Developments in southeastern states in 1952

In the states of the Southeastern District-Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi-2,253 geophysical and core-drill crew-weeks were worked in 1952. This was an increase of 1,084 crew weeks over the total for 1951. The total number of wildcat wells increased from 175 in 1951 to 241 in 1952, while development wells decreased from 261 in 1951 to 193 in 1952. The increased exploratory effort resulted in the discovery of 19 new fields and one new salt dome. Drilling in and near established fields resulted in 11 new pools and 5 extensions to fields. Total oil and distillate production for the year was 38,018,918 barrels. Gas production was 171,694 MMCF in Mississippi with only small unrecorded amounts of casinghead gas produced in Alabama and Florida. Forty-two wildcat wells were drilled in Alabama in 1952, resulting in one new oil field. In all, 25 development wells were completed as producers and 4 as dry holes. Drilling in the Pollard field resulted in the discovery of 2 new pools. Yearly production of 1,151,236 barrels of crude oil brought the cumulative total to 4,931,097 barrels. The geophysical and core-drill crew-weeks totaled 651, an increase of 340 over the 1951 figure. In Florida 10 wildcat wells were drilled during the year with no new discoveries. No development wells were drilled. The yearly production of crude oil was 591,855 barrels, bringing the cumulative total to 2,743,462 barrels. Geophysical and core-drill crew-weeks jumped from 46 in 1951 to 485 in 1952. No wildcat wells were completed in Georgia at year's end and no geophysical or core-drill crew-weeks were reported for the state. In Mississippi 189 wildcats were drilled, resulting in 16 new oil fields, 2 gas fields, and one new salt dome. Development in proved to semiproved areas totaled 164 wells. This figure represents 93 producers and 71 dry holes. Included in the producers are 9 new pools and 5 field extensions. Oil and distillate production for the year was 36,275,827 barrels, a decline of 3,657,173 barrels. Cumulative oil and distillate production to date is 365,766,687 barrels. A total of 171,694 MMCF gas was produced, bringing the cumulative production for gas to 744,203 MMCF. Geophysical and core-drill activity jumped from 812 crew-weeks in 1951 to 1,117 in 1952.