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By L. P. Teas

The year 1932 has been one of exceptional significance for the Gulf Coast. Because of many new oil fields found, the most outstanding of which, Conroe, has assumed national importance, and because of new prospective areas extending through Montgomery, Polk, Tyler and Newton counties into Louisiana, there has been a stampede of operators to the Coast. During the year, development and discoveries have shown a marked trend away from the shallow or intermediate depth type of salt dome fields, with their treacherous flanking sands, to the deep-seated type of domes with their more continuous blanketing sands. The potency of some of the deep-seated domes such as Thompsons and Conroe, in Texas, and Iowa in Louisiana, has for the time at least, dispelled the disappointment of such deep-seated domes as Mykawa or Sheppard's Mott. Whether the newer deep-seated prospects, as yet little developed, will prove Conroes or Mykawas remains to be seen. In any event there is much for us yet to learn of the Coast. During 1932 a total of nine new oil fields and four new gas areas were discovered, which compares with seven new fields in 1931 and three fields in 1930. Of the nine new oil fields two were in Coastal Louisiana. This is the largest number of new oil fields found on the Coast in a single year since 1929, when 11 new fields were discovered. Not only because of the number of new fields has 1932 been notable but also because these new fields represent new productive areas that total 16,000 acres or more, or over 70 per cent of the total productive area known on the entire Coast at the beginning of 1932. In addition to the fields discovered in 1932, four new areas, or extensions around domes or fields already producing, and at least 11 new oil sands and three new gas sands have come to light. We may well say that 1932 has been the banner year for the Gulf Coast, in spite of depressed economic conditions and continued and more emphatic restriction of production. With the exception of 1901, when oil was discovered on the Coast and 1924, the year in which geophysical prospecting was in:lugurated, 1932 has been its most outstanding year.

Jan 1, 1933

By B. E. Parsons

Curtailment of production of crude oil, to the extent of effecting an approximate balance in supply and demand, was a problem confronting the oil industry in California throughout the year 1930. At the beginning of the year, with drilling operations only slightly checked, the California industry faced a steadily increasing potential production, an actual production in excess of market requirements and stocks of crude oil and refined products which had reached staggering proportions. During the year, the intensive development of the Playa Del Rey field and extensions to several oil fields, together with flush production from numerous large wells from both new and old fields, caused a steady increase in the state's potential production to a record peak in November of 1,186,000 bbl. daily. Despite the burden of this steady stream of flush production and the handicap of incomplete cooperation in several fields, curtailment successfully lowered the trend of crude oil production in California, except for the period of an open-flow test to determine actual potential production in several important fields in February. Under the curtailment programs in effect, the state's production of crude oil for the year was reduced 22 per cent. under the production of 1929 and even slightly under the production for the years 1927 and 1928. The total stocks of crude oil and refined products were reduced 2.7 per cent. during 1930, as compared to an increase of 30 per cent. in total stocks of all products during 1929. Drilling operations were reduced 28 per cent. as compared to drilling activities during 1929. Voluntary curtailment of drilling programs by many operators, particularly the major companies, accounts for the greatest portion of the reduction in drilling activity. The decline in drilling activity at Santa Fe Springs and in the east-side fields of the San Joaquin Valley was more than offset by development in new fields and extensions to deeper zones of old fields. There were 755 new wells completed during 1930, as compared to 910 completions in 1929. At the close of the year, 220 wells were drilling in the oil fields of California, 9 of which were being drilled in search of deeper producing horizons.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. E. Crum, W. E. Hubbard

This review covers the northern 32 counties of the Texas Panhandle, an area 180 miles square. The westerly three-fourths of the district lies wholly within that great area known as the Llano Estacado or "staked plains." Six of the counties produce oil and gas and three produce gas alone. All of the production is associated with the Amarillo arch, a huge anticline superimposed upon a buried mountain range which is undoubtedly a continuation of the Wichitas of southwestern Oklahoma. Oil Production The production of the Texas Panhandle up to Jan. 1,1930, was slightly over 157 million barrels, 90 per cent. of which came from Hutchinson and Gray counties. About 33,000,000 bbl. was produced during 1930. Though this was about 9 per cent. above the 1929 production, it was over 8,000,000 bbl. less than was produced during the peak year, 1928. The present daily production is slightly over 40,000 bbl., which is the allowable production under state-wide proration. The assumed potential for the purpose of proration is 124,500 bbl. and the actual capacity of the wells probably would be in the neighborhood of 100,000 barrels. The total initial production of the oil wells completed in 1930 was 157,289 bbl. from 308 wells, or 511 bbl. per well, as compared to a 734-bbl. average from the 350 oil wells drilled during the preceding year. The completions in Gray County numbered 232, with an average initial of 614 barrels. Completions During 1930, 526 wells were completed in the Panhandle as compared to a total of 503 during 1929. Of the year's completions, 308 were oil wells, 169 produced gas and 49 were dry holes. Of the 3027 wells drilled in the Panhandle to date, 2780 have produced oil, gas or both, making the ratio of dry holes to producers about 1:11.3. Ignoring the 63 dry holes drilled in nonproductive counties, the ratio becomes 184:2780 or 1:15.1 which is slightly less favorable than that which obtained at the end of 1929.

Jan 1, 1931

By M. G. Cheney

The purpose of this paper is to review the more important developments in the production of petroleum during 1930 in Texas, excluding the Panhandle and Gulf Coast districts, giving emphasis to trends rather than to statistics. Outstanding Developments Aside from increasing curtailment of drilling operations and general prorating of production by state authority the most noteworthy developments for the year appear to have been: 1. Demonstrations of the fictitiousness of potentials as shown first by Darst Creek pool, rated at 180,000 bbl. and having actually 78,000 bbl. daily, and especially by the Hendricks pool of Winkler County, with potential of about 1,000,000 bbl. daily in mid-year and production of only 52,000 bbl. daily when opened to continuous full production in December. 2. Rapid development of the Darst Creek pool under competitive drilling. 3. Orderly and highly successful development of the Van pool under unit operation. 4. Failure of several highly rated structures southwest and northeast of Van. 5. Extension of the deep Simpson production at Big Lake and increased interest in these pre-Mississippian pays in North Central Texas and West Texas. 6. Discovery of prolific wells in northwest Rusk County from sands of Upper Cretaceous age, portending a rapid and extensive development campaign around the northwest margin of the Sabine uplift. North Central Texas It appears logical to discuss the new developments by districts as set out by the American Petroleum Institute, but North Texas and West Central Texas districts will be treated together. Pre-Mississippian,.—The pre-Mississippian beds, which in previous years yielded a few large wells in Young, Cooke and Callahan counties,

Jan 1, 1931

By H. Vance

In 1932, as in 1931, the East Texas area outside the Gulf Coast exerted ' its influence over the entire petroleum industry. Practically 60 per cent of the oil wells completed in the United States during 1932 were in this area, development being chiefly confined to the East Texas oil field in Upshur, Gregg, Rusk, Smith and Cherokee counties. This East Texas area is geologically an interior salt dome basin, along the western edge of which are located the fault line fields as represented by Mexia and Powell. Production occurs on salt domes in the interior of the basin as represented by Boggy Creek and possibly Van, although no salt has actually been discovered in drilling at Van. Shore line conditions on the east side of this basin along the flanks of the Sabine uplift have been responsible for the East Texas oil field. Many known salt domes in the center of this basin have been tested but as yet have failed to produce oil in commercial quantities. The main producing horizon throughout the area is lowermost upper Cretaceous and is known locally as the Woodbine sand. The East Texas Oil Field Development.—Approximately 6000 producing wells were completed during the year in the East Texas oil field. No accurate estimate of the total initial production of these wells is available because few initial production tests were made as the wells were completed. The writer estimates the average initial production of these completed wells at 2500 bbl. per day while flowing wide open through tubing. Based on this estimate, the total initial production of the wells completed during the year is 15,000,000 barrels. At the close of 1932 there were approximately 9500 completed wells in the East Texas field. Of this number 176 were without pipe line connections. The oil produced from these unconnected wells could be marketed for $0.30 per barrel while the price paid for oil run from the connected wells was $0.75 per barrel.

Jan 1, 1933

By R. B. Newcombe

Despite abnormal economic conditions and the unhealthy state of the petroleum industry, 1930 closed without any marked decline in total production of oil in the Middle Western States. The most accurate figures available would indicate for this district an output of close to 25,000,000 bbl. for 1930 as compared to 26,000,000 bbl. for 1929. This can be accounted for by the settled nature of a great many of the wells producing in this area and the favorable geographical position, which affords adequate refining and marketing facilities. The only new flush production field discovered in the area was the Legrande oil pool in southeastern Hart County in western Kentucky, where wells up to 1000 bbl. initial have been reported from a shallow depth. Important extensions have been found in a number of central Ohio fields, and activity in the central Michigan area resulted in new pools along the northwest trend of the Mt. Pleasant structure. These new districts, known as the Leaton and Vernon pools, have not yet reached the scope of the Mt. Pleasant field proper, and although the structure is similar, sand conditions are not strictly analogous. Wildcatting was retarded somewhat by the scarcity of market for oil and many important wells were shut down for several months. This has not shown such a profound effect on production as the reticence of operators to drill inside proven locations. The major companies have not been able to dispose of their oil and the smaller operating units are having trouble financing their projects. The result is that oil in sight is not being produced and output is suffering accordingly. Another important effect on production was the introduction of proration by the major crude purchasers and a voluntary shut-down by Kentucky operators. This step became necessary because of the glutting of lake port refineries with Mid-Continent oil, and was not fostered by regulating state bodies, as in the case of the southwestern states. Small refining units have sprung up to meet this situation in a number of instances but they have experienced some difficulty in disposing of their product because of "dumping" tactics from other quarters. New refinery outlets on the Great Lakes and new pipe line connections should tend to alleviate this difficulty during the coming year. The

Jan 1, 1931

By H. F. Smiley, Fred Sehmann

The production of the North Central Texas area comes entirely from the Pennsylvanian section with the exception of one pool in Cooke County and one in Young County where oil has been, produced from the weathered surfaces of Pre-Pennsylvanian peaks overlapped by oil-bearing strata of Pennsylvanian age. In the southern part of the area the Strawn and Bend groups furnish the production, the Strawn sands being the predominating horizons at depths from 1500 to 3000 feet. In the northern part of the area including North Young, Archer, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Clay counties, the Cisco group has produced consistently for nearly 30 years from sands ranging in depth from 700 to 2500 ft. To our knowledge there are 13 separate producing sands in t,he Cisco group ranging from 200 to 1800 ft. in Wichita County. During the past three years, deeper drilling has opened three new producing horizons. A Canyon sand in Central Archer County has produced from 400 to 800 bbl. per well at a depth of 2200 ft.; and in the same pool, owned jointly by the Deep Oil Development Co. and Lindsay Drilling Co., a Strawn sand was found at 3600 ft. which produced 75 bbl. per day. In Southern Wichita County the Bend group has been found productive. A very oolitic sandy lime series from 3675 to 3942 ft. has produced in three wells drilled to date. During the past year the district has been producing under an extreme proration which accounts for the small production figures for 1932, as well as the few drilling activities at the end of the year. Table 1 presents the available drilling and production data compiled by the North Texas Oil and Gas Association.

Jan 1, 1933

By Henry A. Ley

Kansas ranked fourth on the list of oil-producing states during the year 1930. Progressive statistics show that total production for the year will approximate 42,729,085 bbl. When final figures are compiled for Kansas the production may exceed this estimate, and thereby threaten the all-time record of 43,253,470 bbl. in 1918. Throughout the year the cumulative volume of potential drilled-up production has been increased by new discoveries and by extensions to proven areas in the territory west of the Nemaha (granite ridge) Range. Scattered drilling and leasing operations of a constructive nature occurred, but completions declined to the lowest levels in more than 11 years. Average initial production of current completions climbed to a new all-time high of 512 bbl. to the well. Proration measures were applied to the flush pools. The resulting shut-in potential production, as of December 15, is estimated at 110,000 bbl. This estimate is a wild guess. If all wells of the state were permitted to flow wide open for a period of six months production would not exceed 150,000 bbl. a day. The outstanding development of the year was an intensive drilling campaign in southwestern Kansas, which contributed at least 1,000,000 acres of contiguous natural-gas lands to the natural-gas resources of the United States. Production and Development Prospecting for oil in Kansas began shortly after the initial prospecting at Titusville. Operations and interest in the potentialities became active about 1870. This development was restricted to the shallow districts of northeastern Kansas. By 1895 operations had extended southward to the Oklahoma state line and sufficient prospecting had taken place to prove the potentialities of the state. Active prospecting was extended westward by the discovery of oil on the Nemaha Range in Butler County about 1916. The discovery of oil in Russell County added an extensive borderland province in 1923. The important discoveries of oil in Sedgwick County revived interests and operations throughout this territory in 1928. The development of widespread natural-gas lands in extreme southwestern Kansas during 1930 carried active exploration to the western boundary of the state.

Jan 1, 1931

By Henry A. Ley

Oklahoma produced about 40,000,000 bbl. less crude oil in 1930 than it did in 1929, but developed the largest initial production from current well completions ever recorded in its history. The output of this year would have exceeded all previous years had it not been for state-wide production curtailment. The record initial production of 5,911,982 bbl. from new oil wells completed during the year is accounted for entirely by the rapid development of the Oklahoma City field. Completions declined to the lowest levels since 1909, as a result of a marked reduction in number of dry holes incident to reduced wildcat exploration. Leasing was most active in western and northern counties of the state west of Oklahoma City, but on a much smaller scale than in the preceding year. Geological and geophysical surveys were likewise most active in this western territory. The urge to deeper objectives resulted in the discovery of oil on the Cement fold. Changing economic conditions have created a distress situation among the marginal operators in northeastern localities of the state. Elsewhere in the state production records and successful exploitation of new supplies have been eclipsed by a new social concept of the industry in accord with natural economic developments. Many of the producers of crude oil have organized for a voluntary stabilization of the industry by regulating the output of wells. To enforce their measures these operators have sought for and secured the support of the state. Consequently, the current position of the crude-oil producer is not unlike that of the natural-gas producer—withdrawal of supplies in accordance with market needs. And while the industry as a whole is artificially stabilized by these measures individual operators and some of the integrated concerns suffer hardships. Oil Developments and Production The early operations in Oklahoma were confined to northeastern and eastern localities, beginning in 1885. The first commercial oil wells were completed in 1894, near Chelsea in Craig County, from Cherokee sands in the lower portion of the Pennsylvanian section. Scattered

Jan 1, 1931

By J. R. Wylie, L. C. Huntley

Drilling for oil in the eastern producing states was fairly active during the first part of 1931, although less so than in 1930. With low prices development declined during the year, until the low prices of the summer resulted in an almost complete shut-down of drilling. This coincided with the action of the Conservation Board of the Pennsylvania Crude Oil Producers Assn, in limiting pipe line runs to 50 per cent of the 1930 normal for the Bradford district and upper country, and to 70 per cent for the balance of the region. Not only was new drilling halted but in many cases oil-producing properties were shut in. In November crude prices were partly restored, and all oil offered was being taken except in the Bradford district which was restricted to 80 per cent of the 1930 normal. During the latter part of the year drilling was being resumed on a moderate scale, and new production indicated a resumption of the proration order. The interest in gas development which has been under way for several years, maintained its supremacy over the search for oil in 1931. New reserves of importance were developed during the year in the Western Kentucky Coal Basin, in the Eastern Kentucky shale gas territory, in Stark County, Ohio, as well as the Oriskany sand development in northern Pennsylvania and central New York. A gas line was completed to the Eastern Seaboard serving Washington and Baltimore, and other lines were under construction designed to serve portions of the territory not hitherto supplied with natural gas. The low price of fuel oil at seaboard is understood to be the deterrent factor against further extension of natural gas lines to these markets at present. The development of these new reserves, as well as those developed by intensive drilling in old areas, resulted in the building up of large potential gas production and a lowering of rates paid to the producer. This, coupled with the country-wide tendency to lower the consumer rates of all public utilities, resulted in a general threat to reopen rate cases before various state commissions. Oil Development The past year was marked only by the almost complete shut-down of new development, reaching its low point during the summer, with its

Jan 1, 1932

By Wallace Ralston

The East Texas district includes the northeast 38 counties of the State of Texas. It still remains one of the most important oil-and-gas-producing areas of the United States, since it includes within its boundaries the large East Texas field. Other fields of importance are: Van, Rodessa, Talco, Cayuga, Long Lake and Sulphur Bluff. Production is from the Nacatoch, Blossom, and Woodbine of the upper Cretaceous and the Paluxy and Glen Rose of the lower Cretaceous. Of these, the Woodbine is the most important, since it is the producing horizon iri the East Texas field. Fields East Texas Field.—There were 2471 oil wells, 1 gas well and 84 failures completed during the year of 1936 in the East Texas field; that is, 1565 fewer than in the year of 1935. The total number of producing wells is now 22,031, of which 50 are temporarily shut down; 18,435 wells flowing their production; 3150 pumping; 293 on gas-lift, and 82 operated by other methods. This shows an increase of 1642 wells on artificial lift over Jan. 1, 1935. The average daily salt-water production is estimated at 42,700 bbl. from 2327 wells—an increase of 1201 wells over the year of 1935. The field is now drilled to an average density of one well to 5.85 acres. Average bottom-hole pressure has dropped from 1193 Ib. to 1168 lb., approximately 1 lb. drop for each 6,600,000 bbl. of oil produced. During the month of December 1936, the estimated daily average production of illegal oil had dropped from 20,500 bbl. in December 1935 to 7500 bbl. The commercial gas production is of minor importance in the East Texas field, and figures for the amount of gas taken from the field are not available at the present time. Talco Field, Titus and Franklin Counties.—The discovery well was drilled by Housh, Thompson et al. on the C. M. Carr tract and completed in March 1936, as a pumping well making 552 bbl. per day of 24' gravity oil. This well was first completed at a total depth of 4208 ft., the top of the sand being 4190 ft. Later it was deepened to 4260 ft., which increased the production from 552 to 725 bbl. per day. This field is producing

Jan 1, 1937

By H. B. Fuqua, B. E. Thompson

For a very brief description of the North Texas area and the general geological features with which it is associated, the reader is referred to the summary for 1935. As in previous years, the authors have been unable to undertakc the almost impossible task of isolating statistics for the hundreds of productive "spots" which are included within the generally productive areas of the several counties. However, pools that appear to be definitely isolated—as, for example, the Foard County production and the new pool recently developed southeast of Gainesville in Cooke County—are covered separately. During the year 1936, both routine development in proven or scmi-proven areas and exploratory drilling showed a decrease over the year 1935, there having been a total of 1453 wells drilled in the district during 1936, as compared to 1619 in 1935. It is also of interest to note that abandonments exceeded completions in 1936. Developments during 1936 While a number of local productive spots were found in Wilbarger, Archer and Wichita Counties, and numerous minor local extensions to older producing areas were developed in practically all the producing countics in the district, only two discoveries of sufficient importance to justify special mention were made. Anderson and Kerr No. 1 Bruhlmeyer, about two miles southeast of Gainesville in Cooke County, was completed in April, at a total depth of 2014 ft., for an initial production of 315 bbl. daily from a sand of Pennsylvanian (Canyon) age. Development has been rapid and the field is about drilled up. During November the 100 wells in the field averaged about 40 bbl daily. The structure appears to be a small fold associated with the northeast flank of the main uplift, which extends in a northwest-southeast direction across Cooke and Montague Counties.

Jan 1, 1937

By Harry H. Nowlan

A heavy development campaign progressed during the year 1936 in South Texas1, following up important discoveries made in 1935. Oil and gas wells completed during the year were 1473 against 704 in 1935. The drilling program reached its peak of operations in June in consequence of offset requirements made necessary principally in Duval County in the Seven Sisters, Loma Novio, Lopez and Cole fields. There were six new fields discovered during 1936 as follows: Rhode in McMullen County; Peters, El Mesquite and North Kohler in Duval County; Wood in Starr County and Colorado in Jim Hogg County. No discovery of unusual consequence was made during the year. The pools mentioned above are simply in the primary stages of development. The most intensive exploratory work during the year was in Duval, Webb and Zapata Counties. Considerable activity also prevailed in Starr and Brooks Counties. Much significance is attached to the California Company's discovery in the Alta Mesa field in Brooks County, which is considered to be a deep-seated salt dome. The Comitas field, in Zapata County, developed some surprisingly good production in a shallow sand at 900 ft. and is being followed by a heavy wildcat campaign throughout that area in search of like production. In Starr County an active wildcat campaign is in progress in a continued effort to find new fields northwest of the Sam Fordyce field, in Hidalgo County. This play continues in a northerly direction through Starr and Jim Hogg Counties. New Fields Rhode.—The Rhode field, in southeastern McMullen County, was opened in May by the Magnolia Petroleum Co. with a gas well in the Whitsett (Upper Jackson) sand at a depth of 1810 to 1822 ft., this test is located in the southeast corner of sec. 86 on the Rhode ranch. Four gas wells have been completed, proving up a gas area of 1000 acres, more or less. Development will be slow because of lack of market for the gas.

Jan 1, 1937

By H. W. Imholz

This report covers most of the counties in North Central Texas in which oil is being produced in commercial quantities. The exceptions are McCulloch and Runnels, which were omitted because the production is small and the detailed information necessary for a report is not available to the writer. Complete information was not available regarding the number of wells drilled in this district during the year. The writer wishes to thank Mr. T. F. Petty, of the Humble Oil and Refining Co., Wichita Falls, Texas, for information used in compiling Table 2.

Jan 1, 1937

By W. V. Vietti, E. P. Hayes

OpeRations on the Texas Gulf Coast during 1936 increased materially over 1935. A number of new fields were discovered and a few of the older fields were extended, both by the discovery of deeper pay sands and by lateral expansion of the known producing horizons. Twenty-seven new fields have been discovered, of which 25 are oil fields and the others are gas fields that have every indication of becoming oil-producing areas. Amelia, Anahuac, Bay City, North Pettus, Placedo, Pickett Ridge and Tomoconnor have had major extensions. Production for 1936 amounted to 91,224,844 bbl., an increase of 21,627,033 bbl., or 31 per cent, over the 1935 production of 69,597,811 bbl. The number of producing wells at the end of 1936 was 6727, as compared with 4851 at the end of 1935. Proration has continued in force, thus decreasing the rate of depletion and the number of abandonments normally expected. New Fields A brief discussion of the new fields follows, in addition to Tables 1 and 2, which contain the general data on these fields. Aransas (McCampbell).-Buckingham and McCampbell No. 1 McCampbell was drilled to 7501 ft., then plugged back to 6560 ft. and completed in the Marginulina for a 100-bbl. flowing well on July 18. Bee County.—The Voss field, discovered by Swiger and Devonian's No. 1 Voss, and the Holzmark field, discovered by Miller and Donzis on the Holzmark farm, are both of the same type structurally and are caused by folding against a fault, one field being on one side of a fault and the other on the opposite side of the same fault. Brooks County.—-Standard Oil Company of Texas Garcia No. 1, the discovery well in the Alta Mew field, and Dick Young's Singer No. 1, the discovery well of Alta Verde, appear to indicate small fields. Garcia No. 1 was drilled to 8022 ft. and plugged back to 2485 ft., at which depth the well made 189 barrels. Lockridge.—This gas field was discovered by Gulf Production Company's Fairfield No. 1, in Brazoria County. It was originally drilled to

Jan 1, 1937

By J. D. Wheeler, H. W. Mathews

The increased activity in West Texas, which started in 1933, has continued through 1936 at a constantly accelerated rate. During 1936 there were 1442 wells completed in the area as compared with 700 in 1935 and 468 in 1934. Of these completions, 1313 were producers with a total 24-hr. potential in excess of 1,750,000 bbl. From among the 1442 wells, eight are considered to be discovery wells for new West Texas fields. New Fields Bennett.—The Bennett field, which added Yoakum County to the oil-producing counties of West Texas, was actually indicated as an oil-producing area during 1935, but the discovery well, Honolulu Oil Corporation, Ltd. and Cascade Petroleum Company's Bennett No. l, was not given a production test until April 1936. The discovery well made 15 bbl. per hour through 3/4-in. choke with a plugged-back total depth of 5264 ft. First oil in the hole was from 5088 to 5090 ft., which is several hundred feet below the top of Permian lime. Producing limits of the field are unknown, as the second test had not reached the pay at the close of the year. Henderson.—-To date indications are that the Henderson pool, in northern Winkler County, is the most prolific area opened during 1936. This field, which lies to the north of the old Hendrick pool, is producing from the same reef-type dolomitic lime producing in the older field. The Henderson field was opened by the completion of R. H. Henderson, J. B. Walton-Humble 1-A in April 1936 for a natural flow of 2306 bbl. per day through tubing. Total depth of the discovery well is 3049 ft. Later development has indicated the productive area to be a rather narrow zone running slightly west of north. Present area of from 1000 to 1500 acres has been proved for production. Keys and Emperor.—The Keys and Emperor pools in the belt of sand pools running across Winkler County appeared for the first time on State proration schedules during 1936. This report considers these pools as links in joining the belt of sand production across Winkler County, for

Jan 1, 1937

By W. C. Bednar

In all, 127 producing oil wells, 8 producing gas wells and 212 dry holes were drilled during 1936 in the Central Texas area; 76 wells in Bexar County, 62 in Caldwell County, 44 in Guadalupe County, 22 in Williamson County, 20 in Navarro County and 20 in Frio County. Less than 20 were drilled in each of the other counties and none at all in Ellis, Hill, Bosque, Coryell, Lampasas, Burnet, Llano, Kennedy, Mason, Real, Kinney and Uvalde Counties. The Pearsall-Austin chalk field in Frio County and the Zoboroski field in Guadalupe County were the only new discoveries and there were no important extensions to old fields. In this report Corsicana, Mildred (Elm Ridge), Angus-Edens-Hodge, Burke, and Rice-Oil Ridge, all shallow Navarro County stripper fields, are grouped together under the name of Corsicana. This grouping follows that of the Railroad Commission of Texas, thus facilitating the gathering of production data. A map showing the location of the oil and gas fields in the Central Texas Area was published in Volume 114 of the A.I.M.E. TranBactions, page 380. New Fields Pearsall-Austin Chalk.—The Amerada Petroleum Corporation completed 13 Austin chalk wells during 1936 on the large Amerada-Rycade block in Frio County. Other companies drilled two dry holes to the Austin chalk in this vicinity. Not enough wells were drilled to give control of the structure but it appears to be a nose plunging in a west-southwest direction. A second deep test is being drilled in the Pearsall area and at this writing has cemented off a show of oil and gas in the Edwards limestone. The Humble Oil and Refining Co. is building a 6-in. pipe line from Lytle, Tex., to serve the Pearsall field. Zoboroski.—Actual discovery of the Zoboroski field was made by W. J. Walton et al. in 1931. The discovery well, Anton Zoboroski No. 1, was a small producer making but from 3 to 5 bbl. per day, which was used locally for fuel oil. The discovery of the Darst Creek Extension in

Jan 1, 1937

By John G. H. Crump, E. W. Owen, Peter P. Gregory

.Although oil Production in West Texas in 1939 reached the highest figure for any year since the inauguration of proration, drilling activity continued in the decline that had commerlced the previous year. Production totaled 79,469,341s bbl. of oil during 1939 as compared with 71,257,541s bbl. in 1938 and 75,743,000 in 1937. The number of wells completed in 1939 was 1850, compared with 2045 in 1938 and 2806 ill 1937. Several factors combined to cause the decrease in drilling activity, principally the contiriued increase in the length of time required to obtain a return of invcstment and the scarcity of important new discoveries during the past two years. Of the 1850 completions 1638 resulted in oil wells, 4 were gas wells, 168 were dry holes and 40 were abandoned locations; 1990 new locations were made during the year. The ratio of dry holes to producing wells completed was one dry hole to each 9.75 oil wells, compared with one dry hole to each 7.48 oil wells completed during 1938. This large decrease in dry holes was due to a marked decline in the number of wildcat wells drilled, there having been only 120 wildcat completions during 1939. In addition to the lessened exploration work, the deeline' in activity was largely accounted for by the slowing up of operations in the older pools of Ector, Howard and Winkler Counties. Ector County, which had led West Tcxas in 1938 with 622 new oil wells, furnished only 485 producers in 1939, but was still the leader for the West Texas district. The largest gain in activity was in Yoakum County, whew 350 oil wells were completed in the Denver-Wasson field against 152 during 1938. Most of the older oil fields have been almost completely drilled up, only a few new producers still being completed from time to time in

Jan 1, 1940

By E. W. Owen, John G. H. Crump, Peter P. Gregory

.Although oil Production in West Texas in 1939 reached the highest figure for any year since the inauguration of proration, drilling activity continued in the decline that had commerlced the previous year. Production totaled 79,469,341s bbl. of oil during 1939 as compared with 71,257,541s bbl. in 1938 and 75,743,000 in 1937. The number of wells completed in 1939 was 1850, compared with 2045 in 1938 and 2806 ill 1937. Several factors combined to cause the decrease in drilling activity, principally the contiriued increase in the length of time required to obtain a return of invcstment and the scarcity of important new discoveries during the past two years. Of the 1850 completions 1638 resulted in oil wells, 4 were gas wells, 168 were dry holes and 40 were abandoned locations; 1990 new locations were made during the year. The ratio of dry holes to producing wells completed was one dry hole to each 9.75 oil wells, compared with one dry hole to each 7.48 oil wells completed during 1938. This large decrease in dry holes was due to a marked decline in the number of wildcat wells drilled, there having been only 120 wildcat completions during 1939. In addition to the lessened exploration work, the deeline' in activity was largely accounted for by the slowing up of operations in the older pools of Ector, Howard and Winkler Counties. Ector County, which had led West Tcxas in 1938 with 622 new oil wells, furnished only 485 producers in 1939, but was still the leader for the West Texas district. The largest gain in activity was in Yoakum County, whew 350 oil wells were completed in the Denver-Wasson field against 152 during 1938. Most of the older oil fields have been almost completely drilled up, only a few new producers still being completed from time to time in

Jan 1, 1940

By Mario L. Villa

During 1939 oil production experienced a new and important increase in Argentina in the productive areas of Comodoro Rivadavia (Territory of Chubut), Plaza Huincul (Territory of Neuquén), and those of the. Province of Mendoza. Production in the Standard Oil Company's field in the Province of Salta declined, but that of the Government oil fields in that province inereased 62.5 per cent.

Jan 1, 1940