ABSTRACT
During 1948 there was an increase in both drilling activity and crude-oil production in Michigan. Of the 310 wildcat wells completed, 22 were successful, resulting in the discovery of 10 new oil fields, 4 new gas fields, and in the extension of 8 oil fields. New producing zones were discovered in 3 fields with 2 new producing zones occurring in one of these. The Pentwater field in Oceana County appears to be the most important discovery of the year, both from the standpoint of reserves and geological significance. At year’s end, 44 Dundee and 8 Traverse wells in this field were producing approximately 3,500 barrels per day. The new gas fields discovered are not of significant size.
Permits issued during 1948 were 918, an increase of 32 over the previous year. Total footage drilled was 2,120,000 feet, a 6 per cent increase over 1947. Wildcat footage, at 691,420 feet was up 11 per cent.
Oil production for 1948 was 16,871,046 barrels, an increase of 4 per cent over 1947, and marked the end of a 5-year decline. Gas production of 21,369,587,000 cubic feet was down 10 per cent, the first annual decrease in the history of Michigan gas production.
Core-drilling activity was far ahead of previous years, with 444 geological test permits issued; 304 of these were in the West Michigan district. Very little geophysical work was done.
The deepest test ever drilled in Michigan was completed in February, 1948, at the total depth of 11,012 feet in the Cambro-Ordovician. It was drilled in the West Branch field, Ogemaw County, by the Ohio Oil Company and the Pure Oil Company. No substantial showings of oil or gas were encountered.
