Developments in Louisiana Gulf Coast in 1958

Over-all activity in the Louisiana Gulf Coast during 1958 showed a decline from the previous year. Drilling operations showed a decrease of 13% from 1957. In all, 2,016 tests were drilled, 713 of which were exploratory tests (32.5% successful) and 1,303 of which were development wells (78.2% successful). New-field wildcats numbered 286 (17.4% successful) which resulted in the discovery of 51 new fields. Of the new fields, 15 were oil, 32 gas-condensate, and 4 gas discoveries. The Bonnet Carre field, St. John the Baptist Parish, and the North Fresh Water Bayou field, Vermilion Parish, were the most important onshore discoveries. South and east extensions to the Bay Marchand Block 2 field resulted in the most significant additions to offshore reserves, and the southward extensions to the Lake Barre field, Terrebonne Parish, constituted the most significant addition to onshore reserves. The discovery of oil and gas in the Calcasieu Lake field, Cameron Parish, was significant in the fact that prior to 1958 it was the last known piercement salt dome in the onshore Louisiana Gulf Coast to be unproductive. There were 162 new pools and 85 extensions to known fields discovered in 1958. Oil production decreased 4% and gas production increased 15% from that in 1957. The total of 914 reflection seismograph crew-months represent a decrease of 34% from the previous year. The total of 92 gravity crew-months represents a decline of 21%. There was an increase in the use of subsurface geology and a decrease in the use of the core drill. Deeper drilling in and adjacent to producing areas constituted a substantial part of the industry's exploratory effort. Strong exploratory efforts were made in the prolific Miocene-Pliocene trend in the southern parishes and adjacent offshore areas and in the deep Oligocene trend of central Southwest Louisiana. The average depth of successful new-field wildcats were 11,870 ft. There was no leasing activity in the offshore Louisiana area during 1958.