ABSTRACT
The Upper Gulf Coast District of Texas is composed of 29 counties in the southeastern part of the state. It is identical with the Texas Railroad Commission District No. 3.
A total of 1,552 wells were drilled in 1951 resulting in 1,025 producers, a successful completion rate of 66 per cent. Of these, 238 were drilled in search of new structures. Thirty-seven new fields were discovered including 15 oil fields, 18 gas-distillate fields, and 4 gas fields. All of these appear to be of minor importance.
Drilling in old fields continued to add more new reserves than new field discoveries. Thirteen hundred fourteen wells were drilled on known structures of which 988 were successfully completed.
The total oil and condensate production in 1951 amounted to 180,401,000 barrels, which is an increase of 20 per cent over the year 1950.
Geophysical activity totaled 2,199 crew weeks, of which 90 per cent is reflection seismograph time. Seismic exploration in the Gulf of Mexico increased during 1951.
The reflection seismograph used in conjunction with subsurface geology was the most successful exploration method.
Development in 1952 should be favorably comparable with that in 1951. Wildcat prospecting for deep producing structures will continue.
