Panhandle Area Natural Gas

The largest individual gas reserve in the United States covers much of the Oklahoma panhandle extending northward from Texas through this area and into Kansas this sprawling hugoton panhandle field provides gas to comfort mankind fire the boilers of industry and undergird the nations economy.

Hugoton-Panhandle gas provides the world's largest source of helium from which the U.S. Government has drawn a 40 year supply stockpile and spacecraft and other industries obtain current needs.

The Texas part of the field was discovered in 1918 based on the surface survey and recommendations of Oklahoma's covered wagon geologist Charles A Gould in 1904 1905 gas from the deep formation was discovered in southwestern Kansas in 1922 step out drilling northward from Texas and southward from Kansas revealed one huge tri state field covering five million productive acres in parts of 20 counties development of these gas reserves was hampered by lack of market outlet.

This huge undeveloped reserve was to figure mightily in the birthing of the natural gas industry of the world completion of a 24 inch high pressure line from the field to Chicago area markets in 19312 ushered in the age of long distance pipelines transportation of energy and the widespread use of gas at points distant from gas sources.

Oklahoma Historical Society with Oklahoma - Kansas Oil & Gas Association. 1982.