`There are only three wells that pump water, so to speak, and the rest are pumping the same as they originally did, and the water is centering around Red Bank No. 14 well, but the Alma Jr. No. 2 pumps about all water unless it stops for a while, then it will fill up with oil at once, but when pumped down, it pumps oil and water mixed; but wells are coming back all of the time and two more came back to oil again yesterday, Nos. 1 and 12, which were two of the worst; but No. 6 opposite No. 14 is all water.' "This condition continued until some time in the spring of 1906, when water commenced to get the better of them again, and it has practically held down the production of oil ever since.
"Assuming Alma Jr. No. 2 to be one of the guilty wells, (and it is proven beyond a doubt that it is at least a distributing head), the above stated condition would seem to indicate that the work done by Mr. Andrews had a beneficial effect, if only temporary; and seems to point toward the conclusion that more thorough and judicious work at that time would have had more lasting effects.
"In one report dated April 16, 1905, Mr. Andrews states: `Got out all of the 7%-in. casing and put in another ton of cement in bottom. Cement all washed away as fast as put in. Getting ready to pack for top water.' "From this statement, and from the amount of junk he is said to have thrown into the well without obtaining a trace of it afterward, it would seem that the well was not only a distributing head, but was itself making bottom water, and the results would indicate that it was not plugged off.
"A further indication that the well was drilled into bottom water may be deduced from the experience of the E. A. Clampitt Oil Company, situated a quarter of a mile north of Alma Jr. This company drilled a well into bottom water at a depth of approximately 807 ft. The surface elevation of the Clampitt is from 60 to 75 ft. above that of the Alma Jr. No. 2. Allowing for the difference of elevation of the two wells together with the dip of the strata, Alma Jr. No. 2 would be a little shallower than the Clampitt well; while as a matter of fact it is 826 ft. deep. The log of the well shows a sandy shell for the last 35 ft., and the cross-section shows that this well is deeper in the formation than any of its neighbors so there is very little doubt in our minds that this well encountered bot tom water when drilled.
Conclusion.—"The following recommendations are made with the idea that the first work done will correct the most obvious sources of trouble, and thus, by elimination, enable us to determine the remaining sources of the trouble.
"As the matter now stands it is certain that both top and bottom water have access to the producing oil sands. To repair the wells that are making bottom water is a simple matter compared to correcting the top water troubles. We therefore recommend that the bottom water conditions in Alma Jr. No. 2 and Petroleum Development Company No. 28 be corrected first.
"To enable us to make a test on the plugging for bottom water it will, of course, be necessary to have top water shut off. To this end the Alma Jr. Company should immediately pull the oil string in Well No. 2, bridge below the point of shut-off, and bail the well for a test. They should then redrill to original bottom, driving any old casing into the walls, and plug with cement up to 725 ft. When this cement is set, a pumping test will be necessary to determine whether or not the well still makes water. In the event that it still makes the same amount as heretofore, it will indicate that the water is being let in through the oil sands by low shut-offs of surrounding wells, and it should be allowed to stand until the latter condition is remedied.
"Petroleum Development Well No. 28 should be abandoned and plug ged, unless this has already been done and not reported. A solid plug put into the walls of the hole at a depth of 760 ft. would protect the producing oil sands reported in surrounding wells. If the log of Petroleum Development Well No. 28 is accurate in reporting oil sands to the depth of 900 ft., nothing less than a solid plug against the walls of the hole from 900 up to 760 ft. would be satifsactory. This work alone should materially improve conditions. How much of the trouble it will overcome is uncertain. It is very likely that it will eventually be necessary to establish new pokits of shut-off in about half of the wells in the district before an absolutely clean production of oil can be secured.
"Among the wells most in need of such repair are Petroleum Develop ment Company Wells Nos. 3, 10, 13, 14 and 28., Red Bank Nos. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 14. The magnitude of such a program of repair work indicates what an undertaking it would be to establish uniform shut-offs in the district, and brings up the question of the method to be used.