STATE OF ILLINOIS ADLAI E. STEVENSON, 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. 139 DEEP DRILLING AND DEEPER OIL POSSIBILITIES IN ILLINOIS BY L. E. WORKMAN and ALFRED H. BELL Reprinted from Bulletin American Association of Petroleum Geologists Vol. 32, No. 11, Pages 2041-2062, 1948 printed by authority of the STATE OF ILLINOIS URBANA, ILLINOIS 1949 ORGANIZATION STATE OF ILLINOIS HON. ADLAI E. STEVENSON, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION HON. FRANK G. THOMPSON, Director BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION HON. FRANK G. THOMPSON, Chairman W. H. NEWHOUSE, Ph.D., Geology ROGER ADAMS, Ph.D., D.Sc, Chemistry LOUIS R. HOWSON, C.E., Engineering A. E. EMERSON, Ph.D., Biology LEWIS H. TIFFANY, Ph.D., 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, Ph.D., Chief 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 Vei da A. Millard, Junior Asst. to the Chief Elizabeth Stephens, B.S., Geological Assistant Helen E. McMorr'is, Secretary to the Chief Elizabeth Wray, A. A., Technical Assistant Berenice Reed, Supervisory Technical Assistant Norma J. Parge, A.B., Technical Assistant GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES GEOCHEMISTRY Arthur Bevan, Ph.D., D.Sc, Principal Geologost Frank H. Reed, Ph.D., Chief Chemist Grace C. Johnson, B.S., Research Assistant Coal Geologist and Head Coal G. H. Cad' , Ph.D., Senior Engineer R. J. Helfinstine, M.S., Mech. Robert M. Kosanke, M.A., Assoc. Geologist G. R. Yohe, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Ruth C. Wildman, M.S., Assistant John A. Harrison, M.S., Asst. Geologost Chemist F. Loranger, B.A., Assistant Tack A. Simon, M.S., Asst. Geologist Wm. Research "Raymond SlEVER, M.S., Asst. Geologist Mary E. Barnes, M.S., Asst. Geologist Industrial Minerals Margaret Parker, B.S., Asst. Geologist Kenneth Clegg, Technical Assistant J. S. Machin, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Tin Boo Yee, M.S., Assistant Chemist Oil and Gas Paulene Ek.man, B.A., Research Assistant A H. Bell, Ph.D.. Geologist and Head Fluorspar Frederick Squires, A.B., B.S., Petroleum Engineer Swann, Ph.D., Geologist David H. Cm. C. Finger, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Assoc. Geologist Virginia Kline, Ph.D., Horst G. Schneider, B.S., Special Asst. Chemist Asst. Geologist Wayne F. Meents, William Frederick Buth, B.S., Special Research Geologist Richard J. Cassin, B.S., Asst. Assistant Research Assistant Lester W. Clutter, B.S., Richard Blough, B.A., Research Assistant Research Assistant Nancy McDurmitt, B.S., James L. Finnerty, B.S., Special Research Assistant Minerals Industrial Chemical Engineering Head J. E. Lamar, B.S., Geologist and Robert M. Grogan, Ph.D., Geologist H. W. Tackman, M.S.E., Chemical Engineer and Raymond S. Shrode, B.S., Asst. Geologist Head P. W. Henli.ne, M.S., Chemical Engineer Clay Resources and Clay Mineral Technology B. J. Greenwood, B.S., Mechanical Engineer James C. McCullough, Research Associate Ralph E. Grim, Ph.D., Petrographer and Head William A. White, M.S., Associate Geologist Herbert D. Glass, M.A., Associate Geologist X-ray and Spectrography Groundwater Geology and Geophysical W. F. Bradley, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Exploration Analytical Chemistry Carl A. Bays, Ph.D., Geologist and Engineer, and Head O. W. Rees, Ph.D., Chemist and Head Robert R. Storm, A.B., Assoc. Geologist L. D. McVicker, B.S., Chemist Merlyn B. Buhle, M.S., Assoc. Geologist Howard S. Clark, A.B., Assoc. Chemist M. W. Pullen, Jr., M.S., Assoc. Geologist Emile D. Pierron, M.S., Assistant Chemist John W. Foster, B.A., Assistant Geologist Elizabeth Bartz, A.B., Research Assistant Richard F. Fisher, M.S., Asst. Geologist Gloria J. Gilkey, B.S., Research Assistant Margaret J. Castle, Asst. Geologic Draftsman Donald Russell Hill, B.S., Research Assistant Robert Knodle, B.S., Research Assistant Ruth E. Koski, B.S., Research Assistant Annabelle G. Elliott, B.S., Technical Assistant Engineering Geology and Topographic Mapping MINERAL ECONOMICS George E. Ekblaw, Ph.D., Geologist and Head Areal Geology and Paleontology W. H. Voskuil, Ph.D., Mineral Economist W. L. Busch, Research Associate H. B. Willman, Ph.D., Geologist and Head Nina Hamrick, A.M., Assistant Mineral Economist Heinz A. Lowenstam, Ph.D., Geologist (on leave) Ethel M. King, Research Assistant J. S. Templeton, Ph.D., Geologist EDUCATIONAL EXTENSION Subsurface Geology Gilbert Raasch, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist in L. E. Workman, M.S.. Geologist and Head O. charge Elwood Atherton, Ph.D., Assoc. Geologist Dorothy Ranney, B.S., Technical Assistant Paul Herbert, Jr., B.S., Assoc. Geologist Donald Saxby, M.S., Asst. Geologist Robert C McDonald, B.S., Research Assistant LIBRARY Lois Titus, B.S., Research Assistant Anne E. Kovanda, B.S., B.L.S., Librarian Physics Ruby D. Prison, Technical Assistant R. J. Piersol, Ph.D., Physicist Emeritus PUBLICATIONS Mineral Resource Records Dorothy E. Rose, B.S., Technical Editor Vivian Gordon, Head M. Elizabeth Staaks, B.S., Assistant Editor Harriet C. Daniels, B.A., Technical Assistant Meredith M. Calkins, Geologic Draftsman Gore, Dorothy B.S., Technical Assistant Ardis D. Pye, Asst. Geologic Draftsman Dorothy A. Foutch, Technical Assistant Wayne W. Nofftz, Technical Assistant Zora M. Kaminsky, B.E., Technical Assistant Leslie D. Yaugiian, Associate Photographer Elene Roberts, Technical Assistant Beulah M. Uneer, Technical Assistant Consultants: Geology, George W. White, Ph.D., University of Illinois; Ceramics, Ralph K. Hursi B.S., Lniversity of Illinois; Mechanical Engineering, Seichi Konzo, M.S., University of Illinois. Topographic Mapping in Cooperation with the United States Geological Survey. October 1, 1948 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/deepdrillingdeep139work BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS VOL. 32. NO. 11 (NOVEMBER. 1948). PP. 2041-2062. 14 FIGS. DEEP DRILLING AND DEEPER OIL POSSIBILITIES IN ILLINOIS 1 L. E. WORKMAN 2 and ALFRED H. BELL Urbana, Illinois ABSTRACT During the 4 years, 1944 to 1947, sixteen oil test wells were drilled in Illinois to the St. Peter sandstone, of which thirteen penetrated to various formations below the St. Peter, two reaching the basement rocks. Isopach maps of various formations between the St. Peter sandstone and the basement rocks, supplemented with cross sections, show the influence of the Ozark and Wisconsin positive structural areas. Notable variations in the stratigraphic sequence are the disappearance of the Galesville sand- stone and the introduction of an oolitic limestone in the Cambrian strata in central Illinois. Maps show the structure of the Illinois basin on the top of the St. Peter sandstone and the general configuration of the basement surface so far as known. Isocons on the St. Peter map show the total mineral content of water in the St. Peter sandstone. Some of the geological factors that should be considered in prospecting for oil in these deep strata are discussed. The geological situation with regard to the possibilities of obtaining oil by deeper drilling in Illinois was reviewed by the Illinois Geological Survey in an article published in the early part of 1044. 3 Since that time 16 wells have been drilled in Illinois to test for oil in the St. Peter or deeper formations. Thirteen of these wells tested below the St. Peter and two reached the basement rocks. These tests were at scattered locations along the west side of Illinois from Madi- son to Hancock counties and in central to northern Illinois from Douglas to Lee counties. No oil was obtained but it may be of value to summarize for the benefit of further prospecting the geologic information now available. Figure 1 shows the locations of two geologic cross sections, AB and CD 7 drawn through 15 wells. One extends north-northwestward from St. Louis to southern Hancock County, thence northeastward to northeastern DeKalb County. The other extends northeastward from southwestern Jersey County to Kankakee County, excepting that well 12 is a little more than 40 miles south- east of the general line of section. The top of the Glenwood-St. Peter sandstones is the datum from which the succession of strata are shown to extend downward in the cross sections. MT. SIMON-FOND DU LAC (?) SANDSTONES The Fond du Lac (?) is an incoherent sandstone at the base of the sedimentary series in Illinois. It consists of very fine- to very coarse-grained, pink, yellow, and white sand grains that are somewhat rounded. The Fond du Lac (?) constitutes most of the Mt. Simon-Fond du Lac (?) succession, and is very difficult to sepa- 1 Read at the Eastern Interior regional meeting at St. Louis, January 15, 1948. Manuscript re- ceived, June 29, 1948. 2 Illinois State Geological Survey. 3 Stewart Folk, "Lower Ordovician and Cambrian Oil Possibilities in Illinois," Oil Weekly (March 20, 1944), and Illinois Geol. Survey Cir. 106, pp. 7-1 1. 2041 use LINC- "•TJ"»." 10 Fig. i.—Locations of geologic cross sections .4Z? and CD. DEEP DRILLING IN ILLINOIS 2043 rate in the subsurface from the Mt. Simon, which is white and somewhat finer in texture. There are here and there thin beds of red, greenish gray, and dark gray shale in the Fond du Lac (?). In the wells of northern Illinois that reach or ap- proach the basement granite, 70-440 feet of arkosic sandstone is present in the basal Fond du Lac (?). The Lamotte sandstone of Missouri is equivalent to one or both of these sandstones, and the name Lamotte is commonly applied to the basal sand in near-by Illinois.