Developments in East Texas, Arkansas, and North Louisiana in 1964

Abstract

In East Texas, exploratory and development drilling activity increased slightly more than one per cent above 1963. There were 1,005 wells drilled, or 13 more than in 1963. A total of 283 exploratory wells was drilled, of which 18.75 per cent were successful. There were 21 new fields discovered and 22 successful field extensions. Geophysical activity amounted to 1,547 crew-weeks, a decrease of 34 crew-weeks from 1963. Gravity work increased markedly, from 15 crew-weeks in 1963 to 113 crew-weeks in 1964. Core drill activity amounted to 30 crew-weeks, 21 more than in 1963. The counties experiencing the largest lease plays were Robertson, Cass, and Upshur. The remainder of this report is a summary of activities in that part of the Gulf coastal province which is in North Louisiana and Arkansas, and the Paleozoic area of northwestern Arkansas. These areas include 26 parishes of North Louisiana and all of Arkansas. In North Louisiana, 2,939 wells were drilled, or 66 less than the record-breaking year of 1963. There were 1,444 oil wells completed, 233 gas wells, and 1,262 dry holes. Wild-catting accounted for 400 completions. The total footage drilled in North Louisiana during 1964 was 8,683,930 feet. Fields discovered were double the figure for the previous year. A total of 22 new oil fields and 6 new gas fields was discovered. There were 5 oil fields discovered in Avoyelles Parish, 2 in Bossier, 1 in Caddo, 3 in Catahoula, 7 in Concordia, 1 in Franklin, 2 in LaSalle, and 1 in Tensas. Gas discoveries were made in Bienville, Caldwell, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Sabine, and Winn Parishes. Thirteen of the oil discoveries were in Wilcox Group reservoirs, 3 in the Sparta Formation, 2 in the Tuscaloosa, a d 1 each in the Buckrange, Cockfield, Paluxy, and Haynesville Formations. Three gas fields were discovered in reservoirs of the Wilcox Group, 1 in the Austin Chalk, 1 in the Pettet, and one in the Hosston Formation. During 1964 there were 429 wells drilled in Arkansas, a decline of 7.9 per cent from 1963. Of the successful completions, 174 were oil-productive and 48 were gas-productive. From these successes, 4 new oil fields and 3 new gas fields were established. Two of the gas fields are in the Arkoma basin of northwest-central Arkansas. The overall drilling program in Arkansas was 51.8 per cent successful; wildcat wells were 10.9 per cent successful. Total footage drilled was 1,601,607 feet. Exploratory activity probably will increase slightly in Arkansas during 1965, and should remain about the same in North Louisiana.