STATE OF ILLINOIS DWIGHT H. GREEN, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION FRANK G. THOMPSON, Director

DIVISION OF THE STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY M. M. LEIGHTON, Chief URBANA

REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS—NO. 119

KING OIL FIELD JEFFERSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Stewart H. Folk and David H. Swann

PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

URBANA, ILLINOIS

1946 ORGANIZATION

STATE OF ILLINOIS HON. DWIGHT H. GREEN, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION HON. FRANK G. THOMPSON, Director

BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION

HON. FRANK G. THOMPSON, Chairman NORMAN L. BOWEN, Ph.D., D.Sc, LL.D., Geology ROGER ADAMS, Ph.D., D.Sc, Chemistry LOUIS R. HOWSON, C.E., Engineering CARL G. HARTMAN, Ph.D.. Biology EZRA JACOB KRAUS, Ph.D., D.Sc, Forestry GEORGE D. STODDARD, Ph.D., Litt.D., LL.D., L.H.D. President of the University of Illinois

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION

M. M. LEIGHTON, Chief

(23274—2M—8-46) ^ SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL STAFF OF THE STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION 100 Natural Resources Building, Urbana

M. M LEIGHTON, Ph.D Chief Enid Townley, M.S., Assistant to the Chief Helen E. McMorkis, Secretary to the Chief Velda A. Millard, Junior Asst. to the Chief Effie Hetishee, B.S., Geological Assistant

GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES Mineral Resources Records Ralph E. Grim, Ph.D., Petrographer and Vivian Gordon, Head Principal Geologist in Charge Ruth R. Warden, B.S. Research Assistant Coal GEOCHEMISTRY G. H. Cady, Ph.D., Senior Geologist and Head R. J. Helfinstine, M.S., Mech. Engineer Frank H. Reed, Ph.D., Chief Chemist Charles C. Boley, M.S., Assoc. Mining Eng. Carol J. Adams, B.S., Research Assistant Robert M. Kosanke, M.A., Asst. Geologist Robert W. Ellingwood, B.S., Asst. Geologist Coal Jack A. Simon, B.A., Asst. Geologist Arnold Eddings, B.A., Asst. Geologist G. R. Yohe, Ph.D., Chemist and Head John A. Harrison, B.S., Asst. Geologist Eva O. Blodgett, B.S., Research Assistant Raymond Siever, B.S., Research Assistant Mary E. Barnes, B.S., Research Assistant Industrial Minerals Margaret Parker, B.S., Research Assistant Walter E. Cooper, Technical Assistant J. S. Machin, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Tin Boo Yee, M.S., Research Assistant Oil and Gas A. H. Bell, Ph.D., Geologist and Head Fluorspar Frederick Squires, B.S., Petroleum Engineer *Stewart H. Folk, M.S., Assoc. Geologist G. C. Finger, Ph.D., Chemist and Head David H. Swann, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist Oren F. Williams, B.Engr., Asst. Chemist Virginia Kline, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist Paul G. Luckhardt, M.S., Asst. Geologist Chemical Engineering Wayne F. Meents, Asst. Geologist Engineer Richard J. Cassin, B.S., Research Assistant H. W. Jackman, M.S.E., Chemical and Head Sue R. Anderson, B.S., Research Assistant P. W. Henline, M.S., Assoc. Chemical Engineer James C. McCullough, Research Associate Industrial Minerals James H. Hanes, B.S., Research Assistant (on leave) Leroy S. Miller, B.S., Research Assistant (on leave) J. E. Lamar, B.S., Geologist and Head Earl C. Noble, Technical Assistant Robert M. Grogan, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist Mary R. Hill, B.S., Research Assistant X-ray and Spectrograph}' Clay Resources and Clay Technology Mineral W. F. Bradley, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Ralph E. Grim, Ph.D., Petrographer and Head Henry M. Putman, B.A.Sc, Asst. Geologist Analytical Chemistry William A. White, B.S., Research Assistant O. W. Rees, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Groundwater Geology and Geophysical Exploration L. D. McVicker, B.S., Chemist Howard S. Clark, A.B., Assoc. Chemist Carl A. Bays, Ph.D., Geologist and Engineer, and Head Lewis E. Moncrief, B.S., Research Assistant C. Gogley, B.S., Research Assistant Robert R. Storm, A.B., Assoc. Geologist John Emile D. Pierron, B.S., Research Assistant Arnold C. Mason, B.S., Assoc. Geologist A.B., Research Assistant (on leave) Elizabeth Bartz, Albertine Krohn, B.S., Research Assistant Merlyn B. Buhle, M.S., Assoc. Geologist Phyllis K. Brown, B.A., Research Assistant M. W. Pullen, Jr., M.S., Asst. Geologist Gordon W. Prescott, B.S., Asst. Geologist Margaret J. Castle, Asst. Geologic Draftsman MINERAL ECONOMICS Robert N. M. Urash, B.S., Research Assistant George H. Davis, B.S., Research Assistant W. H. Voskuil, Ph.D., Mineral Economist Douglas F. Stevens, M.E., Research Associate Engineering Geology and Topographic Mapping Nina Hamrick, A.B., Research Assistant Ethel M. King, Research Assistant George E. Ekblaw, Ph.D., Geologist and Head Richard F. Fisher, M.S., Asst. Geologist EDUCATIONAL EXTENSION Areal Geology and Paleontology Gilbert O. Raasch, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist H. B. Willman, Ph.D., Geologist and Head Chalmer L. Cooper, Ph.D., Geologist C. Leland Horberg, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist LIBRARY Heinz A. Lowenstam, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist Regina Yoast, B.A., B.L.S., Librarian Subsurface Geology Ruby D. Frison, Technical Assistant L. E. Workman, M.S., Geologist and Head Elwood Atherton, Ph.D., Asst. Geologist PUBLICATIONS Paul Herbert, Jr., B.S., Asst. Geologist Dorothy E. Rose, B.S., Technical Editor Marvin P. Meyer, M.S., Asst. Geologist Meredith M. Calkins, Geologic Draftsman Elizabeth Pretzer, M.A., Asst. Geologist Beulah F. Hopper, B.F.A., Asst. Geologic Physics Draftsman Willis L. Busch, Principal Technical Assistant R. J. Piersol, Ph.D., Physicist Leslie D. Vaughan, Asst. Photographer

^Resigned Consultants: Ceramics, Cullen W. Parmelee, M.S., D.Sc, and Ralph K. Hursh, B.S., University of Illinois Mechanical Engineering, Seichi Konzo, M.S., University of Illinois Topographic Mapping in Cooperation with the United States Geological Survey. This report is a contribution of the Oil and Gas Division. Aug. 1, 1946 Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

http://archive.org/details/kingoilfieldjeff119folk CONTENTS

Pag

Introduction 7 Acknowledgments 7 Location 7 History 7 Stratigraphy 8 Pennsylvanian system 10 Mississippian system 10 Chester series 10 Iowa series 13 Devonian or Mississippian system 17 Devonian system 17 Structure 17 Structural history 23 Producing zones 23 Potential producing zones 24 Prospects for additional wells in present producing zones 26 Possibilities for extensions to King field 26

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page

1. Index maps showing location of oil fields in Jefferson County and location of Jefferson County in Illinois 8

2. Ownership map, King oil field 9

3. Northwest-southeast electric log cross-section of King oil field 14, 15 4. Structure of the Aux Vases formation, King field 18

5. Structure of Shoal Creek limestone, King field 20

6. Isopach map of interval between top of Shoal Creek limestone in upper part of Pennsylvanian

system and base of lower Kinkaid limestone at top of Mississippian system in King field. . 21 7. Isopach map of Chester series below the lower Kinkaid limestone in King field 22

8. Areas apparently structurally favorable for oil production in region of King oil field 25

KING OIL FIELD JEFFERSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS

By

Stewart H. Folk and David H. Swann

Introduction non (see index map, fig. 1). It occupies portions of sees. 21, 27, 28, 33, and 34 of discovery well of the King oil The T. 3 S., R. 3 E., and a portion of sec. 3, field is located on land owned by the T 4 S, R. 3 E. State of Illinois, the first state-owned land It is about 30 miles due west of the deep- in Illinois to be leased for oil and gas, and est part of the Illinois basin, and lies in the for this reason the geology of the area has transition zone between western clastic facies been the subject of special study by the State and the eastern calcareous facies of the lower Geological Survey. As the results of this Chester formations which contain some of study indicate that prospects are favorable the principal oil-producing zones of south- for additional production from the field and ern Illinois. Knowledge of the conditions from areas in its vicinity, it seems desirable in this field should assist in interpreting the to publish a report on the field. conditions of Chester sedimentation and help The report was originally prepared by in determining the true correlations of the the senior author as of April 1, 1944, prior lower Chester strata. to his leave of absence to serve with the armed forces. Additional developments History necessitated some revisions of the maps and The discovery well of the field is the of the discussion on structure, structural Lewis Production Company, State of Illi- history, and prospects for further develop- nois No. 1 in the SW. SW. SE. ment. These revisions, made by the junior J, \, J, sec. 21, T. 3 S., R. 3 E., which was com- author, are based on data available up to pleted June 23, 1942, with an initial daily May 1, 1946. production of 153 barrels of oil and 13 bar- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS rels of water, pumping, from the Aux Vases sandstone at a depth of 2740-62 feet. It is criticism suggestions of The and A. H. the northernmost producing well in the Bell, E. L. E. George Ekblaw, Workman, field. Carl A. Bays and other members of the An earlier test on the King field struc- Illinois Geological Survey have been most ture, the Oil Inc., P. Mace No. 1, in the helpful in the preparation of the report. NE. i, SW. J, SW. i, sec. 34, T. 3 S., R. Sample and core studies by L. E. Work- 3 E., drilled in 1939, was high enough man, F. E. Tippie, Pullen, E. P. M. W. structurally to have been a producing well DuBois, and Meents, in addition to Wayne but was a dry hole because the formations those by the writers have been used. Sam- now productive in the field are not perme- ples, cores, electric logs, and other primary able enough to produce at that location. data were supplied by the various oil com- One of the best wells in the field is only panies and operators that have been active one location (1320 feet) east and is struc- in the area. Texas supplied The Company turally lower than the Oil Inc., P. Mace a large part of the information. No. 1. Levias (Lower O'Hara) and McClosky Location production were first found in the Oil Car-

The King field is in the southeastern part riers, Mace No. 1, in the center NE. J, of Jefferson County, Illinois, approximately SE. I, sec. 33, T. 3 S., R. 3 E., which was six miles southeast of the town of Mt. Ver- completed September 15, 1942, with an ini-

[7] :

KING OIL FIELD

R.l E --^~ ~ n. i*. .t

0MT. VERNON -i

FIELD :

Fig. 1. —Index maps showing location of oil fields in Jefferson County and location of Jefferson County in Illinois.

tial daily production of 103 barrels of oil, Mississippian system pumping. Chester series Kinkaid formation first reported Rosiclare production was in the Seaboard Oil Co., Eldridge-Whisen- Clore formation Palestine formation hunt Community No. 1, in the NE. J, SE. Menard formation 1 NE. \ of sec. 3, T. 4 S., R. 3 E. The Waltersburg formation well was completed 11, 1943, with an May Vienna formation initial production of 53 barrels of oil and 8 barrels of water, pumping. This well is Glen Dean formation Hardinsburg considered as being in the King field, but formation Golconda formation it probably is producing from a stratigraphic Cypress formation trap that is on the flank of the main King Paint Creek formation field structure. Bethel formation Renault formation Stratigraphy Aux Vases formation Iowa series The stratigraphic succession known in Ste. Genevieve formation Levias limestone tests drilled to date in the King field is as Rosiclare sandstone follows Fredonia limestone Pleistocene St. Louis limestone Glacial drift Paleozoic Osage group Pennsylvanian system Chouteau limestone McLeansboro group Devonian or Mississippian system Carbondale group Tradewater group Devonian system Caseyville group Undifferentiated limestone and dolomite STRATIGRAPHY

R. 3 E, P77777777777777777 / LEWIS PROD. CO. TEXAS (TEXAS) REDWINE / / JOHNSON -;

>1j.d.smith

M.J. MITCHELL

ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAY I, 1946 LEGEND

• OIL WELL ILLINOIS PROPERTY -<{>- DRY HOLE STATE OF

* ABANDONED OIL WELL SCALE

1/2 I MILE 3 A-A' LINE OF CROSS-SECTION

Fig. 2. —-Ownership map, King oil field. Cross-section A-A 1 is shown in figure 3. 10 KING OIL FIELD

PENNSYLVANIAN SYSTEM Creek, Renault, Aux Vases, and Ste. Gene-

vieve formations is shown graphically in Except for a thin and discontinuous figure 3. mantle of Pleistocene glacial drift, the sur- face strata in the area of the King field are Chester series Middle Pennsylvanian shales and shah- sandstones. There are almost 1800 feet of The Chester series consists of a succes- Pennsylvanian strata that belong to the sion of alternating limestone-shale and sand- McLeansboro, Carbondale, Tradewater, stone-shale formations, 16 in number. Most and Caseyville groups in the King field of them, particularly the sandstone-shale stratigraphic section. units, are subject to a great deal of lateral

The McLeansboro group, which is about variation. They are, in a way, transition 800 feet thick, includes alternating shales, beds, for they are intermediate in character siltstones, and sandstones with thin coals as well as in position between the predomi- and underclays and a few thin beds of lime- nantly carbonate rocks of the Lower Mis- stone. Most of the shales and sandstones sissippian and the predominantly clastic are silty and micaceous, and some of them rocks of the Pennsylvanian system. More contain pellets or nodules of brown, dense than 1,000 feet of Chester strata, represent- siderite. The Shoal Creek limestone, occur- ing every formation of the Chester series,

ring quite near the surface in this area, is are present in the King field.

a valuable horizon marker. It is light gray The upper part of the Kinkaid, the upper- to light tan, very finely crystalline, and most formation of the Chester series, was maintains a nearly uniform thickness of removed by pre-Pennsylvanian erosion in 14 feet. this area. The part that remains, amount- Strata of the Carbondale group, about ing to 50 feet or more in most wells, con- 300 feet thick, are similar to those in the sists of shale with interbedded thin Layers McLeansboro, but the coal seams are thicker of limestone and siltstone and a massive bed and more numerous. In the Carbondale of light brown, finely crystalline, slightly

group are coals No. 6 and No. 5, the most dolomitic limestone, 25 to 30 feet thick. important coal scams of southern Illinois. The massive limestone, commonly known as the Kinkaid limestone, is prominent Each is 6 feet thick in this area. lower The Tradewater and Caseyville groups on both electric logs and sample-study logs, (the "Pottsville" of early reports) together and is both persistent and nearly uniform in are almost 700 feet thick. They consist thickness over a large area in the Illinois largely of sandstone and siltstone with basin, so it is a valuable subsurface marker. interbedded gray and black shale, and con- Immediately below it is a zone containing tain thin beds of coal and shaly limestone some bright red shale which helps to iden- and lenses or nodules of siderite. The tify it. Tradewater and Caseyville sandstones gen- Underlying the Kinkaid are the Degonia. erally are coarser and less shaly than sand- Clore, and Palestine formations which con- stones of the McLeansboro and Carbondale sist largely of white fine angular sandstone groups. and siltstone, with interbedded shales. Thin beds of light brown very finely crystalline MISSISSIPPIAN SYSTEM limestone generally occur near the top and bottom of the Clore formation distinguish-

The Pennsylvanian system is unconform- ing it from the Degonia and Palestine, but ably underlain by the Mississippian system, since the limestones are very thin or absent

which is divided into the Chester (upper in places, the three formations cannot Mississippian) series and the Iowa (lower always be differentiated. Their combined

Mississippian) series. thickness is close to 200 feet throughout The lithology of the lower part of the most of the field, but increases to 240 feet Golconda formation and the Cypress, Paint in wells in the southeast part. STRATIGRAPHY 11

Below the Palestine are the Menard, the Tar Springs sandstone. Its thickness Waltersburg, and Vienna formations. is about 50 feet in most wells, but ranges Although the principal portion of each is from 40 to 80 feet. shaly cal- readily recognized, the exact boundaries The Hardinsburg consists of cannot be determined from well cuttings careous greenish-gray siltstone interbedded with shale. to 15 feet of slightly or electric logs in this area. Their total Ten porous sandstone occurs near its top in a few thickness is approximately 135 feet. The wells. Thick beds of porous sandstone Menard is largely limestone, partly dolo- occur in in mitic and argillaceous and interbedded with the Hardinsburg the eastern part of the Illinois basin, it is shale, with a little "sugary" dolomite; it is where an important oil-producing formation in some about 50 feet thick, and is nearly uniform fields, but it is almost entirely shale is in lithologic character and thickness over a and very thin large area. The Waltersburg consists of throughout the western part of shale with thin beds of siltstone or shaly Illinois and in the northern part of the Illi- sandstone. The thick permeable Walters- nois basin. In the King field the Hardins- burg sandstone that is an important oil- burg formation is less than 20 feet thick producing zone in the eastern part of the in some wells but may be as much as 60 Illinois basin does not extend as far west as feet thick in others. The variation in thick- Jefferson County. The Vienna consists of ness may be a result of either an erosional shale interbedded with thin shaly sand- unconformity between the Hardinsburg and stones or siltstones and thin limestones. A the underlying Golconda formation, or lat-

silty to sandy, or shaly, pyritic, fossilifer- eral variations in Golconda and Hardins- ous, dark brown limestone near the base of burg sedimentation, or both. There was

the formation is the only persistent and pre-Hardinsburg erosion of the Golconda widely identifiable portion of the Vienna. formation in other areas in the Illinois

It is only a few feet thick and consequently basin, so there might have been some here.

is not indicated on some electric logs, but it The Golconda formation, which consists

is readily recognized in most sample studies. of limestone and shale, has an average thick- Beneath the Vienna is the Tar Springs ness of approximately 150 feet, but may be

formation, which is predominantly white only 120 feet thick in some wells. At its fine angular grained sandstone with some top is a distinctive zone, about 20 feet thick, siltstone and shale. Its thickness varies of variegated shales and lithographic dolo- locally from 90 to 125 feet, apparently mites. The main body of Golconda lime- partly because of an erosional unconformity stone, 80 to 120 feet thick, consists of white between the Tar Springs and the underly- oolitic limestone, light tan and gray crystal- ing Glen Dean formation. A lenticular line limestone and dolomitic limestone, sandstone at the top of the Tar Springs brown shaly limestone, and interbedded formation has been interpreted on some shale. The lower part of the main lime- electric logs as possibly containing oil, but stone zone contains a large amount of red sample studies show that it is calcareous shale with a few thin beds or lenses of and not oil-bearing. maroon colored lithographic limestone and The Glen Dean formation consists of dolomite, and at the bottom a bed of brown, cream-colored to light brown limestone buff, yellow-and-red mottled, fossiliferous interbedded with shale. Some of the lime- coarsely crystalline limestone 4 to 12 feet

stone is dolomitic, some beds contain oolites, thick. The "Jackson" sandstone that occurs and some contain chert. The basal part of at or near the horizon of the red mottled

the limestone is sandy in some wells, grad- limestone in Indiana and eastern Illinois ing downward into the underlying Hardins- apparently does not extend into central and burg siltstone or sandstone. There appears western Illinois. Below the red mottled to have been some erosion of the upper part limestone are 30 to 40 feet of gray, weak, of the formation before the deposition of caving shale. This shale zone is easy to ;

12 KING OIL FIELD locate on electric logs because the resistivity tight in wells drilled to date to afford com- curve through it is a smooth vertical line mercial production. Below the shaly zone with a value less than 5 ohm-meters. "Wash- lies the main body of Cypress sandstone, 40 outs" or over-size hole diameters resulting to 50 feet thick, with a few shale interbeds. from caving of the shale probably are partly Below the main sandstone is another zone responsible for the low resistivity values of shale 20 to 30 feet thick with inter- measured through this zone. At the bottom bedded siltstone and shaly sandstone. At of the Golconda formation is a bed of the bottom of the formation is another zone brown, dense to earthy limestone, 5 to 10 of sandstone with shale interbeds that ranges feet thick, commonly called the basal Gol- from only a few feet to as much as 80 feet conda or "Barlow" limestone. It is one of in thickness. Where it is thick the under- the best subsurface markers in the Chester lying Paint Creek formation is unusually series, being present and easily identifiable thin or possibly absent. throughout almost all of the Illinois basin, The Paint Creek formation includes and it is a good datum for mapping struc- limestones, shales, siltstones, and sandstones, ture. structural map of the top of the A and ranges from 40 to 70 feet in thickness. basal Golconda limestone in this area was It may be absent in one or two wells be- made, but it is not incorporated in this cause of pre-Cypress erosion. It can be report because it closely resembles the map divided into three more or less persistent of the top of the Aux Vases formation (fig. zones. The uppermost zone consists of The top of the basal Golconda lime- 4). variegated, fossiliferous shale, and brown stone is more satisfactory than its base for shaly limestone. The middle zone includes correlation and for use as a structural shale, calcareous siltstone or sandstone, and datum in the western part of the Illinois sandy limestone; thick beds of sandstone basin, because its thickness compensates some- occur in this zone in other areas, particu- what for irregularities in the upper surface larly that part of Illinois to the south and of the Cypress formation which underlies it east of King field. The writers agree with it thins, and in a few places in other fields 1 Dana and Scobey that the Bethel sand- wedges out, over bar-like sandstones at the stone of Kentucky and southeastern Illinois top of the Cypress, and in some places, but should be correlated with this zone rather not in the King field, it thickens locally to than with the underlying "Benoist" sand. where Gol- more than 50 feet, apparently The lowest zone of the Paint Creek forma- in depressions that conda limy muds filled tion as currently defined on the western existed in the Cypress surface. 2 side of the Illinois basin is represented in consists of sand- The Cypress formation the King field by white to light brown, par- stone, siltstone, shale. It varies and from tially mottled pink or green, crystalline in the 100 to 170 feet in thickness King crinoidal limestone, commonly called the field, partly because of the erosional uncon- "Pink Crinoidal" limestone, and by varie- the formity between the Cypress and under- gated, fossiliferous shale with interbeds of lying Paint formation, and partly Creek shaly limestone, totalling 20 to 25 feet in because of a regional thickening to the south- thickness. This zone appears to be contin- east that is the result of conditions of depo- uous with the upper Renault limestone of sition of the Cypress sediments. The Cypress the subsurface of southeastern Illinois and formation comprises several zones that can neighboring parts of Indiana and Kentucky. 3 be traced through the King field. At the 1 Dana, P. L., and Scobey, E. H., Cross section of top is a zone, 20 to 30 feet thick, of shale Chester of Illinois Basin: Bull. Amer. Assoc. Pet. Geol., vol. 871-882, 1941. interbedded with shaly sandstone. A thin 25, pp. 2 Workman, L. E., Subsurface Geology of the Chester bed of sandstone that occurs locally at the Series in Illinois: Illinois Geol. Survey Rept. Inv. 61, p. 217, 1940. very top of the formation, immediately 3 Dana and Scobey, op. cit. Tippie, F. E., Subsurface underlying the basal Golconda limestone, stratigraphy of the lower Chester formations in parts of Illinois and western Kentucky: Illinois Geol. Survey, contains oil but apparently is too thin and unpublished mss. STRATIGRAPHY 13

It has not been traced into the area of south- occurs in the Renault sandstone. The for- western Illinois which includes the type mation averages about 50 feet in thickness localities of the Paint Creek and Renault in the King field. formations. At the base of this zone in The Aux Vases formation consists of most wells in the King area is a thin bed of sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, and all sandy limestone known as the "Benoist cap- intergradations between them. It varies rock" that grades downward into the greatly over short distances, being princi- "Benoist" sandstone; where the sandstone pally sandstone in some wells but almost is missing this basal limestone is as much entirely limestone and shale in other wells as 5 feet thick. less than 1,000 feet away. Red and green are prominent colors in all the varieties of The "Benoist" sandstone is 30 feet thick strata. The sandstone is very fine-grained in some wells, but grades laterally into silt- and grades into siltstone. Most of the lime- stone and shale or wedges out and is miss- stones are sandy or silty and argillaceous, ing in a few wells in the King field (fig. and contain fine round pellets or granules 3). As noted above, though the "Benoist" of limestone. Many of the limestones are is currently correlated with the Bethel for- oolitic, and, as in the overlying Renault mation, the writers believe it is stratigraph- formation, some of the oolites have red ically lower than the type Bethel sandstone shells. The Aux Vases sandstone is the and may be equivalent either to the Yan- principal oil-producing zone in the field, keetown chert and sandstone of the south- but it has been found non-productive in a western Illinois outcrop area as suggested 4 number of tests because of lack of permea- by F. E. Tippie or to sandy layers in the bility. The thickness of the Aux Vases for- type Renault as would be implied by the mation is between 50 and 60 feet in most current surface correlation of the Yankee- of the wells that have drilled through it. town with the Bethel. Unlike the over- The Aux Vases strata of King field are lying formations, in which the sandstone typical of the strata called Aux Vases zones are thick to the east but are shaly and throughout the southeastern part of Illinois, thin or absent to the west, the "Benoist" but are not at all like the Aux Vases sand- sandstone and the sandstones in the Renault stone of Missouri and western Illinois. and Aux Vases formations below it become Instead, they are similar to the Hoffner thinner and increasingly tend to grade beds of southern Illinois, which are classi- locally into shale and limestone in going 5 fied by Weller as being uppermost Ste. from west to east across Illinois. Oil shows Genevieve in age. Further work must be occur in the "Benoist" sandstone in the done to determine whether these so-called King field, but not enough oil is present for Aux Vases strata in the Illinois basin actu- commercial production. ally are Aux Vases, being an eastern calca- The Renault formation includes lime- reous facies of the completely clastic Aux stone and shale with thin beds of sandstone Vases formation in western Illinois, or and siltstone. The limestone is brown, red, whether they belong in the Ste. Genevieve and gray, crystalline to lithographic, partly formation. sandy, partly oolitic, and partly fossiliferous. Some of the oolites have red shells which Iowa series serve to distinguish this zone from the over- lying formations. siltstone sand- The and The Iowa or lower Mississippian series stone generally are calcareous and pale in the King oil field includes about 1700 green to white. Fine round pellets or feet of strata, of which the upper and granules of limestone occur in both sand- 5 Weller, M., and stone and limestone. A little oil, not J. Sutton, A. H., Mississippian bor- der of Eastern Interior basin: Bull. Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol enough to be of commercial importance, vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 76S-8S8, 1940. Weller, J. M., Geology and oil possibilities of extreme southern Illinois: Illinois Geol. Survey Rept. Inv. No 71 Op. cit. 1940. 3 I

14 KING OIL FIELD

Lewis Prod. Co. Lewis Prod. Co. Lewis Prod. Co. ModeH State of Illinois No. State of Illinois No. 2 State of Illinois No. B-2 Wallace No. 2I-3S-3E 28-3S-3E 28-3S-3E 28-3S-3E

SHALE

SILTSTONE

ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Fig. 3.—Northwest-southeast electric log cross-section of King oil field, from lower part of G< STRATIGRAPHY 15

The Texas Co. Redwine Seaboard

Bumpos No. I Story No. 2 Bldridge Comm. No. I 34-3S-3E 34- 3S-3E 3-4S-3E

nda formation down into the Ste. Genevieve formation. For line of cross-section see figure 2. 16 KING OIL FIELD

greater portion is largely limestone and the silty dolomite with earthy texture. It con- lower portion, less than 400 feet thick, is tains a few veins and thin beds of colorless chiefly shale. The following formations, anhydrite. Its lower part is brown, mot- listed in descending order, are represented: tled with gray, fossiliferous, silty, argilla- Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, and Salem lime- ceous, dolomitic limestone, with finely crys- stones, undifferentiated limestone, shale talline to finely granular texture. It is and siltstone of the Osage group, Chouteau about 250 feet thick. limestone, and New Albany shale. The The Salem limestone is for the most part formational boundaries and the correlations an aggregate of small oolites, limestone of some of the formations are somewhat granules, foraminifera and ostracode tests uncertain, as is the case in most subsurface and the fragmental remains of other fossils, work dealing with this series. and contains many minute pore spaces. Three members of the Ste. Genevieve There are some beds of medium to coarsely formation are recognized. They are, in crystalline limestone. It is prevailingly descending order, the Levias (Lower light tan to brown and gray in color. Some O'Hara) limestone, Rosiclare sandstone, of the limestone is dolomitic. Argillaceous and Fredonia limestone. The Levias is 15 limestone beds grading to dark brown shale to 30 feet thick; its upper part is slightly beds are irregularly present. forma- glauconitic crystalline limestone with a The tion is about 300 feet thick. little dolomite or dolomitic limestone, and its lower part is light tan and gray oolitic Below the Salem limestone are about 800 limestone that contains a few quartz sand feet of strata that are collectively assigned grains with secondarily developed crystal to the Osage group and are equivalent in faces. The Rosiclare consists of sandstone, age to the Warsaw, Keokuk, Burlington, sandy and oolitic limestone, and shale. Fine and Fern Glen of the type Mississippian round granules of limestone are common in section. The upper 300 feet consists of both sandstone and limestone, and the sand light gray to brown limestone containing stone grades laterally into limestone. The some dark gray shale. The limestone con- thickness of the Rosiclare is difficult to tains numerous bryozoa and fragments of determine, for beds of Rosiclare-like sand- crinoids and other fossils and most of it is stone and sandy limestone occur in the Fre- porous. Some beds contain scattered very donia, but it ranges from 40 to 60 feet. fine pellets of pale green clay and some beds The Fredonia consists of limestone and are oolitic. Below this fossiliferous lime- silty dolomite. Most of the Fredonia lime- stone is about 300 feet of dark brown and stones are white to cream-colored and brownish-gray, cherty dolomitic limestone oolitic, the oolites generally being larger and dolomite interbedded with dark gray than those in the overlying and underlying shale and siltstone. The chert is fossilifer- strata. Porous oolitic zones are called ous, dark blue and brown, and semi-vitre- "McClosky." Some of the limestones are ous. The limestone and dolomite are crystalline to dense, some are dolomitic, partly argillaceous and become increasingly some cherty, and some sandy. A sandy lime- argillaceous downward, and grade down- stone commonly occurs at the base of the ward into about 200 feet of silty shales with Fredonia. Beds of cream-colored to gray interbedded shaly siltstones typical of the silty dolomite with finely sugary to earthy Borden group of Indiana. texture occur throughout the Fredonia. The Chouteau limestone is 10 feet thick.

The Fredonia is approximately 150 feet It is brownish-gray, sublithographic, dolo- thick. mitic and argillaceous, and slightly fossilif-

The St. Louis formation consists of light erous. There are a few feet of soft gray brown crystalline to dense limestone, most shale immediately above it. No other defi- of it cherty and some of it dolomitic, inter- nitely Kinderhook strata are known in the bedded with light gray and cream-colored area. STRUCTURE 7

DEVONIAN OR MISSISSIPPIAN SYSTEM Plattin, and Joachim limestone, with inter- beds of dolomite, shale, sandstone, and The New Albany shale includes 80 feet anhydrite, and 100 feet of St. Peter sand- of dark brown, platy, firm shale containing stone. No reliable estimate of the thick- numerous spore-like bodies underlain by 30 ness of the lower Ordovician and Cambrian feet of gray and green shale that uncon- strata that lie below the St. Peter can be formably overlies Devonian strata. The New Albany shale has been referred vari- made, but they probably are more than ously to either one or both of the Devonian 5,000 feet thick and consist largely of dolo- and Mississippian systems. mite and sandstone. Thus there probably are at least 7,000 feet of sedimentary DEVONIAN SYSTEM strata that have not been penetrated as yet, which would bring the total thickness of Nearly half of the Devonian system, 270 sedimentary strata in the King field close feet of strata, have been penetrated by one to 12,000 feet. test in the King oil field. At the top of the

system is a light brown to gray fossiliferous Structure cherty partly shaly, partly oolitic limestone,

which overlies or is interbedded with dark The structure of the Aux Vases, the prin- argillaceous of finely crys- brown dolomite cipal producing formation in the King field, talline to texture containing earthy and large is that of an irregularly shaped dome on a spores. These beds are approximately 50 prominent anticlinal nose that plunges to feet thick, probably represent the Lingle the southeast in the direction of the regional formation. Similar strata at the same strat- dip (see fig. 4). The dome is roughly ellip- position in the field are igraphic Salem tical in plan and is creased with a few shal-

known to pass laterally into shales. The low troughs; its principal axis extends north- shaly and variable character of the strata west-southeast, parallel to the axis of the

at the top of the Devonian has been responsi- nose on which it lies. The highest part of ble for some difficulty in picking the top of the structure is in the SE. J, SE. J, sec. 28. the Devonian in both sample study and elec- A subsidiary crest lies near the center of tric logs, and be responsible for some may the NE. i of sec. 33. of the difficulty experienced in picking the There appear to be two spurs extending, top of the Devonian from seismograph one west and northwest from the main part records. of the structure into the center of sec. 29, Below the dark shaly limestone and dolo- and the other north and northeast into sec.

mite there are 220 feet of white to light 22. It is possible that either or both of brown crystalline limestone, partly dolo- these high areas may be separate closed mitic, partly cherty, and partly sandy. structures isolated from the main dome by These strata probably belong to the Grand shallow saddles, but the conservative inter- Tower, Clear Creek, and Backbone forma- pretation of contouring them as spurs has tions. The vuggy, sugary dolomite and been followed in figure 4. In addition, sandstone zone that was the prolific Devo- the area between the King field and the nian pay in the Salem and Centralia fields southern pool of the Mt. Vernon field, in- does not occur in this area. cluding most of sees. 21 and 17, the north- There probably are several hundred more eastern part of sec. 20 and the southwest- feet of Devonian limestone and dolomite ern part of sec. 16 seems to be structurally that have not been penetrated. Below the high, and the King pools and southern Mt. Devonian there probably are 500 feet or Vernon pool may prove to be located on the more of Silurian limestone, and 1200 feet same structural feature or group of closely or more of Upper and Middle Ordovician related structural features and be portions strata, comprising 200 feet of Maquoketa of one large oil field. This situation is ten- shale, 900 feet of Kimmswick ("Trenton"), tatively suggested in figure 8. 18 KING OIL FIELD

R. 3 E.

ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAY I, 1946 LEGEND 60 Z 2 CONTOUR ON TOP OF AUX VASES; PRODUCING OIL WELL; DEPTH OF INTERVAL 10 FEET; DATUM AUX VASES FORMATION BELOW SEA-LEVEL SEA-LEVEL + DRY HOLE ABANDONED OIL WELL SCALE 1/2

Fig. 4.—Structure of the Aux Vases formation, King field. STRUCTURE 19

There is also the possibility of a separate Figure 6 is an isopach map of the inter- closure at the southeast end of the King- val between the base of the lower Kinkaid field, where the Seaboard Oil Co., Eldridge limestone at the top of the Chester series

Community No. 1, sec. 3, T. 4 S., R. 3 E., and the top of the Shoal Creek limestone in

produces oil from the Rosiclare sandstone the McLeansboro group, the highest easily at an elevation considerably lower than that recognized bed in the Pennsylvanian of this

of water-bearing Rosiclare in tests located area. It is, thus, essentially a map of the

in the main part of the field. However, the thickness of the bulk of Pennsylvanian Rosiclare production in the F. L. Strickland, strata in the area. It indicates a distinct thinning of Pennsylvanian strata over the J. E. Adams No. 1, in the same section but pool with isopach lines systematically dis- definitely on the King structure, makes it placed approximately 3 miles to the south- seem more likely that the Rosiclare produc- east as they cross the pool area, correspond- tion in both wells is from a stratigraphic ing to a deficiency of approximately 50 feet. trap with a lithologic barrier rather than a Superposed on this reduced interval are the structural barrier separating it from the results of sedimentational variations in the main dome. Pennsylvanian formations which, however, structures of the other Mississip- The are much smaller than the thinning appar- pian formations are in general similar to ently due to structure. that of the Aux Vases, but in detail differ Although the regional dip of the upper slightly because of the lateral variations in Pennsylvanian strata is to the northeast, thickness of the individual formations. For transverse to the regional dip and roughly example, the subsidiary crest in sec. 33 is parallel to the regional strike of the more pronounced in structure maps con- Mississippian strata, the structure of the toured on the top of the basal Golconda Shoal Creek limestone in the upper part limestone because the Cypress sandstone of the Pennsylvanian of this area reflects

which underlies the Golconda is thicker quite well the structure of the Mis-

there than in other parts of the King field. sissippian formations in the King field (fig. 5), but the dips are much less, because of The King oil field structure is in align- the thinning of Pennsylvanian strata noted ment with and is probably part of the Car- in the preceding paragraph. The Shoal linville-Centralia anticline belt pointed out Creek limestone is easily identified in both by Workman and Payne. 6 Although the field sample study and electric logs, it is persist- is in this northwest-southeast belt of rela- ent and maintains a uniform thickness over tively thin Mississippian strata, the isopach a large area, it is less than 400 feet below map (fig. 7) indicates little, if any, local the surface throughout T. 3 S., R. 3 E., and thinning of the formations of the Chester the townships to the south and west, and it series the field. over The erratic variations is overlain only by shales and sandstones

in thickness which are indicated seem to be which are easily drilled; it should therefore located at random with respect to the struc- be a good key bed to use for shallow struc- tural features and to be a result of local tural testing in this area. stratigraphic variations chiefly in the Ches- There is both northeast-southwest and ter sand bodies. looked at broadly When northwest-southeast structural grain in this there may be a slight systematic displace- area. The Mississippian strata, dipping ment of the isopach lines to the southeast toward the southeast, have a northeast- over the pool indicating a thinning, but this southwest regional strike but lie in folds thinning is less than the variations caused whose major axes extend northwest- by sedimentational irregularities. southeast, with a resultant drapery-like

structural pattern. King field is apparently 6 Workman, L. E., Subsurface geology of the Chester series in Illinois; and Payne, J. Norman, Subsurface geol- situated on one of the northwest-southeast ogy of the Iowa (Lower Mississippian) series in Illinois: Illinois Geol. Survey Rept. Inv. No. 61, 1940. anticlinal trends, the Carlinville-Centralia 20 KING OIL FIELD

R. 3 E.

ILL/NOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAY I, 1946 LEGEND

\80 CONTOUR ONI TOP OF SHOAL CREEK; •ir7 PRODUCING OIL WELL; ELEVATION INTERVAL 10 FEET; DATUM OF SHOAL CREEK LIME ABOVE SEA-LEVEL SEA-LEVEL DRY HOLE ABANDONED OIL WELL SCALE

1/2 1 MILE

Fig. 5. —Structure of Shoal Creek limestone, King field. STRUCTURE 21

ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAY I, 1946 LEGEND

*~I5I0 ISOPACH; INTERVAL 10 FEET l MM PRODUCING OIL WELL; THICKNESS OF STRATA BETWEEN T0P 0F SH0AL CREEK f ABANDONED OIL WELL LIMESTONE AND BASE OF LOWER KINKAID <> DRY HOLE LIMESTONE.

SCALE

Fig. 6. —Isopach map of interval between top of Shoal Creek limestone in upper part of Pennsylvanian sys- tem and base of lower Kinkaid limestone at top of Mississippian system in King field. 22 KING OIL FIELD

R. 3 E.

ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAY I, 1946 LEGEND

"990 ISOPACH; INTERVAL 10 FEET PRODUCING OIL WELL; THICKNESS OF STRATA BETWEEN BASE OF LOWER KINKAID • ABANDONED OIL WELL LIMESTONE AND TOP OF STE. GENEVIEVE -<>- DRY HOLE LIMESTONE. SCALE

Fig. 7. —Isopach map of Chester series below the lower Kinkaid limestone in King field. OIL PRODUCING ZONES 23

belt, which fs paralleled at a short distance deformation in this area at the end of the to the west by a similar anticlinal belt on Mississippian period was a tilting to the which are situated the Irvington-Roaches- southeast, but at this time or during the Woodlawn group of pools, and at a consid- deposition of the older part of the Pennsyl- erable distance to the east by the LaSalle vanian sediments, the King field anticline anticlinal belt. was definitely formed as a structure of rel- The northeast-southwest grain is much atively low relief. This is indicated by the less well developed in this part of Jefferson decreased thickness of Pennsylvanian sedi- County. Although it should be most easily ments over the anticlinal area as shown in recognized on structural maps on Pennsyl- figure 5. However, the erosion of Chester vanian horizons whose regional strike is strata from the field area is not marked, northwest-southeast at approximately right although elsewhere in Illinois there was con- angles to it, there is some evidence that it siderable deformation and great thicknesses antedates Pennsylvanian deposition and thus of strata were removed by erosion at this is poorly indicated by Pennsylvanian hori- time. zons. It is suggested by the noses extend- At the close of the Pennsylvanian period ing into sees. 22 and 29, T. 3 S., R. 3 E., or later, the edges of the basin were again which may well indicate the position of a upwarped and the strata were folded and structural high of this trend crossing the subjected to erosion. It was probably at King field axis. In other parts of the Illi- this time that the strata in southwestern nois basin this trend is well delineated by Illinois were tilted to the northeast and the the group of major pools which lie along King field anticline received its greatest such axes as the Salem-Louden, Clay City, amount of folding, and was brought to its and Wabash River anticlinal belts, all ot present form. This tilting and folding which extend northeast-southwest. probably accompanied the pronounced up- warping of the southern end of the Illinois Structural History basin that shifted the deepest part of the basin from the region southeast of the King The Carlinville-Centralia anticlinal belt field where it had been throughout the to which the King pool seems related has 7 Mississippian and Pennsylvanian periods, to relatively thin Mississippian strata, and its present location in northwestern White must have existed before Mississippian County, almost due east of the King field. times. In the King area there was little or no erosion of the Lower Mississippian strata preceding Chester deposition, and the Oil Producing Zones Devonian system seems to be virtually com- There are at present four producing plete, so any appreciable pre-Chester folding zones in the King field : the Aux Vases sand- probably occurred before Devonian time. stone, the oolitic portion of the Levias lime- The northwest-southeast orientation of the stone, the Rosiclare sandstone, and the King field anticline and Carlinville-Centra- McClosky oolite of the Fredonia limestone lia anticlinal belt, along which the Missis- (fig. 3). On May 1, 1946, 27 of the 32 sippian strata are relatively thin, is trans- wells completed in the field were still pro- verse to both initial and present regional ducing, some of them from two or more strike of the Mississippian system, and may zones. The Aux Vases was productive in reflect the trend of some middle or early all but one of the wells, the Levias in 6, the Paleozoic or pre-Cambrian "high." Rosiclare in 2, and the McClosky in 2. Following the deposition of the Missis- The number of wells producing from some sippian system, the edges of the Illinois basin of the zones in the Ste. Genevieve formation were upwarped and the whole basin was may be greater than that reported here be- subjected to erosion. The chief structural cause of unreported work-overs and deepen-

7 the wells first completed. Workman, L. E., Op. cit. ; Payne, J. Norman, Op. cit. ings since were 24 KING OIL FIELD

Great variation in the productivity of sloping oil-water contact. This latter inter- each zone in different wells occurs because pretation has been followed on figure 8 of lateral variations in lithology and perme- where the top of the Aux Vases formation ability. The Aux Vases and Rosiclare in the area considered structurally high change from porous sandstone to dense enough for Aux Vases production ranges sandy limestone, and the Levias and from 2278 feet below sea-level at the south- eastern extremity to about 2250 feet McClosky change from porous to tight below sea-level at the north. limestone within the distances between wells. Lack of permeability has been responsible Potential Producing Zones for a large number of dry holes within the

boundaries of the field. Of the first 49 Oil shows occur in some wells in several tests drilled in the field, 17, or more than formations above the present producing one-third were dry holes, and the produc- zones. Shows have been noted in the upper- tion of several more was so small that they most body of Cypress sandstone, in the scarcely merit being called wells. "Benoist" sandstone, and in a thin sand- An attempt was made to ascertain the stone in the Renault formation. Some of

relationship, if any, between sand conditions the shows have been cored, but no tests of —especially porosity and permeability—and any of them have been reported. Probably structure, so that future development might none of them will prove to be of commercial be better directed. Unfortunately no con- value in the present area of the field, but clusions could be drawn from the data avail- any or all of them may be productive in the able. Core analyses are too few, and elec- area northwest of the field if that area is as tric logs do not afford accurate evaluation high structurally as it appears to be. of the properties in question for strata so There are a number of prospects for variable in composition as those in the Aux deeper production. Various tests drilled in Vases and Ste. Genevieve formations. The Jefferson County have found oil shows in best wells, having the most productive Aux the St. Louis, Salem, and Warsaw lime- Vases sand bodies, are located on the flanks stones, all in the Lower Mississippian, and rather than on the crest of the structure but in the Devonian limestone. In view of the there also are dry holes, due to poor sand production from the first three named in conditions, on the flanks of the structure other areas, any production from them here close to the good wells. probably would be less than 200 or 300 bar- The wells with the greatest initial pro- rels of oil per day. Any production from duction and the greatest accumulative pro- the Devonian likewise probably would not duction to date are located southeast of the be more than a few hundred barrels of oil structural crests. Production occurs much per day, for the prolific Devonian pay of lower at the southeastern edge of the field the Salem and Centralia oil fields appar- where wells which produce oil from the ently is not present in this area. Aux Vases are at least 20 feet structurally In the one test in the King field, the lower than wells containing water in the Nash Redwine, Prudential Insurance Co.

Aux Vases at the northwestern edge of the No. 1, in the SW. J, SE. J, SW. J, sec. 27, Held. The occurrence of oil at structurally T. 3 S., R. 3 E., that was drilled through

lower positions to the southeast is probably- the Mississippian system and into the Devo- due to the relatively impermeable shale and nian, no oil shows were reported below the sandy limestone belts of Aux Vases which Ste. Genevieve, and the test was abandoned. separate the permeable productive areas. It does not, however, condemn the Lower Thus, the field as a whole can be thought of Mississippian and Devonian possibilities of as a number of separate Aux Vases pools the whole field for it was located on the with the oil-water contact being considera- flank of the structure. bly lower in the more southeasterly of them, There are a number of potential produc- or the field can be considered as having a ing zones in deeper strata—in the lower part POTENTIAL PRODUCING ZONES 25

ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY LEGEND AREA OF KING FIELD, APPARENTLY • PRODUCING WELL STRUCTURALLY HIGH ENOUGH + ABANDONED OIL WELL FOR AUX VASES PRODUCTION -4- DRY HOLE ADJACENT AREAS THAT APPEAR FAVORABLE FOR OIL PRODUCTION

SCALE

1/2 I MILE

Fig. 8. —Areas apparently structurally favorable for oil production in region of the King oil field. 26 KING OIL FIELD of the Devonian and in the Silurian, Ordo- McClosky production may be obtained at a vician, and Cambrian systems—that never number of additional locations on the higher

have been tested in the King field or in part of the structure if permeable zones are Jefferson County. There remain perhaps present. Any test that proves to be dry in as much as 10,000 feet of sedimentary strata the Aux Vases certainly should be drilled that have some possibility of containing oil. deep enough to thoroughly test the Ste. If the northwest-southeast Carlinville- Genevieve, spacing regulations permitting. Centralia anticlinal belt, of which the King Some wells have been completed in both to be a part, does field anticline seems Aux Vases and Ste. Genevieve formations; suggested in the reflect deep structure, as other wells producing only from the Aux of structure, conditions would be discussion Vases might be deepened and converted into distinctly favorable for the occurrence of oil multi-zone wells with resultant increases in in deep-lying strata. the production.

in Prospects for Additional Wells Possibilities for Extension Present Producing Zones to King Field

There is an area of approximately 2100 Four areas adjacent to the King field acres on the King field structure that appears appear to have possibilities for oil produc- structurally high enough for production tion. The largest of these is the saddle from the Aux Vases sandstone (fig. 8). As extending from the northern part of the noted in the discussion on producing zones, King field in sec. 21 through the corners of this area is bounded by approximately the sees. 20 and 16 and S. of sec. 17 to the -2278 contour on the top of the Aux Vases J southern pool of Mt. Vernon field in sec. formation at the southern end of the field 18 (fig. 8). It is at least possible that and the -2250 contour on the north. Some point within 47 tests have been drilled within or at the there may be a closure at some borders of this area. Of these 31 were com- this area which, according to our present pleted as wells in the Aux Vases sandstone knowledge, appears structurally high. and have proved that approximately 650 of Should there be any considerable amount

the 2100 acres are underlain by more or of structural closure in this area it is possi-

less permeable sand. The 16 dry holes ble that Cypress and "Benoist," as well as have directly condemned about 450 acres, Aux Vases and Ste. Genevieve production leaving approximately 1,000 acres in which might be developed. Aux Vases production might be found if The features in sees. 29 and 22 that have permeable sandstones are present. been interpreted as spurs from the main

If the present ratio of productive to non- structure (see fig. 4) may instead be sepa- productive acreage should hold, only about rate structures such as small domes or anti- 60 percent of the undrilled area would be clines. If the latter should be the case in productive and less than half could support either area, further production might well wells that would pay for themselves. be expected. No reliable estimate of the potential pro- The regional dip of the Mississippian for- ducing acreage of the Ste. Genevieve for- mations to the southeast has seemingly

mation can be made but it seems evident caused the greatest amount of migration that the productive area will be less than into the King pool area from this direction. that of the Aux Vases sandstone. The posi- As any such migration would be channeled

tion of the oil-water contact in each zone of along the nose upon which King field is

the Ste. Genevieve varies a great deal from located, it would be expected that the area

place to place in the King field, probably of this nose in sees. 2 and 3, T. 4 S., R. 3 because of the lenticular nature of the pro- E., would be favorable places for oil accu- ducing zones. It does seem that Levias and mulation, both in small closures and in POTENTIAL PRODUCING ZONES 27 stratigraphic or lithologic traps. The Rosi- appears to be trapped stratigraphically and clare sandstone production in the Seaboard further examples may be discovered by

Oil Company, Eldridge Community No. 1 future exploration in the western part of and in the Strickland, J. E. Adams No. 1 sec. 2 and in sec. 3, T. 4 S., R. 3 E.

Illinois State Geological Survey-

Report of Investigations No. 119 1946