Speculation for oil in the area has been going on since 1926 when stocks were sold to get $50,000 to drill a test well 3,850 feet at a location 2 1/2 miles west of Glenfield. People from New Rockford, Cooperstown, Carrington, as well as in the immediate area, raised the necessary funds to set up the rig to do the drilling.
A thorough investigation was made by a geologist who designated the area as pre-glacial drift. He reported that he had seldom seen ground that gave better indications of being prospective oil-bearing land. He estimated the depth necessary to drill to strike the flow at between 3,500 and 4,000 feet.
The test hole was dug and no oil was found.
The next excitement about oil was reported in the Independent, August 23, 1928. An instrument called a "Doodlebug" which was invented by George W. Perry of Los Angeles and was brought into the state by the Herman Hanson Oil Syndicate at Turtle Lake. Rev. N.E. Hanson of Carrington, the son of Herman Hanson, took Mr. Perry to Glenfield to test the area with the "Doodelbug".
The "Doodlebug", a nickname for the testing instrument, is a cylinder an inch and a half in diameter and about eight inches long. It is filled with chemicals and is suspended from a chemically treated silk cord. It is hung in a large glass bowl to prevent any action on it by wind. The operator can test for any mineral or metal he desires.
To test for oil: the operator takes a piece of chamois skin saturated with crude oil and places it at the top of a finger. Around the chamois and finger he wraps a silken cord a dozen times and this supports the finger on a tripod. He has no control over the "Doodlebug". If there is oil directly beneath the instrument it stops swinging almost instantly. If no oil is present it swings in the direction of the closest large body of oil even if it is hundreds of miles away.
The instrument can be varied, thus: if the oiled chamois is replaced by a copper penny, the "Doodlebug" will search for copper, even detecting a few pennies in a man's pocket nearby by its motions. However, if the pennies are not close, the "Doodlebug" will swing in the direction of the Montana copper mines. By using a dime, the bug is agitated by silver coins in pockets. It oscillated slightly for one man; when a number joined hands, it is agitated very much more.
If the metal or oil or water sought is close underneath the bug, its pendulum motion stops quickly. If the substance sought does not exist near where the bug is being worked, it will start itself to swinging without other help."
As a result of the test of the "Doodlebug" a well was put down and a river, 60 feet wide was discovered. The feeling was that if they would get away from the river, then oil would be found. Still no oil!
In the early 1950s seismograph crews appeared on the scene, making more tests and more reports, which stated that this area is Winnipeg sandstone and that is a most likely place for the accumulation of oil. The rock structure too was favorable for oil bearing. As a result of these reports drilling outfits again came to the county in 1953, drilling wells throughout the county with the results being either dry holes or else water. Once again no oil!
In the February 20, 1974 issue of the Foster County Independent story appeared telling about the Cardinal Petroleum Company coming to drill a test well in Wyard Township. They drilled to a depth of 2,400 feet, made the determination that it was a dry hole, and capped the hole.
In 1981 the Dover Oil Company came to the county and drilled many random holes. Once again land was leased by various companies in the county.
Is there oil in Foster County? That question still remains unanswered.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 4