7	26	293
July	22	1	7	30	455
August	9		3	12	278
September	30	3	2	35	372
October	38	6	7	51	572
Total	201	20	49	270	3,927

Total and average initial daily production of new wells in Chautauqua county, 1911 to 1915, in barrels
Year	Total initial production, in barrels	Average per well, in barrels
1911	1,355	21.2
1912	2,963	16.3
1913	7,358	23.7
1914	5,379	17.5
1915	2.515	22.5

Record of Moore well, Sec. 3, T. 34 S., R. 11 E., near Sedan (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 6)
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Shale	25	25
Sandstone	25	50
Shale	175	225
Sandstone	45	270
Shale	195	465
Limestone	10	475
Sandstone	20	495
Shale	50	545
Limestone	10	555
Sandstone	20	575
Shale	115	690
Sandstone	120	810
Shale	55	865
Limestone	15	880
Sandstone (Old Red sand)	50	930
Shale	130	1,060
Limestone	20	1,080
Sandstone (Peru sand)	35	1,115
Shale	5	1,120

Record of well in Sec. 18, T. 85 S., R. 9 E., southwest of Hewins. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 6) Well begins in Burlingame limestone.
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Soil	5	5
Shale	10	15
Limestone	25	40
Shale	20	60
Limestone	10	70
Shale	5	75
Limestone	20	95
Shale	5	100
Limestone	50	150
Shale	5	155
Limestone	20	175
Shale	5	180
Limestone	50	230
Shale	55	285
Limestone	15	300
Shale	5	305
Limestone	20	325
Shale	10	335
Sandstone	120	455
Shale	50	505
Limestone	10	515
Shale	15	530
Sandstone	10	540
Limestone	20	560
Shale	40	600
Redrock	10	610
Sandstone	60	670
Shale	30	700
Sandstone	90	790
Limestone	5	795
Shale	25	820
Sandstone (water)	55	875
Shale	5	880
Sandstone	55	935
Shale	5	940
Sandstone (water)	120	1,060
Shale	95	1,155
Sandstone	40	1,195
Shale	30	1,225
Sandstone	25	1,250
Shale	15	1,265
Sandstone	10	1,275
Shale	90	1,365
Sandstone	145	1,510
Shale	60	1,570
Limestone	80	1,650
Shale	90	1,740
Limestone	65	1,805
Shale	10	1,815
Sandstone	60	1,875
Shale	65	1,940
Limestone	230	2,170
Shale	130	2,300
Limestone	100	2,400

Cherokee County

Cherokee County, in the extreme southeastern corner of the state, is important on account of deposits of lead, zinc and coal. It is outside the area of oil and gas production.

The rocks of the county belong to the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian systems. The Mississippian area, the only outcrop of this system in Kansas, lies in the southeast corner of the county, but the Mississippian limestone extends west and north beneath the entire surface of the county. Except for a few square miles in the northwest belonging to the Marmaton formation, the entire remaining portion of Cherokee county is composed of Cherokee shale. The strata dip gently west and northwest about 20 feet per mile.

There is little prospect of much if any oil or gas development in Cherokee county, owing to the exposure of the oil-bearing formations at the surface. The oil sands of the Cherokee shale are protected by too thin and pervious a cover to form good reservoirs. In the southeast corner of the county the Pennsylvanian sands have been entirely removed, exposing the subjacent hard, nonpetroliferous Mississippian limestone. Toward the northwest, however, owing to the westward dip of the strata, conditions for oil accumulation are more favorable, and a 45-barrel oil well from a depth of 825 feet is reported in the northwestern corner of the county. Very little information is available concerning projected development work in this county.

Record of well at Stone City (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. p. 64)
Stratum			Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
		Not reported	300	300
Pennsylvanian system—
	Cherokee shale:
		Shale, gray	20	320
		Sandstone and shale, gray	5	325
		Shale, black	15	340
		Shale, gray, coal, 8 inches	13	353
		Shale, black	8	361
		Coal	1	362
		Shale, black, containing pyrite	9	371
		Shale, black, some flint	5	376
Mississippian system—
	Keokuk and Burlington formations:
		Flint, white, and limestone, gray	20	396
		Flint, gray-mottled, some limestone	100	496
		Limestone	50	546
		Limestone and flint	20	566
		Flint and cotton rock (decomposed flint)	10	576
		Flint	15	591
		Flint and zinc ore	5	596
		Flint, blue, limestone and sandstone	20	616
		Flint, blue, and sandstone, gray	100	716
		Limestone	80	796
Ordovician system—
		Sandstone, fine grained, hard, white	16	812
		Sandstone, brown	36	848
		Sandstone, brown and gray	8	856

Cheyenne County

This county, in the extreme northwest corner of the state lies in the High Plains region. It is traversed from southwest to northeast by the Republican river, which has cut a valley about 200 feet below the general surface of the plains. Tertiary gravels form the highlands and lie upon the Pierre shale of the Cretaceous which is exposed in the valley. The Niobrara chalk and limestone probably lie at a depth of 1,000 feet or more, but so far as known there has been no boring sufficiently deep to reach the Niobrara. The estimated depth to the Dakota sandstone is over 2,300 feet, and to any of the oil-bearing formations of the eastern part of the state, if they extend this distance westward, a depth considerably beyond the reach of the drill.

Clark County

The plains of northern Clark county are capped by Tertiary gravels which rest on Dakota sandstone of the Cretaceous in the north and on Comanchean sandstones and shales to the south. In the southern part of the county the red beds of the Permian are exposed. The depth to oil-bearing horizons of producing districts farther east is almost beyond the reach of the drill. Until oil is found in adjoining counties east of Clark county, testing for oil in this region is extremely hazardous wild-catting. Well-borings to a depth of 300 feet have been made in the red beds, but only salt water has been obtained from them.

Record of well No. 1 of The Short Grass Oil and Gas Company, near Minneola, Kan.
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Soil, black, soft	5	5
Shale, yellow, clayey	75	80
Sandstone, gray	41	121
Gypsum, yellow	4	125
Red rock, soft	5	130
Shale, blue, soft	143	273
Limestone, hard, white	2	275
Shale, blue, soft	10	285
Sandstone, gray, soft	35	320
Shale, blue, soft	50	380
Red rock, soft	45	425
Sandstone, red, soft	15	440
Red rock, soft	30	470
Sandstone, gray, soft (water)	15	485
Red rock, soft	15	500
Sandstone, red, soft	15	515
Red rock, soft	60	575
Sandstone, gray, hard	3	578
Shale, white, soft	7	585
Red rock, soft	35	620
Limestone, gray, hard	15	635
Red rock, soft	13	648
Limestone, gray, hard	12	660
Red rock, soft	3	663
Limestone, gray, hard	12	675
Red rock, soft	5	680
Limestone, gray, hard	10	690
Salt, hard crystalline	60	750
Limestone, gray, hard	15	765
Shale, red, soft	20	785
Salt, hard, crystalline	153	938
Red rock, soft	22	960
Limestone, red, hard	10	970
Salt, hard, crystalline	30	1,000
Limestone, gray, hard, sandy	8	1,008
Red rock, soft	7	1,015
Limestone, red, hard	50	1,065
Salt, hard, crystalline	25	1,090
Red rock, hard, shelly	50	1,140
Salt, hard, crystalline	8	1,148
Sandstone, gray, hard	4	1,152
Red rook, soft	158	1,310
Limestone, gray, hard	20	1,330
Red rock, soft	10	1,340
Limestone, gray, sandy, soft	10	1,350
Red rock, soft	70	1,420
Limestone, gray, hard	5	1,425
Red rock	10	1,435
Limestone, gray, sandy, hard	20	1,455
Red rock, soft	21	1,476
Sandstone, gray, hard	24	1,500
Limestone, white, hard	8	1,508
Shale, brown, soft	4	1,512
Limestone, gray, sandy, hard	24	1,526
Salt, hard, crystalline	24	1,550
Shale, brown, soft	10	1,560
Limestone, gray, hard	20	1,580
Shale, brown, soft	75	1,655
Red rock, soft	15	1,670
Limestone, gray, hard	5	1,675
Red rock, soft	45	1,720
Shale, gray, soft	8	1,728
Red rock, soft	192	1,920
Limestone, gray, soft	5	1,925
Shale, blue, soft	25	1,950
Limestone, gray, hard	15	1,965
Shale, blue, soft	80	2,045
Limestone (?), gray, hard	485	2,510
Shale, black, soft	20	2,530
Limestone, gray, hard	15	2,545
Shale, black, soft	20	2,565
Limestone, hard	50	2,615
Shale, black, soft	4	2,619
Limestone, gray, hard	29	2,648
Shale, black, soft	12	2,660
Limestone, gray, hard	20	2,680
Shale, light, soft	5	2,685
Limestone, gray, hard	20	2,705
Shale, brown, soft	10	2,715
Limestone, black, hard	25	2,740
Shale, black, soft	35	2,770
Limestone, gray, sandy, soft	65	2,840
Red rock, soft	15	2,855
Limestone, gray, hard	65	2,920
Shale, gray, soft	10	2,930
Limestone, gray, hard	15	2,945
Limestone, gray, sandy	30	2,965
Limestone, gray, hard	35	3,000
Shale, blue, soft	6	3,006
Red rock, soft	12	3,018
Limestone, gray, hard	42	3,060
Limestone, sandy, hard	20	3,080
Shale, black, soft	10	3,090
Sandstone, gray, hard	10	3,100
Limestone, gray, hard	15	3,115
Shale, blue, soft	5	3,120
Red rock, soft	5	3,125
Limestone, gray, hard	45	3,170
Shale	3	3,173
Limestone	55	3,228
Shale	5	3,233
Limestone, sandy (water)	4	3,237
Limestone	23	3,260
Red rock	4	3,264
Limestone	18	3,282
Limestone, sandy (water)	8	3,290
Limestone	50	3,340
Shale, black	3	3,343
Limestone	39	3,382
Limestone, soft (water)	3	3,385
Limestone	5	3,390
Shale, blue	4	3,394
Limestone, white	51	3,445
Limestone, blue	8	3,453
Limestone, gray	17	3,470
Limestone, sandy	5	3,475
Limestone, white	5	3,480
Sandstone, gray (water)	10	3,495
Limestone, dark, gray	8	3,503
Sandstone, gray (water)	5	3,508
Limestone, sandy, gray	7	3,515
Limestone, gray	5	3,520
Sandstone (water)	5	3,525
Shale, blue	2	3,527
Limestone, gray	33	3,560
Shale	4	3,564
Limestone	6	3,570
Sandstone (salt water)	7	3,577
Limestone	23	3,600
Red rock	8	3,608
Shale, blue	7	3,610
Limestone, gray	13	3,628
Shale, blue	34	3,662
Limestone, gray	6	3,668
Limestone, sandy (salt water)	4	3,672
Limestone, white	8	3,680
Shale, green	3	3,683
Limestone, gray	117	3,800

Clay County

The central and eastern portions of Clay county are occupied by Permian strata which are traversed by the Republican river. Along the northern and western margins the overlying Dakota sandstone of Cretaceous age rests unconformably upon the Permian beds, which in this district are the Marion and Wellington formations described in detail in the chapter upon stratigraphy.

It is possible that oil or gas may be obtained by drilling to sufficient depth in favorable structures located in Clay county, but neither of these fuels has yet been discovered in paying amounts in this region. Until satisfactory tests have been made, drilling propositions are distinctly of the "wild-cat" type.

Cloud County

The surface rocks of Cloud county belong entirely to the Cretaceous system. The divide between Solomon and Republican rivers is capped by the Benton shale, and in the valleys Dakota sandstone is exposed. Beneath the Dakota, and not outcropping in Cloud county, are shale, sandstone and limestone of the Permian, which are probably several hundred feet thick. The rocks are in the main almost horizontal, but the structure has not been examined in detail.

Seepages of high-grade oil have been reported from Cretaceous rocks in the vicinity of Cloud county, but no commercial deposits of oil have been located. The county is practically untested with the drill.

Coffey County

The rocks of Coffey county belong entirely to the upper division of the Pennsylvanian. The southeastern portion of the county is occupied by the Douglas formation and the remainder by the Shawnee formation. The escarpment formed by the Oread limestone at the top of the Douglas is the most striking one in the county. It crosses the southeast part from southwest to northeast, passing through Burlington. The various limestone members of the Shawnee formation forms similar escarpments of smaller size, which have the same general trend. All the beds have a slight westerly dip.

The stratigraphic divisions have been studied and mapped in Coffey county, but no detailed examination of the structure of the rocks has been made. There are probably local anticlinal structures, and the oil sands of the Cherokee and other lower Pennsylvanian horizons are within easy drilling distance of the surface. To date, however, no important oil pools have been found. Comparatively little development work has been done. A few wells maintain production and some drilling is going on, but the total quantity of oil is small. The following table records the recent work in the county:

Wells drilled and acreage held in Coffey county, 1911 to 1916, inclusive. Data from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey.
Year	Wells				Acreage
	Wells productive Jan. 1	New wells completed		Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
	Wells productive Jan. 1	Oil	Dry	Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
1911	2					240	240
1912	2					398	398
1913	2	1		2		158	158
1914	1	18				80	80
1915	19	4				1,195	1,195
1916	23

Record of well at Le Roy. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 86) Location, 1 1/2 miles southeast of town, on Crotts' farm. LeRoy Oil and Gas Company.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	21	21
Pennsylvanian system—
	Douglas formation:
		Weston shale
			Sandstone and gravel	13	34
			Shale	98	132
			Sandstone	28	160
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton limestone
			Limestone	16	176
		Vilas shale
			Shale	4	180
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone	28	208
		Lane shale
			Shale	96	304
			Limestone	16	320
			Shale	14	334
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	5	339
			Shale	6	345
			Limestone	41	386
		Chanute shale
			Sandstone	13	399
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	26	425
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	53	478
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	55	533
		Galesburg shale
			Shale	4	537
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	21	558
		Ladore shale
			Shale	6	564
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	24	588
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale	44	632
			Sandstone	63	695
			Shale	23	718
		Coffeyville limestone
			Limestone	9	727
		Walnut shale
			Shale	19	746
		Altamont limestone
			Limestone	10	756
			Shale	13	769
			Limestone	9	778
		Bandera shale
			Shale	38	816
			Sandstone	16	832
			Shale	12	844
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	8	852
			Shale	4	856
			Limestone	5	861
			Shale	5	867
			Limestone	5	872
		Labette shale
			Shale (salt water)	4	876
			Shale	12	888
			Limestone	4	892
			Shale	20	912
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	3	915
			Shale	7	922
			Limestone	10	932
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	33	965
			Sandstone, (oil)	23	988
			Shale	20	1,008

Comanche County

The larger part of Comanche county, including almost the entire western and southern portions, is in the red-beds area of the Permian. This is a rough, more or less bad-land territory which has not been examined in detail geologically. Resting unconformably on the Permian in the north and occupying a number of square miles near the south border of the county are sandstone and shale belonging to the Comanchean. Tertiary sands and gravels cover the uplands north and east of Coldwater.

Oil-bearing strata of eastern counties are probably buried more than 4,000 feet in Comanche county, so that unless production is obtainable from higher levels drilling is a hazardous venture.

Cowley County

The rock formations of Cowley county and their major structural relations are almost identical with those in Butler county adjoining on the north. Pennsylvanian strata belonging to the Wabaunsee formation are found in the eastern one-third of the county, to the valley of Grouse creek. The remainder is occupied by beds of the lower Permian, which consists of alternating shales, sandstones and limestones. The escarpment of the Cottonwood and Wreford limestones is shown on the accompanying map of the county (Plate XXXIV). Detailed examination of the higher Permian formations in Cowley county has not yet been made.

At the present time there are three chief producing districts in the county. One lies in the vicinity of Dexter in the southeastern part of the county, a second is to the east and southeast of the town of Winfield, and a third lies just north of Arkansas City. Wells have been drilled here and there in various parts of the county, especially along Walnut river, but there is little production from them.

The producing wells of Cowley county are all very deep; many of the wells reach 3,000 feet and some 3,500 feet. One well near Dexter is reported to have produced 50 barrels daily for the past two years from a sand about 3,000 feet in depth. Higher sands at depths of about 1,450 feet and 1,700 feet are productive near Winfield. Wells from the Peacock field are reported to yield 90 to 150 barrels daily.

In the vicinity of Arkansas City wells are chiefly gas producers. Many of them record from 15,000,000 to 70,000,000 feet of gas under very strong rock pressure. The depth of the main gas sand is more than 3,200 feet, but there are a number of productive horizons at lesser depths. The following list of sand records shows the depth to various producing sands.

It is desirable to test possible oil-containing structures in this region, and development has been active in recent months. On account of the cost of drilling, fewer wells are possible and the interest of corporations with large capital is in general necessary.

The logs of two typical deep wells in Cowley county are given below:

Record of producing sands in the Cowley county fields.
Location			Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
Sec.	Twp.	Range	Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
6	31	4	2,827	30	Oil, 90 bbls.
7	32	4	615	10	Gas.
7	32	4	2,302	12	Oil.
25	32	4	665	7	Gas.
25	32	4	2,650	20	Oil, 10 bbls.
25	32	4	715	10	Gas.
			1,475	15	Oil, showing.
			1,775	8	Oil.
			1,978	4	Oil.
			2,128	34	Oil.
			2,352	20	Oil.
26	32	4	620		Gas.
36	32	4	1,432	10	Oil, 10 bbls.
36	32	4	1,423	16	Oil.
33	32	7	2,755	60	Oil, 15 bbls.
1	33	4	647	16	Gas.
2	33	4	790	30	Dry.
7	33	4	594	10	Gas.
12	33	4	669	15	Dry.
12	33	4	694	14	Dry.
12	33	4	572	11	Gas.
12	33	4	623	11	Gas.
13	33	4	535	15	Gas.
13	33	4	656	10	Gas.
13	33	4	600	45	Gas.
7	33	5	568	8	Gas.
3	33	6	2,720		Oil.
24	33	6	1,010	10	Gas, 9,000,000 cu. ft.
			2,295	15
			2,731	4
			2,774	9
			2,820		Oil, 200 bbls.
18	33	6	2,390	30	Oil, showing.
18	33	6	2,794	29	Oil.
6	30	8	1,955	65	Oil, showing.
18	33	7	2,717	2	Oil, 25 bbls.
18	33	7	2,721	13
18	33	7	2,825
5	34	4	746	8	Gas.
5	34	4	764	6	Gas.
5	34	4	775	5	Gas.
18	34	4	793	8	Gas.
20	34	4	790	30
			1,140
			1,485	35	Dry.
35	34	4	775	5	Gas.
12	34	6	1,030	58	Gas.
12	34	6	1,997	40	Oil, 10 bbls.
13	34	6	1,139	20	Oil, showing.
9	34	8	1,910	14	Oil, showing.
9	34	8	1,940	10	Gas.
4	35	4	460		Gas.
			1,075		Gas.
			1,620		Gas.
			1,927	11	Gas, 2,000,000 cu. ft.
11	35	5	1,655	20	Gas.
11	35	5	1,820	30	Gas.
8	35	7	1,983	12	Oil, 25 bbls.
16	35	7	1,400		Gas, 10,000,000 cu. ft.
17	35	7	1,485		Gas, 1,000,000 cu. ft.
9	35	8	2,375	5	Oil, showing.

Wells drilled and acreage held in Cowley county, 1913 to 1916, inclusive. Data from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey.
Year	Wells				Acreage
	Wells productive Jan. 1	New wells completed		Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
	Wells productive Jan. 1	Oil	Dry	Abandoned	Fee	Lease	Total
1913			2			10,622	10,622
1914		1				13,965	13,965
1915		1	6			20,354	20,354
1916	2

Record of L. S. Curry well No. 1, Sec. 36, T. 30 S., R. 3 E., east of Udall.
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Shale	5	5
Limestone	35	40
Shale (water)	40	80
Limestone (water)	60	140
Shale	10	150
Limestone	10	160
Shale	50	210
Limestone	10	220
Shale	50	270
Limestone (water)	25	295
Shale	40	335
Limestone	10	345
Shale	105	450
Limestone	10	460
Shale (water)	10	470
Limestone	30	500
Shale	35	535
Red rock	5	540
Limestone	5	545
Shale	35	580
Limestone	10	590
Shale	50	640
Limestone	10	650
Shale	120	770
Red rock	5	775
Shale	215	990
Limestone	30	1,020
Shale	35	1,055
Limestone	20	1,075
Shale	20	1,095
Limestone	5	2,000
Shale	25	2,025
Limestone	5	2,030
Shale	60	2,090
Limestone (water)	70	2,160
Shale	70	2,230
Limestone (water)	130	2,360
Shale	40	2,400
Limestone (water)	35	2,435
Shale	5	2,440
Limestone	20	2,460
Shale	5	2,465
Limestone	15	2,480
Shale	40	2,520
Limestone	5	2,525
Shale	5	2,530
Sandstone	10	2,540
Shale	60	2,600
Limestone	5	2,605
Shale	15	2,620
Limestone	15	2,635
Shale	270	2,905
Limestone	5	2,910
Sandstone (water)	90	3,000
Shale	5	3,005
Limestone	5	3,010
Shale	5	3,015
Limestone	5	3,020
Shale	5	3,025
Limestone	5	3,030
Shale	90	3,120
Sandstone (water)	15	3,135
Limestone	5	3,140
Sandstone	15	3,155
Shale	155	3,310
Limestone	150	3,460
Shale	10	3,470
Limestone	25	3,495
Shale	5	3,500
Limestone	55	3,555
Shale	20	3,575
Limestone	10	3,585
Shale	25	3,610
Shale	10	3,620
Shale	15	3,635
Limestone	10	3,645
Shale	5	3,650
Limestone	5	3,655
Shale	25	3,680
Limestone	40	3,720
Shale	10	3,730
Limestone	20	3,750
Shale	30	3,780
Limestone (water)	15	3,795
Shale	45	3,840
Sandstone	5	3,845
Shale	50	3,895

Record of well south of Dexter, Sec. 12, T. 84 S., R. 6 E.
Stratum		Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Pennsylvanian system—
	Limestone	15	15
	Shale	40	55
	Limestone	65	120
	Shale	20	140
	Limestone	20	160
	Shale	15	175
	Limestone	15	190
	Shale	10	200
	Limestone	10	210
	Shale	15	225
	Limestone	25	250
	Shale	25	275
	Limestone	15	290
	Shale	85	375
	Limestone	20	395
	Shale	40	435
	Limestone	5	440
	Shale	30	470
	Limestone	5	475
	Shale	25	500
	Limestone	5	505
	Shale	40	545
	Limestone	10	555
	Shale	30	585
	Limestone	10	595
	Shale	35	630
	Limestone	15	645
	Shale	75	720
	Limestone	10	730
	Sandstone (water)	5	735
	Shale	90	825
	Limestone	5	830
	Shale	15	845
	Limestone	20	865
	Shale	10	875
	Limestone	15	890
	Shale	10	900
	Limestone	10	910
	Shale	30	940
	Limestone	25	965
	Shale	20	985
	Limestone	5	990
	Shale	35	1,025
	Limestone	5	1,030
	Sandstone (gas)	10	1,040
	Sandstone	40	1,080
	Shale	40	1,120
	Sandstone	60	1,180
	Shale	95	1,275
	Limestone	5	1,280
	Shale	40	1,320
	Limestone	5	1,325
	Shale	45	1,370
	Limestone	10	1,380
	Shale	45	1,425
	Limestone	5	1,430
	Shale	55	1,485
	Limestone	35	1,520
	Shale	15	1,535
	Sandstone	15	1,550
	Shale	15	1,565
	Sandstone	75	1,640
	Shale	25	1,665
	Sandstone	10	1,675
	Shale	75	1,750
	Sandstone	5	1,755
	Shale	5	1,760
	Sandstone	20	1,780
	Limestone	10	1,790
	Sandstone	10	1,800
	Limestone	10	1,810
	Shale	5	1,815
	Sandstone	25	1,840
	Shale	90	1,930
	Sandstone	5	1,935
	Limestone	5	1,940
	Shale	60	2,000
	Sandstone (oil)	40	2,040
	Shale	10	2,050
	Sandstone	10	2,060
	Shale	65	2,125
	Limestone	5	2,130
	Sandstone	45	2,175
	Shale	20	2,195
	Limestone	105	2,300
	Shale	15	2,315
	Limestone	15	2,330
	Shale	55	2,385
	Limestone	15	2,400
	Shale	60	2,460
	Limestone	30	2,490
	Shale	25	2,515
	Sandstone	10	2,525
	Shale	10	2,535
	Limestone	25	2,560
	Shale	15	2,575
	Limestone	5	2,580
	Shale	40	2,620
	Limestone	5	2,625
	Shale	35	2,660
	Limestone	25	2,685
	Shale	40	2,725
	Limestone	5	2,730
	Shale	40	2,770
	Limestone	5	2,775
	Shale	65	2,840
Mississippian system—
	Limestone	330	3,170
	Sandstone (water)	5	3,175

Crawford County

The geologic formations at the surface in Crawford county are the Cherokee formation, which occupies the eastern and southeastern portion of the county, and the Marmaton formation, which occupies the western and northwestern part. These make up the lower or Des Moines division of the Pennsylvanian system. The Cherokee formation in this region consists of shale and sandstone, 300 to 400 feet in thickness, and contains the porous strata in which oil and gas are chiefly found in southeastern Kansas. The overlying Marmaton formation consists of alternating beds of shale and limestone, to which separate names have been given as members (see Chapter VI). The limestones form fairly prominent escarpments, and the lines of their outcrop run in a general northeast-southwest direction. Owing to the general west dip of the strata, successively higher formations are encountered in going from the southeast to the northwest. The total thickness of the Marmaton formation is about 400 feet.

There has been comparatively little development work in Crawford county. A few oil wells are located in the southwestern corner, but their production is small. It is not likely that wells drilled in the southeastern portion of the county will find oil or gas in commercial quantity because of the thinness of the cover of possible oil-containing beds. In northwestern Crawford county the geologic conditions are like those about Mound Valley and Parsons, in Labette county. It is but a short distance to the Cherokee sands in this district, but favorable structures may contain accumulations of oil or gas.

Record of well at Girard. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, p. 56-66.) City well, No. 2.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	2	2
			Clay, gummy and sticky	7	9
Pennsylvanian system—
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone, white, without grit	16	25
			Shale, dark	3	28
			Limestone	12	40
			Shale, black	4	44
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	6	50
			Limestone, black, with pyrite	1	51
			Shale, white	9	60
			Shale, darker below	50	110
			Shale, dark	38	148
			Shale, small amount of coal	10	158
			Shale, hard	2	160
			Shale, small amount of coal	15	175
			Shale	36	211
			Shale and limestone, some grit	1	212
			Shale, white	5	217
			Shale, dark colored	26	243
			Shale, dark	9	252
			Shale	4	256
			Shale, light	5	261
			Shale, dark	3	264
			Shale, light	6	270
			Limestone, very hard	1	271
			Shale, light	1	272
			Limestone and shale	3	275
			Shale, light	8	283
			Sandstone, gritty, dark colored	1	284
			Shale, dark	16	300
			Sandstone, gray, soft	2	302
			Shale, very sandy	8	310
			Shale, light	21	331
			Shale, dark	7	338
			Shale, light	31	369
			Shale, hard, sandy	7	376
			Shale, hard, sandy, grading into sandstone	19	395
			Coal	1	396
			Shale, light colored	10	406
			Shale, hard	5	411
			Shale, light, firm	6	417
			Limestone	1	418
			Shale, light, firm	8	426
			Shale, dark	4	430
			Shale, light	8	438
			Sandstone, hard	1	439
			Shale, light, firm	5	444
			Shale, with pyrite	6	450
Mississippian system—
			Flint, with limestone, very hard and varying little in color and texture	211	661
			Limestone, almost pure, containing pyrite	4	665
			Flint, blue, very hard and sharp	2	667
			Limestone, with a little flint	41	708
			Shale, light, containing pyrite	18	726
			Shale, hard	5	731
			Limestone, gray, hard toward the bottom	9	740
			Shale containing pyrite	2	742
			Sandstone, gray	3	745
Cambrian and Ordovician systems (?)—
			Limestone, hard	51	796
			Limestone, sandy, varying in color	12	808
			Limestone, almost pure	4	812
			Limestone and flint	3	815
			Limestone, varying in color	16	831
			Limestone and flint	6	837
			Limestone, white	4	841
			Limestone and flint	4	845
			Limestone	8	853
			Flint with a little limestone	4	857
			Limestone, very hard	11	868
			Limestone and flint	7	875
			Flint and limestone	5	880
			Limestone with some flint	10	890
			Flint with a little limestone	10	900

Record of well at Cherokee. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, p. 62, 1908. Reported by W. E. Turkington.)
Stratum			Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
		Soil and shale	20	20
Pennsylvanian system—
	Cherokee formation:
		Shale, 10 inches coal	5	25
		Shale, black	34	60
		Shale, slaty	10	70
		Limestone, hard	10	80
		Sandstone	10	90
		Shale, 16 inches coal	6	96
		Shale, black	6	102
		Shale, slaty	38	140
		Sandstone	3	143
		Shale	10	153
		Coal and shale	5	158
		Limestone, hard	7	165
		Shale and sandstone	15	180
		Sandstone	10	190
		Shale, black	10	200
		Shale and fire clay	15	215
		Shale	10	225
		Sandstone and limestone	10	235
		Shale, dark	110	345
		Coal	1	346
		Shale and pyrite	6	352
Mississippian system—
		Limestone and flint, showing oil	4	356
		Limestone and flint	6	362
		Limestone	138	500
		Flint, hard	30	530
		Limestone and sandstone	70	600
		Limestone, magnesian	50	650
		Flint and limestone	25	675
		Limestone	5	680
		Flint and sandstone	15	695
		Limestone	10	705
		Shale, blue	10	715
Ordovician system—
		Limestone	30	745
		Sandstone (good showing of water)	40	785
		Sandstone (water)	5	790
		Limestone and sandstone	75	865
		Limestone (water)	10	885
		Flint, white, and sandstone	10	885
		Limestone, sandstone, and flint	23	908

Decatur County

Almost the entire area of Decatur county is covered by a mantle of Tertiary sands and gravels which obscure the structure of the underlying Cretaceous strata. The only exposures of the Cretaceous, which are in the north part of the county along Beaver and Sappa creeks, show Pierre shale and the upper beds of the Niobrara division. The Pierre shale is not thick in Decatur county, but increases in thickness toward the west. The Niobrara chalk and subjacent Benton shales have a thickness of about 900 feet. The Dakota sandstone probably lies at a depth of about 1,000 feet in the eastern part of the county, but it is considerably deeper in the highlands of the western part. Three deep wells in this county are on record. Unless oil-bearing strata occur in the Cretaceous it is hardly profitable to drill for oil in Decatur county.

Record of well at Jennings (Darton, 1905, p. 293). This well was drilled for oil but was unsuccessful. A large volume of water was encountered in the lower sand.
Stratum			Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
		Sand and gravel	28	28
Cretaceous system—
	Pierre shale:
		Shale, black	175	203
	Niobrara formation:
		Limestone, yellow	6	209
		Chalk	80	289
		Chalk, light gray, shaly	150	439
		Chalk, dark, shaly	80	519
		Chalk	60	579
	Benton formation:
		Sandstone, gray, with water	15	594
		Shale, black	140	734
		Shale, hard, with rock layers	20	754
		Shale, brown	206	960
	Dakota sandstone:
		Sandstone, soft, with water	90	1,050

Record of well at Kanona. (Darton, 1905, p. 294)
Stratum			Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
		Loam, clay and sandstone	200	200
Cretaceous system—
	Pierre shale:
		Shales, dark in upper part	600	800
	Niobrara formation:
		Limestone	140	940
		Shale, dark	50	990
		Limestone, white	10	1,000
		Chalk, shaly, light colored, with water	100	1,100
	Benton formation:
		Shale, black	50	1,150
		Shale, light colored	250	1,400
		Sandstone, with water in small amount	15	1,415
		Shale, black	35	1,450
	Dakota sandstone:
		Sandstone, water in large amount	100	1,550
		Shale	45	1,595
		Sandstone, brown	15	1,610
		Sandstone, brown, with soft fresh water	10	1,620

Dickinson County

The surface rocks of Dickinson county belong chiefly to the Permian, a nearly complete section of this system being obtained from Kansas river at the east border of the county to the uplands northwest and southwest, which are occupied by the Dakota sandstone of the Cretaceous. The lowermost beds which include the limestones and shales of the Council Grove and Chase formations are found along Kansas river. In the west part of the county occur typical strata of the Marion formation.

Structures favorable for the accumulation of oil and gas have been reported from Dickinson county, but adequate tests have not yet been made of these districts. Wells drilled in the east central part of the county are of course within easiest reach of possible oil-containing reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian. Some drilling has been undertaken in the southwest, but no production is reported.

Doniphan County

The northeastern corner of Kansas lies entirely within the belt of upper Pennsylvanian outcrop, the strata of Doniphan county belonging chiefly to the Douglas formation, which occupies the east portion of the county along Missouri river, and the Shawnee formation, which covers almost all the remaining part. The escarpment formed by the Burlingame limestone at the base of the Wabaunsee formation crosses the western margin of the county at a few places. Although the depth of the base of the Pennsylvanian is not great in Doniphan county, few wells in the district have been drilled to the Cherokee sand. The structure of the rocks has not been examined in detail. Thus far no production has been obtained in the northeastern part of the state.

Douglas County

The surface rocks of Douglas county, belonging entirely to the upper series of the Pennsylvanian, exhibit a most typical development of the formations in this division. The eastern portion of the county is occupied by the Douglas formation, which is present in the valleys of Wakarusa and Kansas rivers. The Douglas, composed of alternating shale and limestone, has a thickness of about 400 feet. The escarpment formed by the Oread limestone member is the most striking topographic feature in the county. The Shawnee formation is present in the higher land in the west part of the county.

The strata of Douglas county are in places almost horizontal, but in general there is a slight dip to the west. Slight anticlinal folds are present locally, some of which are being drilled. Chief development has been in the southeastern part of the county, but attention is being given to districts farther north. Gas has been obtained in some of the wells, as in the vicinity of Eudora, but no oil production.

Edwards County

The stratified rocks of Edwards county are largely obscured by recent deposits of sand, gravel and alluvium. The valley of Arkansas river, which crosses the west portion of the county, is well filled with river deposits and the uplands to the northwest and southeast are covered by the Tertiary. Cretaceous sandstone belonging to the Dakota appears at intervals along the Arkansas and is encountered in wells drilled through the Tertiary. The underlying strata are probably red beds of the upper Permian, but no deep wells have been reported in the county.

Because of the lack of adequate rock exposures it is very difficult to determine the structure of the beds in Edwards county. Since, moreover, the depth to probable oil-containing strata is great, the region does not offer a promising field for oil and gas exploration.

Elk County

The surface rocks of Elk county belong almost wholly to the upper part of the Pennsylvanian system. A few small outliers of the Cottonwood and Wreford limestones belonging to the lowermost Permian are present near the west boundary of the county. The Pennsylvanian rocks include the Douglas formation, which occupies the eastern portion of Elk county, the Shawnee formation, which occupies the central portion, and the Wabaunsee formation, which covers the western part. There are several striking escarpments formed by the strong limestone members of these formations. The distribution of the geologic subdivisions is shpwn in the accompanying geologic map (Plate I).

The occurrence of oil or gas in Elk county has not been very well tested, but good production from shallow wells has stimulated development work greatly during the past year. By private enterprise the structure of the rocks in portions of the county has been determined and a number of more or less well-defined anticlinal folds located. Some of these which have been drilled are yielding a steady supply of oil and gas. Production is mainly from two sandy horizons, one at a depth of 500 to 700 feet, the other 1,500 to 1,700 feet. The best oil-producing district is the Longton field, which lies south and southeast of Longton. The field has a good many shallow wells producing on the average from 10 to 25 barrels per day. Another oil field smaller than that near Longton lies along the southern border of the county (T, 31 S., R. 12 E., and vicinity). Here a good producing sand is reached at depths of 600 to 700 feet, many of the wells yielding 15 to 20 barrels a day. Some of the companies which own wells producing from this shallow sand are drilling deeper in the hope that larger production may be found at greater depths. Other parts of the county in which there is production are the districts about Elk Falls and Moline. Wells in these fields are chiefly. gas producers.

The present good production in southeastern Elk county has maintained interest in leasing and drilling and there is good prospect of continued development work in various parts of the county.

Record of producing sands in the Elk county fields
Location			Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
Sec.	Twp.	Range	Depth to producing sand, feet	Thickness penetrated, feet	Initial production
29	29	13	1,680	30	Gas, 250,000 cu. ft.
29	29	13	1,730	30	Gas, 5,000,000 cu. ft.
2	30	10	1,503	7
17	30	11	1,790	50
15	31	11	1,157	4
15	31	11	1,390	5
1	31	12	1,040	21
10	31	12	660	35
			1,055	20
			1,400	5
			1,600	9	Gas, 1,250,000 cu. ft.
34	31	12			Oil, 60 bbls.
Near Longton			600-650
Near Longton			650-700	27-30
34	31	12			Oil, 20 bbls.
34	31	12	535-650 (a)	30	Oil, 15-60 bbls.
5	31	13	1,200	19
5	31	13	1,628	5
a. Average for a large number of wells.

New wells completed in Elk county, 1904 to 1915, inclusive. Data compiled from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey.
Year	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total
1904
1905	9	3	4	16
1906	1		1	2
1907
1908
1909	7	2		9
1910		1		1
1911			4	4
1912
1913
1914			3	3
1915		3	2	5

Record of Mitchell well, south of Longton
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil, surface	5	5
Pennsylvanian system—
	Lansing formation:
		Vilas shale (?)
			Shale	30	35
			Sandstone	5	40
			Shale	25	65
			Sandstone	5	70
			Shale	50	120
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone	10	130
			Shale	15	145
			Limestone	10	155
		Lane shale
			Shale	97	252
			Sandstone	10	262
			Shale	148	410
	Kansas City formation (?):
		Chanute shale
			Sandstone, shaly (salt water)	35	445
			Shale	10	455
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	10	465
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	50	515
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	4	519
		Galesburg shale
			Shale	3	522
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	8	530
		Ladore shale
			Shale	95	625
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	2	627
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale	13	640
			Sandstone (salt water)	6	646
			Shale	14	660
			Sandstone (oil)	35	695
			Shale	5	700
		Coffeyville limestone
			Limestone	15	715
		Walnut shale
			Shale	5	720
	Altamont limestone (?)
			Limestone	65	785
		Bandera shale
			Shale	5	790
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone, little shale	30	820
			Limestone	13	833
			Shale and limestone	9	842
		Labette shale
			Shale	25	867
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	18	885
			Shale, sandy (salt water)	5	890
			Limestone	45	935
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale	15	950
			Sandstone, shaly (salt water)	8	958
			Shale	20	978
			Limestone and shale	12	990
			Limestone	5	995
			Shale	20	1,015
			Limestone	5	1,020
			Shale and limestone	8	1,028
			Shale	27	1,055
			Sandstone (Peru)	20	1,075
			Shale	65	1,140
			Limestone	20	1,160
			Shale	30	1,190
			Sandstone (Wheeler)	30	1,220
			Shale	185	1,405
			Sandstone	5	1,410
			Shale	65	1,475
			Sandstone, shaly (salt water)	10	1,485
			Shale	115	1,600
			Sandstone (Bartlesville)	8	1,608
Mississippian system—
			Limestone	7	1,615

Ellis County

Ellis county is situated in the west central part of the state in the belt of Cretaceous outcrop. The larger portion of the county, the east and south, is occupied by beds of the Benton formation. The highlands between Saline and Smoky Hill rivers are capped by the Niobrara formation and gravels of the Tertiary. The Dakota sandstone, which appears at the surface on Smoky Hill river in the southeast corner of the county, is encountered at depths ranging from 200 to 300 feet in eastern Ellis county and 500 to 600 feet in the highlands to the west.

The structure of the surface rocks in this region has not been examined in detail, but it is known that the strata dip gently to the northwest. It is certain that the oil-bearing formations of other parts of Kansas are very deeply buried in Ellis county, and no oil or gas indications have been reported. In 1903 a boring 1,177 feet deep was made on Smoky Hill river, 15 miles southwest of Hays. It passed through the Benton shale and Dakota sandstone and entered red beds of the upper Permian at a depth of 628 feet.

Record of well on Smoky Hill river. (Darton, 1905, p. 295-296)
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil, sandy, lime-rock fragments	30	30
Cretaceous system—
	Benton formation:
		Graneros shale
			Shale	185	215
		Dakota sandstone
			Sandstone, with water	290	505
			Shale, black	40	545
			Sandstone, light colored, with artesian salt water	11	556
Permian system—
	Cimarron series:
			Shale, blue	41	597
			Sandstone, hard, white	3	600
			Shale, blue	28	628
			Shale, red	6	634
			Sandstone, white, artesian flow salt water	4	638
			Shale, red, hard	25	663
			Sandstone, white, soft, strong flow of mineral water	6	669
			Shale, reddish	3	672
			Sandstone, white	2	674
			Shale, soft red	29	703
			Sandstone, soft red, with strong flow salt water	290	993
			Sandstone, reddish, "full of shells"?	184	1,177

Ellsworth County

The Dakota sandstone is at or near the surface throughout this county except in the lower portions of the Smoky Hill valley to the southeast, where the underlying Permian rocks are exposed. The Benton shale occupies the higher land to the southwest and north of Smoky Hill valley. In general the rocks of Ellsworth county dill slightly to the west, but detailed examination shows the existence of a number of minor anti-. clinal structures. A number of borings have been made in the county, some specially in search of oil or gas, others to define the character of important salt beds which underlie this region. Of the wells drilled for oil and gas only some of the more recent appear to have been located with reference to geologic structure. It should be noted that the attitude of the Cretaceous rocks is not necessarily an indication of the structure of the underlying Permian and Pennsylvanian strata, for there is a pronounced unconformity at the base of the Dakota. It is probable, however, that the greatest deformation has succeeded the Cretaceous and that all the beds accordingly have been flexed in common.

Throughout the largest part of the county the Permian is within 100 or 150 feet of the surface. At depths ranging from 700 to 900 feet a thick deposit of rock salt belonging to the lower part of the Wellington formation is encountered. A boring near Ellsworth encountered a gas-bearing horizon at a depth of 1,100 feet, but so far as known neither gas nor oil has yet been found in commercial quantities.

Record of well at Wilson.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil, black, sand and clay	175	175
Cretaceous system—
		Dakota sandstone
			Sandstone	110	285
Permian system—
	Cimarron series:
			Shale, blue	50	330
			Shale, red	390	720
	Big Blue series:
		Wellington formation
			Shale, blue	115	835
			Rock salt	270	1,105
		Marion formation
			Shale, black	20	1,125
			Gypsum	10	1,135
			Shale, blue, and gypsum	125	1,260
		Chase formation
			Limestone	25	1,285
			Shale and gypsum	60	1,345
			Sandstone and gas	15	1,360
			Limestone	25	1,385

Finney County

Finney county is almost entirely covered by Tertiary deposits of sand and gravel. The valley of Arkansas river is filled with sandy alluvium. However, in the northeastern portion of the county along the headwaters of Pawnee river, the Niobrara and Benton formations of the Cretaceous are exposed. The Dakota sandstone at the base of the Cretaceous is reached in deep wells in the southwestern and southern part of the county at about 200 feet, at Gardner about 400 feet, and in the northern and northwestern part 1,000 feet below the surface.

Little is known concerning the structure of the rocks in Finney county, and there is no surface indication of oil or gas in the region. This part of Kansas is not a good area for wild-cat prospecting.

Record of well at Garden City. (Haworth, 1897a, p. 27)
Stratum			Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
		Soil	12	12
		Quicksand	299	311
Cretaceous system—
	Benton formation:
		Shale, black	150	461
	Dakota sandstone:
		Sandstone	5	466
		Shale, white	10	476
		Sandstone, black	5	481
		Shale	69	550

Ford County

The entire area of Ford county is underlain by Dakota sandstone which dips very slightly to the northwest. The sandstone crops out, however, only in the east and north parts of the county on Arkansas river and tributaries of the Pawnee. Shales of the Benton formation are found north of Dodge City. Tertiary sands and gravels cover the Cretaceous rocks extensively and thick deposits of alluvium and dune sand occupy the valley of the Arkansas.

Some geologic reconnaissance has been done in Ford county, but the structure of the rocks is difficult to determine. The complete thickness of the Permian red beds, and in the southern part of the county perhaps the Comanchean, underlie the Cretaceous. Tests for oil in this region should be carefully located and should be very deep. At present "wild-cat" drilling in this part of the state is very hazardous.

Record of well at Dodge City. (Reported by A. B. Reeves.)
Stratum	Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Soil, sand and gravel	199	199
Conglomerate	1	200
Shale, black	200	400
Sandstone	8	408
Shale, black	180	588
Sandstone	3	591
Shale, black	411	1,002

Franklin County

Franklin county is located in the midst of the scarped plains of east central Kansas, its rocks belonging entirely to the Pennsylvanian system. The Kansas City formation is represented by the Iola limestone, its top member, which appears in the extreme southeast corner of the county. The succeeding Lansing formation occupies the lowlands along the valley of Osage river and tributary streams in the east and southeast parts. The Douglas formation covers the remainder of the county except for small areas along the west and northwest border, which are capped by limestones of the Shawnee formation. The distribution of these formations and their members is shown on Plates I and XXXVI.

The rocks of Franklin county have a slight general inclination to the west, but locally there are anticlinal structures, with which, in some cases at least, appear to be associated deposits of oil and gas. The structures which have been tested thus far have been located chiefly through the initiative of private interest. Many wells have been drilled with little regard to geologic conditions in the field. The chief producing districts are found in the east and northeast parts of the county in the vicinity of Rantoul, Peoria and Wellsville. They are practically continuous with the oil fields of Miami county. The wells in Franklin county are shallow, the average depth being from 600 to 800 feet, production being obtained from the sands of the Marmaton and upper Cherokee divisions.

Though none of the wells are of the "gusher" type, they are very profitable, steady producers, yielding from 5 to 40 or 50 barrels daily. Initial production ranges upward to more than 250 barrels a day. Gas is obtained in some wells, a gas well having been drilled recently near Ottawa. The oil pools in Franklin county have been developed rapidly in recent months. Detailed record of the oil sands are included with those from Miami county. A large number of dry wells, in large part located without reference to geologic conditions, have been reported from Franklin county. In general, however, there are good prospects of obtaining oil where the proper structural condition of the rocks is observed. New wells should be drilled only on the recommendation of a competent geologist.

New wells completed in Franklin county, 1904 to 1915, inclusive. Data compiled from Mineral Resources of the United States, U. S. Geol. Survey.
Year	Oil	Gas	Dry	Total
1904
1905	55	4	4	63
1906	63	1	8	72
1907	9	1	6	16
1908	1		1	2
1909		6	1	7
1910	1	2		3
1911
1912	18			18
1913	54	1	3	58
1914	163	32	30	225
1915	71	21	22	114

Total and average initial daily production of new wells in Franklin county, 1912 to 1915, inclusive, by barrels.
Year	Total initial production, in barrels	Average per well, in barrels
1912	155	8.6
1911	748	13.9
1914	1,360	8.3
1915	620	8.7

Record of well at Ottawa. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 97)
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil	5	5
Pennsylvanian system—
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton limestone
			Limestone	12	17
		Vilas shale
			Shale	5	22
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone	43	65
		Lane shale
			Shale	146	211
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	21	232
		Chanute shale
			Shale	20	252
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	6	258
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	60	318
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	27	345
			Shale, salt water	5	350
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	31	381
			Shale	3	384
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone and shells	15	399
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale, white	37	436
			Sandstone (gas)	54	490
		Walnut shale
			Shale	25	515
		Bandera shale
			Shale, sandy	53	568
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	15	583
		Labette shale
			Shale, black	10	593
			Shale, white	5	598
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	16	614
			Shale	8	622
			Limestone	18	640
	Cherokee formation:
			Shale, fossiliferous (salt water)	15	655
			Shale, white	10	665
			Sandstone (gas)	58	723
			Shale and sandstone	12	735
			Shale, black	20	755
			Shale, white	48	803
			Sandstone (oil)	15	818
			Shale, fossiliferous	27	845
			Sandstone	8	853
			Shale and shells	82	935
			Sandstone (oil and gas)	10	945
			Shale	10	955
			Sandstone	27	982
			Shale, black	78	1,060
Mississippian limestone—
			Flint	20	1,080

Record of well No. 1 on Jonathan Crist farm. (Haworth and Bennett, 1908, pl. 6)
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
			Soil, black	4	4
Pennsylvanian system—
	Douglas formation:
		Oread limestone
			Limestone, yellow	4	8
			Limestone, blue	24	32
		Lawrence shale
			Shale, blue	23	55
			Sandstone, brown	5	60
			Shale, blue	110	170
		Iatan limestone
			Limestone, gray	8	178
		Weston shale
			Shale, brown	7	185
			Shale, gray	8	193
			Shale, blue	42	235
			Shale, gray	75	310
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton limestone
			Limestone, white (water)	40	350
		Vilas shale
			Shale, blue	8	358
			Shale, black	4	362
		Plattsburg limestone
			Limestone, white	10	372
			Shale, blue	18	390
			Limestone, white, very hard	30	420
			Shale, blue	4	424
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone, gray	40	464
		Chanute shale
			Shale, blue	21	485
		Drum limestone
			Limestone, gray	60	545
			Cherryvale shale	12	557
			Shale, pinkish	3	560
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone, brown	25	585
		Galesburg shale
			Shale, blue	24	609
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone, brown	19	628
		Ladore shale
			Shale, blue	12	640
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone, brown	33	673
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale, gray	4	677
			Sandstone, gray (salt water)	6	683
			Shale, gray	41	724
			Shale, blue	19	743
		Coffeyville limestone (?)
			Limestone, gray	2	745
		Bandera and Walnut shale
			Shale, blue	65	810
			Shale, brown	20	830
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone, brown	11	841
		Labette shale
			Shale, black	6	847
			Shale, blue	18	865
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone, brown	7	872
			Shale, blue	8	880
			Shale, black	8	888
			Limestone, brown	6	894
	Cherokee shale:
			Shale, black	12	906
			Shale, blue (some water)	24	930
			Sandstone, gray	30	960
			Shale, brown	75	1,035
			Shale, blue	45	1,080
			Sandstone white	45	1,105
			Shale, black	12	1,117
			Shale, gray	43	1,160
			Shale, black	20	1,180
			Sandstone, white	82	1,262
			Shale, black (hole full of salt water)	6	1,268
			Sandstone, white	64	1,332
			Shale, black	4	1,336
			Shale, light	10	1,346
			Shale, black	10	1,356
			Limestone, light	3	1,359
			Shale, black	41	1,400
			Limestone, gray	3	1,403
			Shale, blue	17	1,420
			Sandstone, gray	20	1,440
			Sandstone, gray, hard	16	1,456
			Sandstone, light, hard	6	1,462
Mississippian system—
			Limestone, light, hard	8	1,470
			Sandstone, light, hard	11	1,481
			Limestone, light, hard	8	1,489
			Sandstone, light, hard	10	1,499
			Limestone, light, hard	178	1,677

Record of Ellis well No. 8, Sec. 7, T. 18 S., R. 21 E.
Stratum				Thickness, feet	Depth, feet
Pennsylvanian system—
	Douglas formation:
		Iatan limestone
			Limestone	8	8
		Weston shale
			Shale	25	33
	Lansing formation:
		Stanton and Plattsburg limestones
			Limestone	52	85
		Lane shale
			Shale	60	145
	Kansas City formation:
		Iola limestone
			Limestone	20	165
			Shale	20	185
			Limestone	8	193
		Chanute shale
			Shale	37	230
		Drum limestone
			Limestone	20	250
		Cherryvale shale
			Shale	8	258
		Winterset limestone
			Limestone	27	285
		Galesburg shale
			Shale (water)	5	290
		Bethany Falls limestone
			Limestone	22	312
		Ladore shale
			Shale (water)	4	316
		Hertha limestone
			Limestone	14	330
	Marmaton formation:
		Pleasanton shale
			Shale	150	480
		Coffeyville limestone
			Limestone	15	495
		Walnut shale
			Shale	47	542
		Altamont limestone
			Limestone	6	548
		Bandera shale
			Shale	20	568
		Pawnee limestone
			Limestone	5	573
		Labette shale
			Shale (water)	14	587
		Fort Scott limestone
			Limestone	2	589
			Shale, white	5	594
			Shale	3	597
			Limestone	11	608
	Cherokee shale:
			Sandstone (oil)	9	617
			Shale	377	994
Mississippian limestone—
			Limestone

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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
Placed on web Aug. 10, 2018; originally published 1917.
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