Developments in upper Gulf Coast of Texas in 1959

This report covers the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas, located in the southeastern corner of the state and the adjacent Continental Shelf. The area includes twenty-nine counties, comprising Texas Railroad Commission District No. 3. There was a marked decrease in exploratory drilling on shore, while exploratory drilling offshore showed a lesser decline over 1958. The total number of both exploratory and field development wells drilled was slightly greater than in 1958. Oil production again declined in 1959. The Texas state-wide number of producing days in 1959 dropped to an average of 9.25 producing days per month compared to an average of 10.16 producing days during 1958 and 14.25 producing days in 1957. Gas production showed a slight increase over 1958. In 1959, forty-four new oil and gas fields were discovered. As in 1958, most of the discoveries were along the deep Frio, Yegua, and Wilcox (Eocene) formational trends. On the Continental Shelf, five wildcats were drilled in 1959 versus six in 1958, resulting in the discovery of two new fields. Exploration and drilling during 1960 is expected to center, as in the past several years, along the Frio, Yegua, and Wilcox trends.