How to Find Oil on Your Land.
Initial searches for oil on land usually require
the skills of geologists and geophysicists.
These searches are often conducted by small
exploration companies called wildcats.
You will need Surface indications Geological
correlations Gravitational field variations
Magnetic properties Sound wave velocities
and test well.
Step 1.
Look for obvious signs of oil on the surface
of your land.
Surface indications might include oil seeps
or petroleum residue in soil samples.
Step 2.
Look for correlations on your land with the
sites of other wells, matching fossils, rock
properties, and electrical and radioactivity
data.
These correlations may predict where oil-bearing
strata begin on your property.
Step 3.
Study variations in the earth's gravitational
field on your land.
If very light oil-bearing rocks are found
near the surface, the gravitational force
they exert will be less than that for heavy
rocks.
Step 4.
Study the magnetic properties of the underlying
rocks on the property.
Most rocks that contain oil are non-magnetic.
Step 5.
Study the way sound travels through the earth
on your land.
The time it takes sound to travel through
underlying rocks is characteristic of the
types of rocks involved.
Don't forget to acquire the mineral rights
on your land if you have not done so already.
Doing so will ensure that if you find oil,
it's legally yours.
Step 6.
Drill a small test well if the results of
your studies are promising.
Now you can sell your oil-rich land and move
to Beverly Hills.
Did you know John D. Rockefeller founded the
Standard Oil Company in 1870, the country's
first oil company.
