ABSTRACT
Development during 1954 was somewhat less than in 1953. In all, 2,288 development wells were drilled as compared with 2,624 in 1953. Exploratory drilling was up approximately 10%, increasing from 1,011 wells drilled in 1953 to 1,107 during 1954. The number of successful new-field wildcats dropped from 123 in 1953 to 117 in 1954.
The continued high rate of development drilling during the past 2 years, along with the rejuvenation of old producing fields with sand-fracturing methods, has resulted in establishing a new oil production record of 46,241,638 barrels during 1954. The previous record was the 42,860,662 barrels of oil produced in 1953.
Geophysical activity increased slightly during 1954, with Fisher and Nolan counties accounting for the increase. Subsurface geological methods were credited with more than 80% of the new-field discoveries.
Callahan, Shackelford, Stephens, and Throckmorton counties led the district in the number of discoveries. Important new-field discoveries were “EA” Cambrian field in Nolan County, A. C. Scott field in Callahan County, and Greathouse field in Throckmorton County. Skelly No. 3-B Boyd, Cambrian sand discovery in the North Dora field of Nolan County, was the most important deeper-pool test drilled. This well, which had more than 120 feet of net effective pay in the Cambrian sand, gave impetus to the intense search for the prolific Cambrian sand production found along the “Cambrian trend” north and south along the eastern side of Nolan County.
The West-Central Texas District covers a 24-county area comprising Texas Railroad District 7-B (Fig. 1). All or part of six geological provinces (Fig. 1) are represented in this area. The six provinces have been previously described 3 as to their boundaries, general stratigraphy, and type structures.
