geothermal resource potential of the safford-san simon basin, arizona

Memorandum to·· Dt"ljI
Ohapman
copy
SUBJECT I
'I'BIP TO THE SAN SIMON OR Ft1NK WELt.
On ju.l1 25. 1940, a.t the invitation of Mr. G. II. Ebeen, Bnd for
reasons explained by the attaohed oorrespondenoe, I visited the San
Simon or Funk Wolle
Upon aniTUg theN I found Mr. Ebsen TOry' willing to turn1ah
samples ot drill cores and cuttings and all poatdble information for
our reoords, He seemed well plo8.80d that the Arizona Eureau of Mines
had responded promptly to hie inntat10n to via1 t the proporty"
This well 1s trIO mUos west at San Simon, 200 teet trom the 9 E
Gomer. Sec. 27, T.13S., rooE•. The following 1nformation ooncer:n,....
1118 it was furnished b1 Mr. !J,'b8lJJ1,
The drilllng has beont1naneed by sane 1600 people who havD 1n­
'fested sums of ~.OO to $100 eaoh. Started in 1928, it hs8 reached
a depth ot 6657 teet at a coat of approximatol1 $200,000. S. W. Funk,
ot Oharter Oak, Calif., is trustee.
Mr. Ebsen suggested that U;r. Funk would gladly furnish the
. Arisona Blreau 01' .Mines nth the drillers' log. Until we obtain that
10it we' have the following statements which !l.r. Ebeen took fl'om memory:
Valley 1'111 material, eons1st1ng ot more or less firmly oonsolidated
gravel, saud. and s11t. was penetrated fram the eurfsce to a
depth of soms"hat mOM than 2000 feet, below whioh stratified sand...
atone, oODglomerate, arkose and shale (of ~retaceou8 aspeot) have
continued to ,.he bottan of the hole. Abundant artas1an water Was
enoountered above the ~retaceOuB, Q~oo1al1y at a dopth ot 1260 feet.
In the lowest 200-300 teet of the hole this water haa a temperature
of 274 ,
0 J'.
Mr. Ebsonstatas that 011 sand was encountered at 6643-6647 feet.
and that gas which burns 10 feet high abavo the collar is produced
4uri~~iVabb1%l£'
CONCLUstONS ~ Possibly the 011 sand is genuine, -Qo6 Graph1ta dllS'"
!,oeitJ CJoaur in the 8.retaoeoug ot the Chir1aahua rl~ountaina, soma 14
milf'l8 farthor south. On tha other hand, 1t oannot bf3 deniod that
such hot water (274 0 F) would stew oonsiderable grease off of GOOOfeet
ot drill oable.
The drill oores given me by Mr. Ebaan arc of rock ot ~etnceaus
aspect. Heretofore, W8 had no proot ot the presonoe ot this formation
beneath the San Simon Valley.
Although this rock 1s not unfavorable, it is 1mpoonible to predict
if or where favorable 011 struotures may ex1at in the tretaoeOUB be.
neath the valley fill. From a oammaro1al standpoint, the search for
oil under such condit~ons 15 a wildoat venture.
To be ad.ded later: stayanow1s rSJ)ort on the fossil fragments
in tho drill corea. .\lao H!O analysis.
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