Irvine Oil District, Kentucky

In view of the great interest shown in the oil possibilities of Kentucky, one is impressed with the paucity of reliable literature on the oil fields ofthe state. A few brief reports by the Federal and State Geological Surveys areabout the only reliable data available. When the estimated production figures, for 1918, are published by the U. S. Geological Survey, they will show arevival of the oil industry in the Blue Grass State during the past halfdecade. There will also be an increase in the production for 1919 and 1920, atleast. Although as an oil-producing state Kentucky is small, compared with someof the other oil states, the present production and the area of undrilledproved territory is large enough to classify it as one of the important oilstates of the Union. This paper will be confined to the Irvine District and theimmediately adjoining areas which have been prospected with varying success.The Corniferous limestone or Irvine sand is the oil-producing formation in thearea discussed. In my divisional nomenclature, the Irvine District includes the Irvine field, which extends from the town of Irvine eastward toward Campton; the Big Sinkingarea, which joins and lies to the south of the eastern part of the Irvinefield; the Beattyville area, which lies to the north and northeast of the townof that name and joins the Big Sinking area; and the Ross Creek pool, whichlies to the southwest of the big production and across the Kentucky River.Except for the Ross Creek pool, the main producing area is bounded on the eastby the L. &E. R. R. and on the west and south by the Irvine Branch of theL. &N. R. R. Winchester and Lexington form the gateways and Torrent on theeast, Irvine on the west, and Beattyville on the south are the principleentrances to the main fields. Evelyn, on the L. &N. R. R., south ofIrvine, is the point of entrance to the Ross Creek area. Geology The geology of the Irvine District is very simple. The rock formations withwhich the oil man should acquaint himself lie between the lower measures of thePennsylvanian sandstones and shales and the Devonian or Corniferous limestone, or Irvine formation. Only a very brief description of these formations will begiven, as they have been described fully by E. W. Shaw. AIME 065–20