from his investigation that the shales and sandstones of Cretaceous age
characteristic of that region are the geologic equivalent of formations
that in some parts of Western Canada are oil-bearing. He states that
“the character of the St. John shales strongly suggests that they are oil-
bearing, but accumulations of commercial value can only be expected in
the porous sandstone-beds within the shales or in the upper parts of the
Bullhead sandstones immediately beneath them.”

Mr. Spieker’s studies were directed to the large area south of the
Peace River, in which he examined the formations as disclosed by the
Moberly, Pine, Sukunka, and Murray Rivers. He found the same series
of sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Triassic to Upper Cretaceous,
and expressed the considered opinion that while the Triassic limestones
and sandstones offer a possibility of oil and the Pine River shales give
some promise, “ the St. John shales offer the most nearly ideal conditions
that could exist in the absence of definite evidence of petroleum itself.”
Speaking of the Boulder Creek dome near the south-westerly corner of
the Peace River Block, Mr. Spieker in his report observes that “the
possibility of oil-bearing horizons below the Bullhead Mountain forma-
tion, coupled with the dome-like shape of the structure, presents a
geologically attractive situation as far as oil and gas are concerned.”

Mr. Spieker examined ten major anticlines in the area covered by
him and strongly recommended exploratory drilling. Up to this date
no drilling has been undertaken in the region south of the Peace River.

Six diamond-drill holes varying in depth from 1,027 to 2,525 feet
have to date been drilled in a small portion of the area suggested by Mr.
Dresser in the vicinity of Farrel and Lynx Creeks, some 20 miles north-
west of Hudson Hope. The sixth hole, which is the deepest of the series,
was completed only last week. These holes have penetrated the St. John
shales to a depth of 2,000 feet and in Nos. 5 and 6 have gone into the
Bullhead sandstones.

Flows of gas, films of oil, numerous thin seams of coal varying in
thickness up to 20 inches, and much bituminous substance have been
found in the drill-holes and a vast thickness of shales has been determined
which field tests have shown gives oil on distillation throughout. In
relation to the extent of these St. John shales, Mr. Dresser says that they
extend over a very large area. The formation “is known for 250 miles
in an east-and-west direction and has a still greater extent northwards
and southwards. It probably underlies nearly all of British Columbia
east of the Rockies and a large area in the Province of Alberta.”

No reservoirs of oil from which a flow could be obtained have yet
been found. It must be remembered that there was no intention on the
part of the Government of actually boring for oil as is done with standard
drilling rigs. The primary object of the diamond-drilling is the determi-
nation of the depth, thickness, attitude, and character of the formations,
thus disclosing the geological information in a more precise and valuable
way than could be accomplished by exploration of field parties.

Nine.