Salt Creek Oil Field
Encyclopedia
The Salt Creek Oil Field, located in the town of Midwest
in Natrona County, Wyoming
, approximately 40 mi (64 km) north of Casper
, was at one time in the early 20th century the largest light crude oil field in the world. It was historically one of the most important petroleum
deposits in Wyoming
.
The field was discovered in the 1880s. The first white person to acquire land in the region was Stephen W. Downey in 1883, shortly after the discovery of a petroleum seep at Jackass Springs. In 1889 the discovery well was drilled in the Shannon pool. In 1895, the landowner of Shannon pool built an oil refinery
in Casper to process the oil.
The main well in the Salt Creek Field was drilled in October 1908 at the Dutch no. 1 location. The well initially produced 150 barrels (24 m³) per day. In subsequent years, the field was extensively developed and the field became famous for its many gushers. A pipeline to the Casper refinery was built in 1911. Salt Creek as the largest light oil field was surpassed in the 1920s by the nearby Teapot Dome field, the source of scandal during the Warren G. Harding
administration.
Both Salt Creek and Teapot Dome are now severely depleted, and production is reduced to stripper well
s. However, they will deliver some extra reserves using CO2
injection in the years to come.
Midwest, Wyoming
Midwest is a town in Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. It is part of the Casper, Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 408 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Midwest is located at ....
in Natrona County, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, approximately 40 mi (64 km) north of Casper
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
, was at one time in the early 20th century the largest light crude oil field in the world. It was historically one of the most important petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
deposits in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
.
The field was discovered in the 1880s. The first white person to acquire land in the region was Stephen W. Downey in 1883, shortly after the discovery of a petroleum seep at Jackass Springs. In 1889 the discovery well was drilled in the Shannon pool. In 1895, the landowner of Shannon pool built an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
in Casper to process the oil.
The main well in the Salt Creek Field was drilled in October 1908 at the Dutch no. 1 location. The well initially produced 150 barrels (24 m³) per day. In subsequent years, the field was extensively developed and the field became famous for its many gushers. A pipeline to the Casper refinery was built in 1911. Salt Creek as the largest light oil field was surpassed in the 1920s by the nearby Teapot Dome field, the source of scandal during the Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
administration.
Both Salt Creek and Teapot Dome are now severely depleted, and production is reduced to stripper well
Stripper well
A stripper well or marginal well is an oil or gas well that is nearing the end of its economically useful life. In the United States of America a "stripper" gas well is defined by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission as one that produces or less of gas per day at its maximum flow rate;...
s. However, they will deliver some extra reserves using CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
injection in the years to come.