Deep Sand Development at Barbers Hill, Chambers County, Texas

Abstract

The writers describe the development of this dome since 1924, which is the final date of the original article on this field by George Bevier. Barbers Hill is a large shallow salt dome located in the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain in the general vicinity of other productive salt domes. Oligocene sands have yielded wells of the gusher type from a 5,100-foot sand horizon for the past 15 months, after years of unprofitable exploration of shallower sands. A 10,000-barrel well from a depth of 6,416 feet on an undeveloped flank of the dome in a deeper horizon in a formation probably of Oligocene age indicates a new stratum, richer than those already found. Seventy-one deep producing wells have been drilled during this recent period. The total production for 1929 was 4,487,000 barrels. An exceptional condition is found on the northeast flank of the dome, where several hundred feet of cap rock and salt between the depths of 1,500 and 2,500 feet jut out from the main intrusive mass. Many wells have drilled through this and have found the sedimentary beds below, including oil sands, practically undisturbed by this overhanging mass. The general characteristics of the dome and flank formations are indicated by several cross sections. A map of the field shows the approximate inside limit of production. Production records and well histories are shown by graphs and tables.