Abstract: A chemical additive element or “soap stick” dispensing apparatus, particularly adapted for use in dispensing soap sticks into gas wells, includes an elongated tubular soap stick magazine member and a manual and gravity actuated flapper type check valve operable to hold a soap stick in the magazine member but operable in response to pressure equalization across the valve to open under the weight of the soap stick to dispense the soap stick into a wellbore. A bypass conduit is connected across the check valve and the magazine member and includes a remotely controllable or timer controlled motor operated valve operable to conduct wellbore pressure gas to a magazine chamber to equalize pressure across the check valve so as to allow the soap stick to be dispensed into the wellbore.