STORY OF A GAS WELL

Year Published: 1940s

Creator: Ohio Gas Company?

Description: “Story of a Gas Well” is a 1940s black-and-white industrial film that provides a detailed, step-by-step depiction of the process of constructing a gas well. It's not known who produced the film, but it might have been Ohio Gas Company, as the final shots in the film are of Columbus, Ohio. From land surveying and well assembly to drilling operations and equipment maintenance, the film captures the technical and labor-intensive efforts involved in extracting gas. Featuring scenes of workers operating machinery, assembling wells, and troubleshooting on-site, the film offers insight into mid-20th-century gas exploration and production techniques. Film opens; Men in suits huddle together and plot points on large map (0:08). Close-up of map, Guilford (perhaps Guilford County, North Carolina) (0:16). Engineers and prospectors survey piece of land recently leased for a gas well; Hammer wood stakes into ground and use theodolite to determine best location for well (0:25). Materials for standard steel well transported to location; Flatbed truck traverses rugged landscape of forest and muddy soil (1:02). Early construction of well: Workers use system of levers to hoist materials from ground, adjoining them into mast of gas well (2:00). Drilling engine and tools brought to site of well, transported using horse-drawn cart (2:51). Shot of horses pulling now-empty cart after successful delivery, traverse sloping hill (3:53). Men assembles what appears to be crown block of drilling well use wood planks to slowly crank wheels into place (4:16). Workers continue to use levy system to hoist heavy machinery to top of mast (5:05). Drilling Hole: Drive pipe is slowly inserted, man stands over hole and uses body weight to help thrust drive pipe further into ground (6:06). Close-up of drive pipe covered in debris and sediment (6:43). Heavy clamps placed onto drive pipe so that it can hit bed rock: Shots of two well workers aligning two sides of metal clamp before fastening together with large metal bolts (6:59). Plastic tube is positioned at site of drill pipe, well workers make a makeshift turning device out of a stick and rope (7:33). Drill pipe slowly inserted into plastic tubing (8:23). Heavy clamps disassembled from drill pipe after successfully driving tubing into bedrock (9:10). Spudding continues (9:37). Drilling operations are checked by someone from corporate office; Two men in suits and fedora smoke cigarette while in conversation (9:55). Wide-shot of well mast and accompanying wooden shed; Walking beam moves up and down (10:11). Close-up drilling engine used in drilling operations 10:24). Men in suits continue inspection (10:38). Well worker uses temper screw (used in lowering tools as drilling proceeds) (10:50). Another view of temper screw in use this time to pull tools out of well (11:07). Close-up of drive pipe as it rises up from well (11:22). Removing bit from stem: Two well workers assemble large-sized wrench around drill pipe and use lever to tighten around pipe (11:49). Well workers work together to unscrew stem from rest of pipe using hands to rotate pipe (12:19). Bailer (long cylindrical container, fitted with a valve at its lower end) sent into well to remove mud and water; Close-up spools of cables rapidly unwinding as bailer lowered into well (12:51). Replacing part: Rig worker maneuvers part into place at end of drill pipe using combination of harnesses, screws pieces together by hand before once again using large-size wrench and lever to tighten (13:34). Film ends (15:06).

Complete Record: “Story of a Gas Well” is a 1940s black-and-white industrial film that provides a detailed, step-by-step depiction of the process of constructing a gas well. It's not known who produced the film, but it might have been Ohio Gas Company, as the final shots in the film are of Columbus, Ohio. From land surveying and well assembly to drilling operations and equipment maintenance, the film captures the technical and labor-intensive efforts involved in extracting gas. Featuring scenes of workers operating machinery, assembling wells, and troubleshooting on-site, the film offers insight into mid-20th-century gas exploration and production techniques. Film opens; Men in suits huddle together and plot points on large map (0:08). Close-up of map, Guilford (perhaps Guilford County, North Carolina) (0:16). Engineers and prospectors survey piece of land recently leased for a gas well; Hammer wood stakes into ground and use theodolite to determine best location for well (0:25). Materials for standard steel well transported to location; Flatbed truck traverses rugged landscape of forest and muddy soil (1:02). Early construction of well: Workers use system of levers to hoist materials from ground, adjoining them into mast of gas well (2:00). Drilling engine and tools brought to site of well, transported using horse-drawn cart (2:51). Shot of horses pulling now-empty cart after successful delivery, traverse sloping hill (3:53). Men assembles what appears to be crown block of drilling well use wood planks to slowly crank wheels into place (4:16). Workers continue to use levy system to hoist heavy machinery to top of mast (5:05). Drilling Hole: Drive pipe is slowly inserted, man stands over hole and uses body weight to help thrust drive pipe further into ground (6:06). Close-up of drive pipe covered in debris and sediment (6:43). Heavy clamps placed onto drive pipe so that it can hit bed rock: Shots of two well workers aligning two sides of metal clamp before fastening together with large metal bolts (6:59). Plastic tube is positioned at site of drill pipe, well workers make a makeshift turning device out of a stick and rope (7:33). Drill pipe slowly inserted into plastic tubing (8:23). Heavy clamps disassembled from drill pipe after successfully driving tubing into bedrock (9:10). Spudding continues (9:37). Drilling operations are checked by someone from corporate office; Two men in suits and fedora smoke cigarette while in conversation (9:55). Wide-shot of well mast and accompanying wooden shed; Walking beam moves up and down (10:11). Close-up drilling engine used in drilling operations 10:24). Men in suits continue inspection (10:38). Well worker uses temper screw (used in lowering tools as drilling proceeds) (10:50). Another view of temper screw in use this time to pull tools out of well (11:07). Close-up of drive pipe as it rises up from well (11:22). Removing bit from stem: Two well workers assemble large-sized wrench around drill pipe and use lever to tighten around pipe (11:49). Well workers work together to unscrew stem from rest of pipe using hands to rotate pipe (12:19). Bailer (long cylindrical container, fitted with a valve at its lower end) sent into well to remove mud and water; Close-up spools of cables rapidly unwinding as bailer lowered into well (12:51). Replacing part: Rig worker maneuvers part into place at end of drill pipe using combination of harnesses, screws pieces together by hand before once again using large-size wrench and lever to tighten (13:34). Film ends (15:06).