Developments in Texas Panhandle in 1947

The Panhandle district includes the 25 northwestern counties in Texas. Ten of these counties produce oil or gas. There was an increase in drilling in 1947 as compared with 1946. In 1947 429 wells were completed. Of these 240 were oil wells, 178 were gas wells, and 22 were dry and abandoned. No new fields or producing formations were discovered. However, the Phillips Petroleum Company's Elton No. 1 in west-central Hansford County was temporarily abandoned after swabbing 22 barrels of oil and 215 barrels of water in 24 hours from 6,138-6,165 feet, a Pennsylvanian granite wash zone. In 1947 the Panhandle field produced 29.8 million barrels of oil, approximately equalling the 1946 oil production. Gas production was 834.76 billion cubic feet. Two exploratory wells, the Phillips Petroleum Company's Virginia No. 1 in Hansford County and the Union Producing Company's Glenn No. 1 in Collingsworth County were drilled to the granite. The areas of intense leasing were Castro County in the southwest part of the district, and Wheeler, Hemphill, Roberts, and Lipscomb counties in the northeast part of the district. Geophysical operations were concentrated in these areas. There was an increase in seismic and core-drill exploration methods over previous years.