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By W. A. Ver Wiebe, E. G. Dahlgren

The year 1937 must be considered the most eventful one ever experienced in the development of oil and gas activity. Out of a total of 57 new pools discovered, 18 are apportioned to eastern Kansas and 39 to western Kansas. (For statistical purposes Kansas is divided along the meridian that separates ranges 3 E. and 4 E.) In addition to numerous longdistance extensions of the large Hugoton gas field of southwestern Kansas, two other gas pools were discovered in the area lying west of range 3 E. The 37 new oil pools in that area are to be found in 13 different counties, among which Rice heads the list with a total of seven oil pools and one gas pool. Ellis and Barton Counties both added six new oil pools, while Russell County follows in fourth place with four. Among eastern counties Butler heads the list with four new pools. Cowley arid Chautauqua each accounted for three new discoveries. The number of wells necessary to accomplish this result totals 2657, of which 1915 are oil wells and 128 gas wells. The initial production of the oil wells amounted to 2½ million barrels. Although most of the wells were drilled in proven territory, there was a good deal of wildcatting. The fact that 614 dry holes were completed emphasizes the ever-present risk attendant upon the efforts of pioneers. Some of the more venturesome spirits reached out to the counties farthest west in the state. An indication of the feverish excitement reached at times is recorded in the fact that no less than 600 drilling operations were in progress during one week in May, or the fact that over 100 new locations were staked during the second week in July. During one week in May, 65 successful oil wells were completed for an initial production of 68,000 barrels. Many drilling obligations came due during the year, and this perhaps accounts for the fact that one company had as many as 59 active operations at one time during September. Another evidence of great interest in oil possibilities in Kansas is furnished by the record of sales of oil properties, which in one case reached the high figure of about $3000 per acre.

Jan 1, 1938

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

The area discussed herein, commonly known as the North Texas district, embraces the following 10 counties: Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cooke, Foard, Hardeman, Knox, Montague, Wichita and Wilbarger. It is undcrlain by two major structural features. The northernmost portion of the district, including Cooke, Montague, northern Clay, Wichita, Wilbarger, Foard and Hardeman Counties, is underlain by the system of buried mountains known as the Red River uplift, which is parallel to and closely related to the Wichita-Amarillo uplift of Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. While the presence of a great majority of the numerous oil fields of the area is traceable to this feature, the production

Jan 1, 1938

By Lewis W. MacNaughton

The North Texas district, as herein defined, includes the counties of Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cooke, Foard, Hardeman, Knox, Montague, Wichita, and Wil-barger. This area covers generally the crest and south flank of a system of buried mountains known as the Red River uplift. The oil and gas accumulations along this feature are in traps, which, although localized by structures incident to the regional uplift, are usually modified by stratigraphic changes in the sediments. Excepting the fields in southeastern Baylor, southern Archer, and southwestern Clay Counties, all the fields within the district are on this Red River uplift. These exceptions, which have the same type of oil and gas accumulation as the other fields, are on the extreme north end of the Bend arch, which is a broad anticline plunging northward from the Llano uplift in central Texas to Archer County. The larger part of past oil and gas production has come from Pennsylvanian strata, with less important amounts from the Permian, and minor but increasingly important quantities from the Ordovician. Developments during 1940 The encouraging outcome of exploration and development in Montague and Cooke Counties and generally greater activity throughout the district resulted in the drilling of some 1700 wells during 1940, about 350 more wells than were drilled in 1939. Approximately 1250 of these tests were completed as oil wells. Production likewise increased during I940 to the extent of 8 million barrels more than the 25 1/2 million barrels produced in 1939. In spite of this large increase in production, known oil reserves again increased substantially. As is usually characteristic of this district, the new reserves were from a large number of fields, none of which were of such magnitude as to be important to the oil industry. Nevertheless, the Fargo field, Wilbarger County, deserves mention as one of the more important discoveries in this district during 1940. Following seismic surveys, the hmerada Petroleum Corporation located its No. I Goodpasture in sec. 35, block IS, H. and T. C. R. R. Co. survey, and drilled it to a total depth of 6717 ft. This well was completed in July 1940 through perforations in the casing from a pay between 3230 and 3252 ft. for an initial production of 241.5 bbl. on an 8-hr. pumping test. Other potential producing horizons were found in the Pennsyl-vanian at depths of 3960 to 3995 ft., 4208 to 11.234 ft., 4407 to 4422 ft., and in the Ordovician at 6300 ft. Wells completed to date in the several Pennsylvanian horizons have an average daily potential of 600 bbl. of oil. Although no wells have yet been completed in the Ellenburger dolomite (Ordovician), the discovery well swabbed I5 bbl. per hour from this formation before plugging back for completion in an upper horizon.

Jan 1, 1941

By Lewis W. MacNaughton

The North Texas district, as herein defined, includes the counties of Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cooke, Foard, Hardeman, Knox, Montague, Wichita, and Wil-barger. This area covers generally the crest and south flank of a system of buried mountains known as the Red River uplift. The oil and gas accumulations along this feature are in traps, which, although localized by structures incident to the regional uplift, are usually modified by stratigraphic changes in the sediments. Excepting the fields in southeastern Baylor, southern Archer, and southwestern Clay Counties, all the fields within the district are on this Red River uplift. These exceptions, which have the same type of oil and gas accumulation as the other fields, are on the extreme north end of the Bend arch, which is a broad anticline plunging northward from the Llano uplift in central Texas to Archer County. The larger part of past oil and gas production has come from Pennsylvanian strata, with less important amounts from the Permian, and minor but increasingly important quantities from the Ordovician. Developments during 1940 The encouraging outcome of exploration and development in Montague and Cooke Counties and generally greater activity throughout the district resulted in the drilling of some 1700 wells during 1940, about 350 more wells than were drilled in 1939. Approximately 1250 of these tests were completed as oil wells. Production likewise increased during I940 to the extent of 8 million barrels more than the 25 1/2 million barrels produced in 1939. In spite of this large increase in production, known oil reserves again increased substantially. As is usually characteristic of this district, the new reserves were from a large number of fields, none of which were of such magnitude as to be important to the oil industry. Nevertheless, the Fargo field, Wilbarger County, deserves mention as one of the more important discoveries in this district during 1940. Following seismic surveys, the hmerada Petroleum Corporation located its No. I Goodpasture in sec. 35, block IS, H. and T. C. R. R. Co. survey, and drilled it to a total depth of 6717 ft. This well was completed in July 1940 through perforations in the casing from a pay between 3230 and 3252 ft. for an initial production of 241.5 bbl. on an 8-hr. pumping test. Other potential producing horizons were found in the Pennsyl-vanian at depths of 3960 to 3995 ft., 4208 to 11.234 ft., 4407 to 4422 ft., and in the Ordovician at 6300 ft. Wells completed to date in the several Pennsylvanian horizons have an average daily potential of 600 bbl. of oil. Although no wells have yet been completed in the Ellenburger dolomite (Ordovician), the discovery well swabbed I5 bbl. per hour from this formation before plugging back for completion in an upper horizon.

Jan 1, 1941

By Alfred H. Bell

The year 1937 has been outstanding in the history of the Illinois oil industry. During the course of the year the state's daily production has been trebled, increasing from 12,000 bbl. per day at the beginning to 37,000 bbl. per day at the end, and the year's total, 7,426,000 bbl. is 66 per cent above the previous year's production of 4,475,000 bbl. The production in January was 368,000 bbl.; in December it was 1,085,000. Production from the old fields increased slightly. Most of the new production is from fields in the central part of the Illinois Basin, an area that for many years was considered unfavorable to the occurrence of oil and gas. The principal producing horizon of the new fields is the McClosky "sand," an oolitic limestone in the Ste. Genevieve formation of lower Mississippian age. Although development has not yet gone far enough to permit accurate estimates of oil reserves in the new fields, it is believed that they are of the order of 100,000,000 barrels. The following are the oil fields discovered in 1937 listed in order of amount of daily production at the end of the year; Noble (Richland County), Clay City, including Southeast Clay City (Clay and Wayne counties), Patoka (Marion County), New Centralia (Clinton County), Olney (Richland County), Cisne (Wayne County),.Beecher City (Fayette County), and Rinard (Wayne County). One gas field, the Russellville, in Lawrence County, was discovered in 1937. For locations of the new fields see Fig. 1. A generalized geologic column for Illinois, showing producing horizons in the new fields, is given in Fig. 2. The total productive area of the new fields at the end of 1937 was 1712 acres, in which 230 wells were producing. Thisrty-five dry holes were drilled within 1/4 mile of producing wells. At the end of the year there were 19 drilling wells, 28 rigs standing, 18 rigging up and 4 new locations in these fields. In the whole state 447 wells were completed, of which 284 were oil producers and three gas producers. Total initial daily production of

Jan 1, 1938

By C. E. Shoenfelt

The outstanding development in the Rocky Mountain region for 1937 was the discovery of oil on the Wilson Creek dome in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, in the Morrison formation of Jurassic age. This discovery opens up a vast territory to exploitation and definitely establishes the western slope of Colorado as one of the region's more important oil areas. In former years, a large number of structures on the western slope were tested dry in Upper Cretaceous rocks but are now believed to hold possibilities in older formations, and a number of such structures are in line for drilling in 1938.

Jan 1, 1938

By Alfred H. Bell, George V. Cohee

Illinois produced 146,788,000 bbl. of oil in 1940, or nearly 11.0 per cent of the total for the United States, and ranked fourth among the oil-producing states. Its production was only slightly less than that of Oklahoma, which produced 11.5 per cent of the national total. Illinois' production in 1940 represents an increase of 55 per cent over the previous year, when it amounted to 94,912,000 barrels. The development of the Devonian limestone in the Salem and Centralia fields is largely responsible for the increase in production during 1940 Production from the Devonian limestone in these two fields was estimated to be 36,698,000 bbl., or 25 per cent of the state's total production (Table I). The increase in production during June, when the state's daily average production attained a peak of 518,200 bbl. for the week ending June 29, was due to the Devonian production at Centralia (Fig. I). The initial production of the best Devonian wells in the Centralia field was as high as 12,000 bbl. in 24 hr. Daily average production in IIIinois for 1940 was 400,000 bbl. of oil, but actually daily production fluctuated widely during the year. At the beginning of 1940 daily production was approximately 330,000 bbl. During the first hali of the year it in-creased irregularly to the peak in June mentioned above and as the prolific Devonian producing areas were drilled up, the state's daily production declined rapidly during July and continued to decline, although more slowly, until the end of the year, when the daily production was approximately 325,000 bbl. The daily average production per well in the new fields at the end of the year was approximately 40 bbl. (Fig. I). Oil from the Devonian was also produced in the Bartelso field, Clinton County, the Sandoval field, Marion County, and the Irvington field, Washington County, bringing the estimated total production from the Devonian limestone to about 26 per cent of the state's total production, The remainder was obtained largely from the Mississippian system. About 2 per cent of the total was from Pennsylvanian and Ordovician strata. The decline in the Devonian limestone production has been so rapid that the 1941 output from this system will probably be only a small fraction of that of 1940 unless large new reserves are discovered. The "Trenton" (Ordovician) limestone has been tested in two wells in the Centralia field and both were small oil producers at a depth of about 4000 it. The "Trenton" also was found productive in the Salem field at a depth of 4500 ft. (Table 5). The initial production of the discovery well, which was completed shortly after the end of the year, was 130 bbl. on pump. Other wells drilled early in 1941 had initial productions averaging 172 barrels. The outlook for 1941 is for a continuation of drilling activity in Illinois, but at a declining rate (Fig. I, upper curve). The most active area at the end of 1940 was in the deep basin area in Wabash, Edwards, White, and Hamilton Counties.

Jan 1, 1941

By Alfred H. Bell, George V. Cohee

Illinois produced 146,788,000 bbl. of oil in 1940, or nearly 11.0 per cent of the total for the United States, and ranked fourth among the oil-producing states. Its production was only slightly less than that of Oklahoma, which produced 11.5 per cent of the national total. Illinois' production in 1940 represents an increase of 55 per cent over the previous year, when it amounted to 94,912,000 barrels. The development of the Devonian limestone in the Salem and Centralia fields is largely responsible for the increase in production during 1940 Production from the Devonian limestone in these two fields was estimated to be 36,698,000 bbl., or 25 per cent of the state's total production (Table I). The increase in production during June, when the state's daily average production attained a peak of 518,200 bbl. for the week ending June 29, was due to the Devonian production at Centralia (Fig. I). The initial production of the best Devonian wells in the Centralia field was as high as 12,000 bbl. in 24 hr. Daily average production in IIIinois for 1940 was 400,000 bbl. of oil, but actually daily production fluctuated widely during the year. At the beginning of 1940 daily production was approximately 330,000 bbl. During the first hali of the year it in-creased irregularly to the peak in June mentioned above and as the prolific Devonian producing areas were drilled up, the state's daily production declined rapidly during July and continued to decline, although more slowly, until the end of the year, when the daily production was approximately 325,000 bbl. The daily average production per well in the new fields at the end of the year was approximately 40 bbl. (Fig. I). Oil from the Devonian was also produced in the Bartelso field, Clinton County, the Sandoval field, Marion County, and the Irvington field, Washington County, bringing the estimated total production from the Devonian limestone to about 26 per cent of the state's total production, The remainder was obtained largely from the Mississippian system. About 2 per cent of the total was from Pennsylvanian and Ordovician strata. The decline in the Devonian limestone production has been so rapid that the 1941 output from this system will probably be only a small fraction of that of 1940 unless large new reserves are discovered. The "Trenton" (Ordovician) limestone has been tested in two wells in the Centralia field and both were small oil producers at a depth of about 4000 it. The "Trenton" also was found productive in the Salem field at a depth of 4500 ft. (Table 5). The initial production of the discovery well, which was completed shortly after the end of the year, was 130 bbl. on pump. Other wells drilled early in 1941 had initial productions averaging 172 barrels. The outlook for 1941 is for a continuation of drilling activity in Illinois, but at a declining rate (Fig. I, upper curve). The most active area at the end of 1940 was in the deep basin area in Wabash, Edwards, White, and Hamilton Counties.

Jan 1, 1941

By G. F. Fix

Oil and gas activity reached a higher peak in Indiana during 1940 than for any like period during the past decade. Major activity, as during 1939, was in the southwestern part of the state, the Indiana portion of the Eastern Interior Coal Basin, where most of the increase was due to field drilling in previously proven areas. The amount of wildcat drilling was about the same as for 1939. No new fields of any apparent consequence were discovered during the year, with the possible exception of the College pool, in southwest Posey County. Only one well had been completed in this area at the end of the year. About 10 ft. of saturated Aux Vases sandstone was drilled in this well and the initial production was I00 bbl. of oil a day. Other discoveries during the year 1940 include: St. Thomas, in southwestern Knox County, where four McClosky wells, ranging from I00 to 300 bbl. a day initially, were com-pleted; Buff kin, in central Posey County, with 11 oil wells and 5 gas wells completed; and new developments in two old areas —Randolph County (part of the old Trenton field) and Gentryville, northwestern Spencer County, where some oil was found many years ago. The St. Thomas field proved disappoint-ing, with very spotty production from the McClosky horizon of the St. Genevieve limestone at a depth of about 1875 ft. The discovery well flowed 362 bbl. a day ini-tially. At the end of the year the field was pretty well outlined by dry holes and some inside locations were dry. The Buffkin pool also proved spotty, with production from shallow Pennsylvanian sands and from the Basal Pennsylvanian Mansfield sandstone, the latter at a depth of approximately I175 ft., with small production from the Cypress sandstone of Chester age. Oil wells in this pool are small, ranging from 25 to 75 bbl. a day. The Randolph County area, on the east side of the Trenton gas field, showed some promise for a commercial gas field, with four completed gas wells having cumulative initial flows of about 1,200,ooo cu. ft. a day. The area appar-ently was not depleted during the Trenton boom at the turn of the century, since casing pressures are about as high as the virgin pressure in the old field. Elsewhere the pressure has dropped as low as 5 pounds. The Griffin field received most of the drilling during 1940, with 163 completed oil wells. This field now covers about 3200 acres on the Indiana side of the Wabash River and is not as yet completely delimited. It produced the major part of Indiana's oil during the year—a total of 3,594,000 bbl. At the end of 1940, there were 253 producing wells in Griffin. New Harmony had five completions for a total of 24. The Rockport field, in Spencer County, continued to be actively developed and had a total of 45 gas wells and 9 oil wells at the end of the year. Oil in commercial quantities had not been found in the field previous to 1940. Total gas production for the year was 394,470,000 cubic feet. In all, 521 wells were drilled in the state during 1940, as compared to 377 for 1939. Of this number 248 were oil wells, 77 were gas wells and 196 were dry. Divided into

Jan 1, 1941

By G. F. Fix

Oil and gas activity reached a higher peak in Indiana during 1940 than for any like period during the past decade. Major activity, as during 1939, was in the southwestern part of the state, the Indiana portion of the Eastern Interior Coal Basin, where most of the increase was due to field drilling in previously proven areas. The amount of wildcat drilling was about the same as for 1939. No new fields of any apparent consequence were discovered during the year, with the possible exception of the College pool, in southwest Posey County. Only one well had been completed in this area at the end of the year. About 10 ft. of saturated Aux Vases sandstone was drilled in this well and the initial production was I00 bbl. of oil a day. Other discoveries during the year 1940 include: St. Thomas, in southwestern Knox County, where four McClosky wells, ranging from I00 to 300 bbl. a day initially, were com-pleted; Buff kin, in central Posey County, with 11 oil wells and 5 gas wells completed; and new developments in two old areas —Randolph County (part of the old Trenton field) and Gentryville, northwestern Spencer County, where some oil was found many years ago. The St. Thomas field proved disappoint-ing, with very spotty production from the McClosky horizon of the St. Genevieve limestone at a depth of about 1875 ft. The discovery well flowed 362 bbl. a day ini-tially. At the end of the year the field was pretty well outlined by dry holes and some inside locations were dry. The Buffkin pool also proved spotty, with production from shallow Pennsylvanian sands and from the Basal Pennsylvanian Mansfield sandstone, the latter at a depth of approximately I175 ft., with small production from the Cypress sandstone of Chester age. Oil wells in this pool are small, ranging from 25 to 75 bbl. a day. The Randolph County area, on the east side of the Trenton gas field, showed some promise for a commercial gas field, with four completed gas wells having cumulative initial flows of about 1,200,ooo cu. ft. a day. The area appar-ently was not depleted during the Trenton boom at the turn of the century, since casing pressures are about as high as the virgin pressure in the old field. Elsewhere the pressure has dropped as low as 5 pounds. The Griffin field received most of the drilling during 1940, with 163 completed oil wells. This field now covers about 3200 acres on the Indiana side of the Wabash River and is not as yet completely delimited. It produced the major part of Indiana's oil during the year—a total of 3,594,000 bbl. At the end of 1940, there were 253 producing wells in Griffin. New Harmony had five completions for a total of 24. The Rockport field, in Spencer County, continued to be actively developed and had a total of 45 gas wells and 9 oil wells at the end of the year. Oil in commercial quantities had not been found in the field previous to 1940. Total gas production for the year was 394,470,000 cubic feet. In all, 521 wells were drilled in the state during 1940, as compared to 377 for 1939. Of this number 248 were oil wells, 77 were gas wells and 196 were dry. Divided into

Jan 1, 1941

By Coleman D. Hunter, George M. Straughan

Oil and gas development as well as extensive leasing in Kentucky during 1940 has shown a marked improvement over the past three years.$ The most noticeable improvement is the gas development in eastern Kentucky and the deep tests being drilled by major oil interests. In western Kentucky, 406 wells were drilled, of which 173 were oil producers, 12 were gas wells and 221 were dry or abandoned. The number of dry tests was large, because no important, new oil or gas pool was discovered and many of the dry holes could be considered wildcat tests. However, with either oil or gas possibilities from Pennsylvanian formations on through Mississippian, Silurian, Devonian, and Ordovician, this percentage of dry holes seems rather high. Many of the dry tests possibly should have been tested in deeper horizons before being abandoned: namely, Silurian and Ordovician ages. In eastern Kentucky, 213 wells were drilled, of which 113 were gas producers, 61 were oil wells, and 39 were dry holes. Of these wells, 117 were drilled in the most important Big Sandy gas field, in Floyd, Pike, Knott and Martin Counties, and of this number 103 were gas producers, 5 were oil wells, and 9 were dry holes. In the Big Sinking oil field of Estill, Lee and Powell Counties, 70 of the remaining 96 wells were drilled, j6 being oil producers. During 1940, four deep tests were drilled in eastern Kentucky. One test penetrated the Knox dolomite in Knox County and was dry; no St. Peter sand was encountered. Another test in Lee County had some gas in what might be called St. Peter sand, according to the State Department, and also some gas deeper in the Knox dolomite. In Wolfe County, a small oil well was completed in the Ordovician, which was undoubtedly of Trenton age. ilt the present time, four deep tests are being drilled, all of which will go to the Knox dolomite. In Elliott County, on the Burke dome, the Inland Gas Co, is drilling at 3650 ft. In Magoffin County, on the Paint Creek uplift, the Cumberland Petroleum Co. is drilling at 3800 ft. In Clark County, in the Ruckerville fault area, W. 0. Allen is drilling at 1800 ft. In Laurel County, on the Sinking Creek dome, the Globe Oil and Gas Co. is drilling at I750 ft. If production is encountered in the Trenton, St. Peter, or Knox dolomite in any of these tests, eastern Kentucky will experience a marked increase in deep development.

Jan 1, 1941

By George M. Straughan, Coleman D. Hunter

Oil and gas development as well as extensive leasing in Kentucky during 1940 has shown a marked improvement over the past three years.$ The most noticeable improvement is the gas development in eastern Kentucky and the deep tests being drilled by major oil interests. In western Kentucky, 406 wells were drilled, of which 173 were oil producers, 12 were gas wells and 221 were dry or abandoned. The number of dry tests was large, because no important, new oil or gas pool was discovered and many of the dry holes could be considered wildcat tests. However, with either oil or gas possibilities from Pennsylvanian formations on through Mississippian, Silurian, Devonian, and Ordovician, this percentage of dry holes seems rather high. Many of the dry tests possibly should have been tested in deeper horizons before being abandoned: namely, Silurian and Ordovician ages. In eastern Kentucky, 213 wells were drilled, of which 113 were gas producers, 61 were oil wells, and 39 were dry holes. Of these wells, 117 were drilled in the most important Big Sandy gas field, in Floyd, Pike, Knott and Martin Counties, and of this number 103 were gas producers, 5 were oil wells, and 9 were dry holes. In the Big Sinking oil field of Estill, Lee and Powell Counties, 70 of the remaining 96 wells were drilled, j6 being oil producers. During 1940, four deep tests were drilled in eastern Kentucky. One test penetrated the Knox dolomite in Knox County and was dry; no St. Peter sand was encountered. Another test in Lee County had some gas in what might be called St. Peter sand, according to the State Department, and also some gas deeper in the Knox dolomite. In Wolfe County, a small oil well was completed in the Ordovician, which was undoubtedly of Trenton age. ilt the present time, four deep tests are being drilled, all of which will go to the Knox dolomite. In Elliott County, on the Burke dome, the Inland Gas Co, is drilling at 3650 ft. In Magoffin County, on the Paint Creek uplift, the Cumberland Petroleum Co. is drilling at 3800 ft. In Clark County, in the Ruckerville fault area, W. 0. Allen is drilling at 1800 ft. In Laurel County, on the Sinking Creek dome, the Globe Oil and Gas Co. is drilling at I750 ft. If production is encountered in the Trenton, St. Peter, or Knox dolomite in any of these tests, eastern Kentucky will experience a marked increase in deep development.

Jan 1, 1941

By C. D. Hunter, I. B. Browning, N. W. Shiarella

The oil industry in Kentucky during the year 1937 shows some improvement over that of 1936, although not to as marked a degree as 1936 over 1935. Oil in Eastern Kentucky In eastern Kentucky more than 150 new inside wells were completed in the pools of Estill, Powell and Lee Counties. Also, a number of wells were completed to be used as intake wells in repressuring operations. Repressuring is proving more successful in this area than was expected, as the producing formation was the Corniferous limestone. However, when the repressuring work was started, cores taken of this formation showed that the oil in the second and third pays was from a true sand, only the first pay in the top being a sandy lime formation. In the Weir sand fields of Magoffin, Johnson and Lawrence Counties, continued repressuring operations caused an increase in the quantity of oil. These operations and the completion of 20 new wells in the Maxon sand and the Big lime (Mississippian) in Martin and Floyd Counties produced an increase in the oil production from eastern Kentucky of 100,000 bbl. over that of 1936. As an illustration of what may yet be done in the fields of eastern Kentucky, one repressuring operation involving four oil wells and one pressure well produced an increase in production, or an additional recovery of 7200 bbl. of oil during the year. This amounts to a recovery of 2000 per acre for the 3.6 acres involved. In other fields of eastern Kentucky, as in the Corniferous pools of Estill, Powell and Lee Counties, increases in the runs are noted as follows: In the area of the Estill County pool from which the oil passes through the Revena pumping station, the production in 1935 was 88,175 bbl.; in 1936, was 102,849 bbl.; and in 1937 was 107,704 bbl. This pool was

Jan 1, 1938

By Theron Wasson

No major oil-field discoveries were made County; the second in Marion township, in Michigan during the year 1940. Produc- Osceola County. Both are producing from tion for the year was maintained by the Stray sand at about 1350 ft. These discoveries made in 1938 and, as a result, is fields are on structures founci by core test-below the total for 1939. Several extensions ing through the glacial drift. The Six Lakes to old fields have been made, which have field, Montcalm County, discovered in helped to maintain production in the face 1934, is Michigan's largest gas-producing of rather rapid decline in the fields of the field. it has 195 wells producing from the southwestern part of the state. Important Michigan Stray sandstone and the Upper extensions were made in Overisel, Porter, Marshall sandstone. This field was devel-Sherman, and Adams fields. Important oil oped on a 40-acre spacing plan, and gas fields of the state are shown on the -map, Fig. I. WiI~dcat Drilling Michigan's production of 19,700,000 bbl. A test in sec. 29, Winterfield township, during 1940 was 3,800,000 bbl. less than Clare County, which is producing oil from the total for 1939, but about one million the Monroe of Devonian age at a depth of greater than 1938. This brings the total 3760 ft., and a well in sec. 31, Lincoln accumulated production for the state to a township, Osceola County, producing from little over 145,000,000 bbl. the Monroe at 3625 it., should be classed as wildcats that are sure to lead to further Active Oil Fields development in I94L The leading producer for the year was the At the end of the year the Gulf Refining Temple field, Clare County, where 29 new Company's deep test on the Kawkawlin wells were drilled. The Walker field, Kent structure in Monitor township, Bay County, was second, but drilled 183 new County, was preparing to drill deeper after wells in order to gain that position. In the having had a gas blowout from a depth of extension of the Overisel field in Allegan 7775 ft. This test is the most important one County, 115 new producers were drilled. drilling at the end of the year in Michigan, The Adams field, Arenac County, was for should it develop commercial produc- revived by several wells with initial production from deeper beds it will lead to deeper tions of over 1000 bbl. per day from the drilling on many well-known structures Dundee of Devonian age. that have been producing from shallower sands. Active Gas Fields Two important gas fields were discovered Exploration by Taggart Brothers during the year. The A small amount of reflection seismograph first was in Riverside township, Missaukee work was done in Clare, Osceola, and Glad-Win Counties during the year. Exploration Manuscript received at the office of the Institute March 28 1941 by shallow drilling for structural informa- tion on beds below the glacial drift con- 347

Jan 1, 1941

By Theron Wasson

No major oil-field discoveries were made County; the second in Marion township, in Michigan during the year 1940. Produc- Osceola County. Both are producing from tion for the year was maintained by the Stray sand at about 1350 ft. These discoveries made in 1938 and, as a result, is fields are on structures founci by core test-below the total for 1939. Several extensions ing through the glacial drift. The Six Lakes to old fields have been made, which have field, Montcalm County, discovered in helped to maintain production in the face 1934, is Michigan's largest gas-producing of rather rapid decline in the fields of the field. it has 195 wells producing from the southwestern part of the state. Important Michigan Stray sandstone and the Upper extensions were made in Overisel, Porter, Marshall sandstone. This field was devel-Sherman, and Adams fields. Important oil oped on a 40-acre spacing plan, and gas fields of the state are shown on the -map, Fig. I. WiI~dcat Drilling Michigan's production of 19,700,000 bbl. A test in sec. 29, Winterfield township, during 1940 was 3,800,000 bbl. less than Clare County, which is producing oil from the total for 1939, but about one million the Monroe of Devonian age at a depth of greater than 1938. This brings the total 3760 ft., and a well in sec. 31, Lincoln accumulated production for the state to a township, Osceola County, producing from little over 145,000,000 bbl. the Monroe at 3625 it., should be classed as wildcats that are sure to lead to further Active Oil Fields development in I94L The leading producer for the year was the At the end of the year the Gulf Refining Temple field, Clare County, where 29 new Company's deep test on the Kawkawlin wells were drilled. The Walker field, Kent structure in Monitor township, Bay County, was second, but drilled 183 new County, was preparing to drill deeper after wells in order to gain that position. In the having had a gas blowout from a depth of extension of the Overisel field in Allegan 7775 ft. This test is the most important one County, 115 new producers were drilled. drilling at the end of the year in Michigan, The Adams field, Arenac County, was for should it develop commercial produc- revived by several wells with initial production from deeper beds it will lead to deeper tions of over 1000 bbl. per day from the drilling on many well-known structures Dundee of Devonian age. that have been producing from shallower sands. Active Gas Fields Two important gas fields were discovered Exploration by Taggart Brothers during the year. The A small amount of reflection seismograph first was in Riverside township, Missaukee work was done in Clare, Osceola, and Glad-Win Counties during the year. Exploration Manuscript received at the office of the Institute March 28 1941 by shallow drilling for structural informa- tion on beds below the glacial drift con- 347

Jan 1, 1941

By Henry N. Toler

Activity in the search for oil and gas in Mississippi was greater than it had been for several years. Interest manifested and exploration work in wildcat areas were at an all-time peak. Drilling activity in the state's two proven fields continued to decline; there being only four wells drilled in the Jackson field during the year. At the end of 1937 it seems very likely that 1938 will be a big year in the search for oil in Mississippi. Deilling Activity Jackson Gas Field.—The four wells drilled in the Jackson field during 1937 resulted in three producers and one dry hole. Nine producing gas wells were abandoned during the year because of salt-water encroachment. The total production for 1937 was 14,248,000,000 cu. ft., which was a billion and a quarter increase over 1936, the highest year prior to 1937. The grand total produced from the field is 72,341,000,000 cu. ft. of gas and over 15,000 bbl. of oil. The three wells that had produced oil the past few years were also abandoned during the year because of the small quantity of oil and the large volume of salt water.

Jan 1, 1938

By H. M. Morse

During the year of 1940, wildcat wells were drilled in 32 counties of Mississippi; 85 wells in all. These were scattered over the state from the most northern county to the southern counties and from the Mississippi River on the west to the Alabama line on the east. Yazoo County, with 19, received the largest number. The average depth of all the wells was 5333 ft. The shallowest well completed as a dry hole was in Yalobusha County, aban-doned at 1392 ft. in the Selma. The deepest well drilled was in Scott County, abandoned at 10,365 ft. in the Lower Cretaceous Paluxy. G. C. Grasty drilled the Kentucky Lumber Company No. I well, sec. 7, T. 10 S., R. 10 E., Itawamba County, to a depth of 3530 ft. and bottomed his hole in the Ordivician. Tinsley Oil Field.—In the Tinsley oil field 104 wells were completed as producers during 1940. Five producing sands have been logged with a total average thickness of I57 ft. of oil sand. One of these sands is in the Selma, three in the Eutaw, and one in the Tuscaloosa. Vaughan-Pickens Field.—The Vaughan-

Jan 1, 1941

By H. M. Morse

During the year of 1940, wildcat wells were drilled in 32 counties of Mississippi; 85 wells in all. These were scattered over the state from the most northern county to the southern counties and from the Mississippi River on the west to the Alabama line on the east. Yazoo County, with 19, received the largest number. The average depth of all the wells was 5333 ft. The shallowest well completed as a dry hole was in Yalobusha County, aban-doned at 1392 ft. in the Selma. The deepest well drilled was in Scott County, abandoned at 10,365 ft. in the Lower Cretaceous Paluxy. G. C. Grasty drilled the Kentucky Lumber Company No. I well, sec. 7, T. 10 S., R. 10 E., Itawamba County, to a depth of 3530 ft. and bottomed his hole in the Ordivician. Tinsley Oil Field.—In the Tinsley oil field 104 wells were completed as producers during 1940. Five producing sands have been logged with a total average thickness of I57 ft. of oil sand. One of these sands is in the Selma, three in the Eutaw, and one in the Tuscaloosa. Vaughan-Pickens Field.—The Vaughan-

Jan 1, 1941

By Eugene S. Perry

The oil and gas industries in Montana continued through the year of 1937 with but little change. No new fields were discovered, and production of old fields did not vary greatly. No outstanding wildcat wells were drilled. Perhaps most notable were extensions in the western part of the Kevin-Sunburst field. Acid treatment of wells in the Kevin and Pondera fields continued with gratifying results.

Jan 1, 1938

By E. H. Wells, A. Andreas

New Mexico retained its position as the sixth largest oil-producing state for the year 1937 with a total production of 38,484,630 bbl. This was an increase of 11,680,184 bbl. over the 1936 production of 26,804,446 bbl., or a gain of 43 per cent. The production for Lea County during 1937 was 35,961,056 bbl.; for Eddy County, 2,136,251 bbl.; and for northwestern New Mexico (San Juan and McKinley Counties), 387,323 bbl. The average daily non-marginal well allowable for Lea County on Jan. 1, 1937, was 92 bbl.; at the close of the year it was 67 bbl. The average daily pipe-line runs were less than the allocations of the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission, but slightly in excess of the state allowables recommended by the United States Bureau of Mines. The average daily production for the year was 105,437 barrels. The total number of completions in the state was 742, of which 638 were oil wells; 19 hydrocarbon gas wells; 5 carbon dioxide gas wells and 80 dry holes. Of the dry holes, 46 were in proven fields. Of these 46 dry holes, 13 were in the Artesia-Grayburg-Jackson-Maljamar area, Eddy County, two in the Getty Extension field, Eddy County, 11 in the Red Mountain field, McKinley County, three in the Rattlesnake field, San Juan County, and nine in the Aztec-Bloomfield area, San Juan County. There were only eight dry holes in the proven fields in Lea County. Southeastern New Mexico Lea County.—The Monument field was the largest producing field in Lea County, with 10,945,788 bbl., closely followed by the Eunice field with 10,927,929 bbl. The Hobbs field, formerly the largest producing field in Lea County, was relegated to third .place, with 7,292,522 barrels. Drjlling during the year closed the gap between the northern part of the Eunice field and the southern part of the Monument field. The wells in this area were relatively small, because of decreased porosity in the lime. The greatest activity in Lea County was in the Monument pool, with 199 completions, 197 being oil wells, one a gas well and one a dry hole.

Jan 1, 1938