BRADFORD OIL: On Monday, we wrote about a suggestion from Larry Fay on how to revive the historic oil fields of Bradford.
Denny Ordiway of Bradford recalled another event that boosted local oil production.
Denny writes, “When South Penn Oil Company, based in Pittsburgh, accidentally injected water in the Bradford oil field, it pushed more crude oil. It was a boom in the Bradford oil patch, when the wells were drilled in a 5-spot pattern, with four injection wells surrounding one central production well. South Penn recovered crude oil from the Bradford Third oil sand, at a TD (total depth) about 1,800 feet.
“When I started working for Pennzoil at the Lafferty Hollow toolhouse in 1973, I pumped 52 wells on 2 powerhouses.
“Before winter started, I would blow off stagnant water in 52 injection wells, 7 wells at a time for 24 hours. There was 850 pounds water pressure in the main four inch pipeline, with two inch side lines. Chuck Kautz, who ran the water-pressure plant, told me how to blow off the injection wells, not a production foreman.
“Pennzoil’s chief petroleum engineer, Warren Paynter, told me that there are still proven oil reserves in the Bradford oil field. But we also found out that after the sand formation has been water flooded, we have to find another enhanced oil recovery program.”
For those of you interested in the local oil and gas industry, Saturday is the Penn Brad Oil Museum’s fourth annual Yellow Dog Dinner.
The 2018 recipient of the Yellow Dog Award is Joyce Schiefferle Cline, secretary/treasurer of Cline Oil Co. She’ll be honored at the dinner, which starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at Pennhills Club.
The award is given to an individual selected by the museum board of directors for his or her service to the museum, the oil and gas industry and the community.
