Developments In Michigan Research Articles

Oil and Gas Developments in Michigan During 1941: ABSTRACT

During 1941 the Basin was the most active district in Michigan due chiefly to development in the Reed City, Detroit River (Devonian) field in western Osceola County, the Headquarters Traverse (Devonian) field in southern Roscommon County, and extensive development of Michigan Stray (Mississippian) gas fields in Osceola, Missaukee, and Clare counties. Ten new oil fields and extensions and six new gas fields were discovered during the year, with the Basin taking the limelight insofar as new developments were concerned. The most important oil strike in southwestern Michigan was the West Hopkins Traverse (Devonian) field in Allegan County. Actual oil production dropped approximately 17 per cent below 1940. More gas wells were drilled in 1941 than in any year since 1936. Actual gas production reached an all time high with 6 per cent increase over 1940. The Gulf Oil Company's Bateson No. 1 in the Kawkawlin field in Bay County was drilled to a depth of 10,445 feet into the St. Peter (Ordovician) sandstone, but was plugged back to 7,800 feet and kept as a condensate well. Late in December a gas well was discovered in Calhoun County in the Traverse (Devonian) limestone, opening an entirely new area to development. The Panhandle and Eastern Pipeline Company began construction of a gas transmission line approximately 250 miles long. The line will run from the Michigan Gas transmission line in the southeastern corner of Lenawee County northward to Pleasant Lake in Washtenaw County. One branch will be laid west to Kalamazoo, the other will extend north to Flint and Saginaw. Construction started at Saginaw and the line is expected to be completed during 1942. Geophysical prospecting and core testing were carried on at a brisk rate particularly in the northern and south-central parts of the Southern Peninsula. End_of_Article - Last_Page 914------------

Oil and Gas Developments in Michigan in 1940: ABSTRACT

The southwestern part of Michigan was the center of oil and gas activity for the state during the greater part of 1940 with activity increasing in the Basin area as the year closed. The discovery and partial development of two new shallow Stray sand (Mississippian) gas areas and important extensions elsewhere have increased materially the gas reserves of the state. Gas production during 1940 was approximately 40 per cent greater than in the previous year. Dispite numerous oil discoveries and extensions to proved areas, the additions to known oil reserves were of no great consequence. Oil production for 1940 was actually sixteen per cent less than in 1939 but a general strengthening in price partly offset this decline. Several geophysical parties were reported operating in the Southern Peninsula but core testing seemed to be the favored exploratory method. The search for new deep producing zones has received some encouragement. In the Basin substantial gas showings were encountered in the basal Salina (Silurian). In southwestern Michigan showings of oil were reported at the approximate horizon of the St. Peter sandstone. End_of_Article - Last_Page 944------------

Oil and Gas Developments in Michigan in 1940

The southwestern part of Michigan was the center of oil and gas activity for the state during the greater part of 1940 with activity increasing in the Basin area as the year closed. The discovery and partial development of three new shallow Stray sand (Mississippian) gas areas and important extensions elsewhere have increased materially the gas reserves of the state. Gas production during 1940 was approximately 40 per cent greater than in the previous year. Despite numerous oil discoveries and extensions to proved areas, the additions to known oil reserves were of no great consequence. Oil production for 1940 was actually 16 per cent less than in 1939 but a general strengthening in price partially offset this decline. Several geophysical parties were reported operating in the Southern Peninsula, but core testing seemed to be the favored exploratory method. The search for new deep producing zones has received some encouragement. In the Basin substantial gas showings were encountered in the basal Salina (Silurian). In southwestern Michigan showings of oil were reported at the approximate horizon of the St. Peter sandstone.

Recent Problems and Developments in Michigan

Journal AWWAVolume 32, Issue 12 p. 2052-2059 Article Recent Problems and Developments in Michigan Raymond J. Faust, Raymond J. FaustSearch for more papers by this author Raymond J. Faust, Raymond J. FaustSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 December 1940 https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1551-8833.1940.tb13009.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume32, Issue12December 1940Pages 2052-2059 RelatedInformation

Developments in Michigan During 1939

During 1939 the limelight was taken in by three fields, Bloomingdale (Van Buren County), Temple (Clare County), and Walker or Grand Rapids (Kent County). Before the beginning of the year Bloomingdale had eclipsed Buckeye (Gladwin County) and led until July, when it was overtaken in production by the Temple field. By November the Walker field near Grand Rapids, which had only one active drilling well at the start of the year, reached an output which was in excess of any other field. This was the first year since the Muskegon boom in 1929 that western fields had taken foremost position. The year established a definite Traverse producing area of regional magnitude in the southwest part of the state and set up a rivalry for supremacy between the shallow fields of southwestern and the deeper producing areas of the Basin. The other active fields of the year were Wise (Isabella County); New Salem and East Salem extension (Allegan County); South Columbia or Bear Lake (Van Buren County); East Columbia and Berlamont (Van Buren County); Dundee or Deerfield (Monroe County); and Wisner (Tuscola County). There was active drilling for Michigan stray gas southeast of the Temple field and for Berea gas in the Clayton field (Arenac County). Pipeline construction of some magnitude followed both of these areas of drilling activity. A line was built from Amble (Winfield gas area, Montcalm County) to Greenville and also from the Walker field to the trunk line of the West Consumers, Inc. at Ravenna. A new shallow (Berea?) gas area was discovered in Wright and Polkton townships, Ottawa County. The oil discoveries of the year were seemingly of minor importance in making large new reserves available. These were Hopkins (Allegan County), Bangor (Van Buren County), Zeeland (Ottawa County), Porter (Van Buren County), Silver Creek (Cass County), South Overisel (Allegan County), and Hope (Barry County). Wildcatting was much more extensive in southwestern than in the Basin, which explains the localization of the discoveries. Outstanding during 1939 was the passage of the new conservation statute which resulted in regulations covering proration and well-spacing programs. Crude-oil price strengthened gradually and by the end of the year it had reached nearly to market parity with other states. Increased activity took place in the use of geophysics and soil analysis for exploration, largely with negative results. Test-well drilling for structure was carried on in several areas where it was reported to have been successful. However, regional subsurface interpretations from scattered wildcats led to most of the discoveries in the past year. Deep tests to the Sylvania (middle Monroe) were carried on in the Porter, Buckeye, and Bloomingdale fields, and on the Kawkawlin structure, but only small amounts of oil were found. No major oil pipelines were built but several gathering systems and feeders to railheads were laid to service the Wise field, and the fields of southwestern Michigan. Five small refineries were constructed: two at Grand Rapids, two at Bloomingdale, and one at Kalamazoo. The older refineries with cracking and reforming units so increased output that retail gasoline prices took a sharp drop in western Michigan, and particularly in the Grand Rapids marketing area.