424 OIL AND GAS FIELDS IN THE CRETACEOUS BEDS OF ALABAMA
Possible Oil and Gas Fields in the Cretaceous Beds of Alabama
BY DORSEY HAGER, * TULf\A, OKI,A.
(New York Meeting, February, 1918) Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 THE possibility of oil and gas production in Alabama has been little considered as yet. Gas and some oil have been found in northwestern Alabama, near Birmingham, in the Pennsylvanian beds, but the oil and gas possibilities in the Cretaceous beds are not generally appreciated. The recent activity of oil companies in that State has attracted much attention, and in this paper the main structural and the general strati graphic features are described. :Four favorable areas are outlined. These contain folds of major interest. 'there are other favorable areas which have not been mapped,l Commercial pools discovered in this area would have the advantage of being near tidewater. Mobile, Ala., on the Gulf of Mexico, would be the logical site for refineries and shipping facilities. A pipe line could readily be laid to that city from the Hatchitigbee and the Jackson areas. The logical outlet for the Geneva and the Gordon areas would be Panama City, ma., on the Gulf of Mexico.
TOPOGRAPHY
The whole of the area under consideration lies in the Gulf coastal· plain and slopes gently to the southwest and west. The elevations vary from 200 to 400 ft. (60 to 121 m.) above sea level. The streams have . sunk their channels into this gently sloping plain, the main drainage flowing south or southwest into tho Gulf of Mexico. Between the
* Petroleum Geologist and Engineer, 1 The writer owes acknowledgments to: Eugene Smith, of the Geological Survey of Alabama, who described the Hatchetig. bee anticline in Water Resources of Alabama, whose general r~sum6 on the stratigmphy of Alabama has been used extensively. Lloyd William Stephenson, whose Professional Paper 81, U. S. Geological Survey, "Cretaceous Deposits of the Eastern Gulf Region," has been freely used for his descriptions and correlations. Lee Hager, of Houston, Tex., who first called the writer's attention to the Hatchi· tigbee anticline, and mapped the fold 10 years ago. Wm. C. Spooner and J. R. Jillson, geologists in the employ of the firm of which the writer is a member, who made the reconnaissance surveys of the Jackson, Geneva, and Gordon folds. Field work was commenced in June, 1916, and eompleted in July, 1917. DORSEY HAGER 425
streams are found remnants of.this plain, constituting the hills of the area. The relief varies from a few feet up to 150 ft. in certain parts. The country is generally covered by timber.
STRATIGRAPHY The thickness in the generalized sections presented must be considered largely as estimates, especially the thicknesses of the underlying Cre taceous beds, as no wells have been drilled deep enough to give good type sections. The Cretaceous sections mentioned were secured at the outcrop Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 nnd in water wells at shallow depths. }Lway from the old shoreline of the Cretaceous, it is very likely that the beds thicken southward. The comparative relations in Table 3 show the general correlation of the Louisiana and the Alabama formations.
TABLE L-Generalized Geologic Section of We8tern Alabama ThiCk-I' Geologic Age··1 Group I Format'ion Name I ness, Character I Ft.
Pliocene I I Lafayette 25 Gravel, sands, clays Pleistocene
1-----1 ------, Lower Miocene I I Grand Gulf 50 I Soft sandstones and ,clays
~,:wer Oligocene -----1 St. Stephens lime- -300 II Unusually soft limestone, . stone. easily cut with saw ------Claiborne /Gosport greensand 30 I Glauconitic sandS, . Lisbon ·U5 Calcareous clays and sandy clay . I Tallahatta buhr- 400 I Aluminous sandstones and stone siliceous clays ------1- I Hatchetigbee 175 Sandy clays and cross- bedded sands Chickasaw Bashi 80 Sands and clays. Fossil- Eocene I (Wilcox) iferous green sand Tuscahoma 140 Gray and yellow cross- I. bedded sands _ _~~~~~~lia ___ 200 Siliceous clays _____
Naheola 150 Gray sandy clays. Glau- 1 conitic clays Midway Sucarnochee clay 100 I Dark-brown clay ------Clayton --I50 I Impure limestone I Ripley 300 Calcareous and siliceous sands
Splma chalk 1 Upper 950 Argillaceous limestones Eutaw sands 500 Glauconitic sands, cross Cretaceous bedded
Tuscaloosa 1 1,000 I Irregular bedded sands, I clays, and gravels . 426 OIL AND. GAS FIELDS IN THE CRETACEOUS BEDS OF ALABAMA
TABLE 2.-Generalized Geologic Section oj Eastern Alabama
ThiOk-1 ___GeOIO_gi_O A_g_e_-7-- _____--'I,----F_o_r_m,"t!on Name I' nF~~' Character
Pliocene i Lafay-~t:--- I }50 II River terrace sands and Pleistocene ____1 ______1' ___ gravels ____~_ Lower Miocene 'iGrand Gulf 50 Argillaceous Aluminous fine white sands, clays ------1 Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 Lower Oligocene St. Stephens II 90 \Siliccous limestone and gray-
1 ,1---' blue sands _ ------i-C-la-I·-b-o-rn-e--I , LisbonGosport greensand 1 } 150 Gl aUCOlll't' IC san d s TaUahatta buhr-I 200, Calcareous sandstones, f08- stone 'sil.iferous
Eocene i i Hatchetigbee I ~ Limestones and clays Chickasaw i Bashi I 80 Sands and clays 1 (Wilcox) Tuscahoma 175 Gray and yellow sandstones I Nanafalia ~,~,JSandY clays, fossiliferous IMidway Clayton i 200 i Limestones, fossiliferous ------1------Ripley kooo I-BlUe_gray calcareous sands and yellow calcareous hard 1 l sandstones Eutaw I 150 Yellow green sands, clays, Upper I I cap of phosphatic calcare Cretaceous ous sand and rotten lime I stone Tuscaloosa: 150 Purple, gray, red laminated clay, ¥ariegated colored sands, chert pebbles II I TABLE a.-Comparative Geologic Section
Geologic Age I Alabama Louisiana· ------Calibome groUp ...... " .. \ Claiborne group Eocene Wilcox group ...... 1 Wilcox formation Midway group ...... Midway formation
. . { Arkadelphia clay Ripley formatIOn...... Nacotoch sand (gas sand) ------,-_._------Marlbrook marl Upper Cretaceous Selma chalk...... "1 Ann,ona chalk IBrownstown marl Eutaw formation .....•....•. Eagle Ford clay Tuscaloosa formation ...... , Woodbine forma.tion (Caddo oil horizon) DORSEY HAGER 427
A study of the Tertiary formations from Louisiana to Alabama shows that these formations preserve their main characteristics, though pre senting many variations in thickness. The Cretaceous, on the pther hand, sho:ws numerous changes in the character of the formation. J Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 GEOtOGIO S~ETGH MAP of ALABAMA
Showing pro&pecl"ive area~ favorable for. oil aod gas accumutatlon.
Legend. ~ v ~t~ Stewns L.ime~!g~ !l QIJ Jj Glaibor" { GO Gh
, The larger portion of the area is unconformably overlain by the Grand Gulf formation, and all of the area by the Lafayette formation, of post-Tertiary age. These formations consist of thin-bedded and massive clays of varying colors, interstratified with sands, the latter in many places indurated or hardened to form sandstones. The St. Stephens limestone constitutes the uppermost member of the Eocene in 428 OIL AND GAS FIELDS IN THE CRETACEOUS BEDS OF ALABAMA this area, and is the equivalent, in part, of the Vicksburg and, in part, of the Jackson limestone in Mississippi. In Alabama, it is difficult to differentiate these two formations. The limestones show many varia tions, being in some cases hard, almost crystalline, and of a variety of colors. Commonly the rock is soft, easily cut with an ax or saw, and is popularly known as "chimney rock." This formation has a thickness of between 200 and 300 ft. (60 and 91 m.), and is fossiliferous at certain horizons. Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 The Gosport greensand is a highly glauconitic sand, about 30 ft. (9 m.) in thickness, and is characteristic in this area. This sand abounds in characteristic fossils and is a reliable horizon marker all the way across the State. The Lisbon formation comes below the Gosport sand and has a thickness of about 115 ft. (35 m.), consisting of calcareous clayey sands and sandy clays, generally fossiliferous. In the western part of the. State, the most prominent rocks of the Tallahatta buhrstone forma tion are argillaceous sandstones and siliceous claystones, always poor in fossils. To the east, the clays decrease and the rocks become calcareous and richer in fossils. This formation varies from 400 ft. thick in the western part of the State to 200 ft. in the eastern part. All these forma tions belong to the Claiborne group of the Eocene. The Wilcox group is made up of Hatchetigbee, Bashi, Tuscahoma, and Nanafalia formations. The Hatchetigbee is the uppermost formation of the group and consists of about 175 ft. (53 m.) of brown, purple, and gray laminated sandy clay and cross-bedded sands, abounding in fossils. This formation extends to the east and maintains its characteristics. The Bashi formation, about 80 ft. (24 m.) thick, is composed of sands and clays. It is distinguished by a bed of highly fossiliferous greensand, with associated beds of lignite immediately below it. The Tuscahoma forma tion, about 140 ft. (42 m.) thick, consists mainly of gray and yellow cross bedded sands and sandy clays, generally poor in fossils. The Nanafalia formation is 200 ft. (60 m.) thick. The beds of this formation are gen erally sandy but contain a great number of Gryphea thirsae. To the east, siliceous clay beds are indurated into rock closely resembling the Talla hatta buhrstone. At the base of this formation there is a bed of lignite 5 to 7 ft. (1.5 to 2.2 m.) thick, which is continuous for a long distance across the State to the east. The Wilcox group comprises the Naheola" the Sucarnochee clay, and the Clayton limestone. The N aheola formation consists of about 150 ft. (45 m.) of gray sandy clays, with some beds of dark sandy glauconitic clay, containing marine fossils near the base. This formation is not found along the Chattahoochee River, which is on the Alabama-Georgia line. The Sucarnochee clay formation consists of a series of dark brown clays at least 100 ft. (30 m.) in thickness. This formation is sparingly fossiliferous in a few localities. The clays become more calcareo~s to the DORSEY HAGER 429 east. The Clayton limestone is at the base of the Tertiary and is found as a.thinimpure limestone in western Alabama; it is well developed along the Chattahoochee River. This formation has a thickness varying from 50 to 200 ft. (15 to 60 m.) of alternating calcareous sands and limestones. Below the Clayton limestone of the Eocene is found the Ripley forma tion, belonging to the Cretaceous. This has a thickness of 250 to 300 ft. (76 to 91 m.) and is mainly sandy, but contains a considerable proportion of limestone and calcareous sands. This formation is the equivalent Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 of the Arkadelphia clay and N acotoch sand in northwestern Louisiana. The Selma chalk, about 950 ft. (289 m.) thick, comes below the Ripley formation, and consists mainly of more or less argillaceous and sandy limestones, rendered chalky by the large content of foraminiferal remains, . with interbedded layers of nearly pure limestone. This formation is represented in northwestern Louisiana by the Marlbrook marl, Annona chalk, and Brownstown marl. The Eutaw sand is made up mainly of more or less glauconitic sands, massive to cross-bedded, with an estimated thickness of about 1000 ft. (304 m.). The Tuscaloosa is an equivalent of the Woodbine horizon in the Caddo field of northwestern Louisiana, where it is a pro lific producer of oil. It appears in the section of western Alabama and is given in the section for eastern Alabama,although it may be absent under the Gordon fold. GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE The normal or regional dip of the strata, where undisturbed by fold~ ing, is 30 to 40 ft. (9 to 12 m.) to the south.- Due to folding in the area here discussed, the dips vary from nearly horizontal to 150ft. (45 m.) to the mile. The main structural features described are the Hatchetigbee, the Jackson, the Geneva, and the Gordon anticlines (see No.1, No.2, '. No.3, and No.4 on the accompanying map). These folds belong to the true anticlinal dome type· of north Texas .and Louisiana, and not the saline dome type so commonly found in the Gulf Coast area of Texas and -Louisiana. The Hatchetigbee anticline is an elongated fold running in a general northwest and southeast direction through portions of Choctaw, Clarke and Washington Counties, and is about 20 miles (32 kill.) long and 4 ;to 5 miles wide. Along the axis of the Hatchetigbee anticline, the formation of the same name is foundoutctopping. This formation is about 550 ft. (167 m.) lower stratigraphically than the St. Stephens limestone, which outcrops on all sides of the fold. From this fact, we may draw the conclusion that the reversal is not much less than 500 ft. Thepitch of the strata away from the axis of the anticline ranges from lb to nearly 430 OIL AND GAS FIELDS IN THE CRETACEOUS BEDS OF ALAIlAMA 2°. The Jackson anticline is in all probability a part of the same fold as the Hatchetigbee anticline. Along the axis of the Jackson anticline, rocks belonging to the Claiborne group are exposed at the surface and the reversal is not much less than that of the Hatchetigbee anticline, from which it is separated by a saddl!') or low place (see accompanying map) along the fold. Proceeding east, no marked folding is noted until Geneva County is reached. In an area near Geneva (see No. 3 on map), coveringDownloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 possibly 20 sq. miles or more along the Pea and the Choctawhatchee Rivers, the Claiborne rocks are again exposed at the surface with the St. Stephens limestone surrounding them. The reversal on this fold· would not be less than 100 ft., and probably considerably more than this. In this area the exposures are very limited, due to the covering of the Grand Gulf and Lafayette formations. It is probable that a more detailed reconnaissance will disclose similar folds in the area between the Jackso~ and the Geneva folds. Near Gordon, and east of Geneva, Ala., ari anticline was discovered (see No.4 on map). This fold extends across the Alabama line into Georgia. It has a measured reversal of 40 ft. (12 m.), and covers some 10 sq. miles (25.9 sq. km.). In all probability the reversal is no greater than measured. As would be expected from the size of the folding, there has been some faulting, but it is doubtful that there has been enough to affect the accumu lation of oil and gas in this-area. The magnitude of these folds is such that in the writer's opinion it is doubtful (if we take for granted the presence of oil) that aU of the area embraced in these folds will be pro ductive, but rather that cross-folding and minor anticlines and domes superimposed on the main folds will control the accumulation. PROSPECTIVE OIL AND GAS HomzONS There is a possibility that the Ripley formation may produce either gas or oil, or both, in commercial quantities. There is a chance to obtain oil or gas in the Tombigbee sand at the top of the Eutaw formation. This sand is 150 to 200 ft. thick and forms a good porous medium. The Tuscaloosa formation, at the same horizon as the Woodbine sand in the Caddo field in Louisiana, is also expected to be an oil-producing horizon of this area. A well now drilling on the Hatchetigbee anticline is reported to have had showings of gas at 750 and 1500 ft. and oil at 2250 ft. The 750 gas horizon is probably in the Ripley formation, and thc 1500 horizon is somewhere in the Selma chalk. The 2250 depth is below the Selma chalk and probably in the Eutaw sands. A few other wells drill~d for artesian water have reached varying depths, ,.but none have penetrated to the deeper Cretaceous beds. DISCUSSION 431 POSSIBILITIES OF OIL IN OTHER HORIZONS In western Alabama the underlying Carboniferous beds should be reached at a depth around 4000 ft. on the Hatchetigbee fold. At the out crop, the Lower Cretaceous beds are absent, and the Tuscaloosa beds lie unconformably upon the Paleozoic. The Carboniferous of western Ala bama shows evidence of oil and gas, so it is not unlikely that oil might be found at the contact between the Cretaceous and Carboniferous, or in Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 horizons below. . Some question of the possibilities of oil and gas may be raised on the grounds that the outcropping beds show no positive evidence of being petrolifero us in character. That in itself, however, has little meaning. In Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, no positive oil or gas seepages occur near the outcropping beds of many of the producing fields. On such negative evidence, those fields would have been thrown out. The outstanding facts which must be considered are these: the sedimentary beds are of undoubted marine origin, and ~on tain an abundant fossil fauna and flora, which are important if one ac cepts the organic theory. Important evidence is the finding of oil and gas in the Hatchitigbee anticline. SUMMARY 1. At least four anticlinal folds of considerable magnitude have been found in Alabama. 2. The stratigraphic features of Alabama resemble those of Louisiana. 3. The Ripley, Eutaw, and Tuscaloosa formations in Alabama possess possibilities of commercial petroleum deposits within range of the drill. 4. A well now drilling on the Hatchetigbee anticline has encountered gas at 750, and 1500 ft., and oil at 2250 ft. 5. The four prospective pools mentioned are close to tide water and good ports. DISCUSSION E. DEGOLYER, New York, N. Y. (written discussion*).-Since the eastern part of the Gulf Coastal Plain is receiving considerable attention from various operators at the present time, it occurs to me that a brief review of most recent operations may be of interest in this connection, as well as a discussion of some of the points suggested by Mr. Hager. During the latter part of January, 1918, the Alahoma Oil Co. com.,. pleted and abandoned a 3400-ft. (1036-m.) dry hole in Section 25, Town ship 8 North, Range 1 West. This well was drilled near theaxis of the * Received Feb. 23, 1918. 432 OIL AND GAS FIELDS IN THE CRETACEOUS BEDS OF ALABAMA Hatchetigbee Anticline, a short distance northwest of Salitpa and started in the Hatchetigbee beds, the equivalent of the upper Wilcox formation in this region. The well was drilled with rotary tools. I am indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Landes of the Pennsylvania Oil Co. for a detailed copy of the driller's log. The log, in its present condition, cannot be correlated alto gether with the geologic section, the only reported formation which can be recognized with any degree of certainty being some 950 ft. (289 m.)Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 of hard, white, chalk rock which was passed through between depths of 1700 and 2650 ft. (518 and 807 m.). This formation is evidently the Selma chalk, including probably the Ripley, as suggested by Mr. Hopkins. The well was apparently drilling in the Tuscaloosa beds of the upper Cretaceous when abandoned. The log reported gas at depths of 700 to 707 ft. (213 to 215 m.), 750 to 756 ft., a showing of oil and gas in the Selma chalk between the depths of 2120 and 2170 ft. (646 and 661 m.) and salt water in a white sand just below the Selma chalk at depths of 2650 to 2660 ft. There seems to he a general impression among those who watched the development that the oil show might have been of some importance in this well, and that it may be of considerable importance at other places on the anticline. It is doubtful whether it was of any great importance in the well in ques tion, for though the well was not bailed dry when this show was encount ered, the first attempt to drill a hole resulted in failure at a depth of some 2200 ft. (670 m.), while after the rig was moved a few feet, the well which was finally completed was drilled. The oil show was passed through by both wells. It is of some interest geologically to note that the section from the Hatchetigbee beds to the Selma chalk is apparently somewhat thicker than as suggested by either Hopkins' or Hager. If one accepts the maxi mum thicknesses of the various formations from the Hatchetigbee to the Ripley as given by Hopkins, including both formations, he gets a total thickness of 1450 ft. (442 m.), and as given by Hager, he gets a thickness of 1195 ft. (364m.). The well which evidently started below the top of the Hatchetigbee shows a thickness of 1700 ft. (578 m.) to the top of the hard white chalk, which probably not only includes the Selma in this area but also the Ripley, as noted by Hopkins. The remainder of the log is kept in ·terms of gumbo, shale, shells, rock, etc., and presents nothing of particular interest except several com paratively thin beds of "black rock" which may be either lignites or carbonaceous shales. At the present time, an important test is being drilled on the axis of 1 Oliver B. Hopkins: Oil and Gas Possibilities of the Hatchetigbee Anticline, Ala- hama. U. S. GeolorJ.ical S1trvey Bulletin 661-H (1917). . DISCUSSION 433 the anticline near the point where it crosses the Tombigbee River, by Messrs; Keoughan and Hurst. This well was reported on Feb. 14 as having a depth of 200 ft. (60 m.) and drilling. I believe it is the present plan to drill this well to a depth of about 1600 ft. (487 m.) with rotary tools and then complete a very deep test with cable tools. Such an operation should give a first rate test of the territory. The Empire Gas and Fuel Co. is reported tp have a rig up in the south west quarter of Section 13, Township 9 North, Range 3 West. This well, Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 which will be drilled with rotary tools also, lies near the axis of the anti cline in its northwestern extension and at a distance of about 10 miles from the Keoughan and Hurst well just mentioned. It is reported that Messrs. B()ykin and Landes will drill a well on the Jackson anticline in Section 34, Township 6 North, Range 2 East. Operation in this region is, of course, the veriest sort of wild-cat drill ing and the odds against the successful outcome of such ventures are always large, but the local and regional geology are both very favorable and the structures are certainly worthy of a complete test. The general regional dip of the rocks is gently toward the Gulf, consequently there is a broad possible collection area; the sedimentary rocks include a number of beds porous enough to provide good reservoirs and beds impervious enough to form good cap rocks; water is present in quantities great enough to assist in the migration of oil and the local structures are en- . tirely favorable to its accumulation. Mr. Hager suggests that it is doubtful whether all of the area embraced in the folds would be productive (if we take for granted the presence of oil) and that cross folding, minor anticlines, etc., will probably con trol the accumulation. I am of the opinion that the major structures are sufficient to control the accumulation and that the actual deposits, if such occur, will probably be controlled more by the varying lithologic conditions of certain beds, especially their variations in porosity. I would further suggest that the operations now being carried on and proposed should give the crest of the anticline a fairly good test and that further exploratory wells on the Hatchetigbee anticline particularly 'should be drilled on the south flank of the fold. Certain theoretical considerations would seem to make exploration in in this part of the Coastal Plain very attractive. I believe that the theory is genBrally accepted that oil has originated in sedimentary rocks over fairly wide areas. Whatever the origin, oil is known to occur widely in a more or less disseminated condition in the sedimentary rocks and it is the secondary occurrences or accumulations of oil which are of commercial importance. Conditions of sedimentation have not varied so widely in the part of the Gulf Coastal Plain lying between the Mississippi River and Florida as to make it unlikely that the same oil-forming agencies h'ave been operative in this sector as in the remainder of the perimeter of the VOL. LIX~-2S. 434 OIL AND GAS FIELDS IN THE CRE'fACEOUS BEDS OF ALABAMA Gulf of Mexico. The factors controlling migration are apparently as favorable as they are at the other points around the perimeter where large oil deposits have been found. The sedimentary rocks dip gen erally Gulfward around its entire perimeter, and oil fields or considerable indications of oil have been found throughout most of its extent, includ ing Cuba, Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana, except in the sector under dis cussion and in Florida. It is of further interest to note that gas in small quantities has beenDownloaded from http://onepetro.org/TRANS/article-pdf/59/01/424/2176944/spe-918424-g.pdf by guest on 01 October 2021 encountered in wells drilled in the vicinity of Mobile. These wells start much higher stratigraphically than the Hatchetigbee formation, however, and are not believed to have reached that formation. . Mr. Hager has not mentioned the Lower Peach Tree structure which has been described at various times by Smith. 2 This structure consists of a fold faulted on the north side and of an extent almost equal to that of the Hatchetigbee Anticline. It lies more or less parallel to the Hatchetigbee fold and at a distance of some 25 miles (40 km.) northeast of it. 1. N. KNAPP, Philadelphia, Pa. (written discussion*).-The Niles National Register, of Aug. 14, 1841, gives an account of finding oil in Alabama in an operation for the removal of the McGrew shoals on the Tombigbee River. This account says: "A quantity has been collected, and upon application of fire, it is found to burn equal to the present sperm oil. " Mr. Hager mentions gas and some oil as being found near Birming ham, Ala., in the Pennsylvanian beds. I think this mention should have also included the gas found in Fayette County (see Bulletin 10, Geologi cal Survey of Alabama). Here several sands occur in the same series of rocks, containing gas in commercial quantity. Showings of oil are also found, enough to be seen on the drill stem and in the bailer, but not enough for a paying production. "Fossil resin" is reported as occurring at the top of the Cretaceous or bottom of the Tertiary in numerous places, according to the geological survey of Alabama made in 1894 by Dr. Smith. As the analysis shows this substance to be very low in ash (0.15 per cent.) with about 60 per. cent. volatile matter, and 40 per cent. fixed carbon, it seems to me this might possibly indicate an oil showing. I have visited Southern Ala '.::lama several times and searched for, and found, this "fossil resin," but found nothing that indicated an oil seep. I have seen the Bladen (or Cullom) Springs well, all the old wells around Jackson, and the gas seeps ofthe old salt wells; also the gas well at Mobile, which originally gave over 100,000 cu. ft. of gas per day. : Eugene A. Smith: Concerning Oil and Gas in Alabama. Geological Survey oj Alabama, Circular No.3 (1917). * Received Mar. 1, 1918.