Developments in North and West-Central Texas in 1949

Abstract

During 1949, production in the North and West-Central Texas district increased to 69,562,241 barrels of oil, bringing the cumulative total for the district to 1,585,125,415 barrels; gas production totaled 94,819 MCF for the year. There were 4,732 wells drilled in the 37 counties which comprise the North and West-Central Texas district. In all, 1,547 exploratory tests were drilled, of which 344 were producers, a success of 22 per cent. One hundred thirty-eight new fields were discovered. Among the more important discoveries were: (1) Mississippian reef limestone discovery in Comanche County; (2) development of Strawn sand production from structural traps in the McGregor area and DeMoss field in Archer County; (3) development of Strawn sand production in several localities f Haskell County; and (4) the Ellenburger discoveries in the Boyd, Killen, and Post Oak areas of Jack County and in northeastern Fisher County. The seismograph continued as a leading exploration tool, being credited with 50 discoveries. Seismic work was concentrated in Jack, Wise, Haskell, Throckmorton, Knox, Stonewall, Fisher, and Nolan counties and in the southern part of the Fort Worth basin. Major leasing activity was confined to Stonewall, Knox, Haskell, and King counties and to the counties in the southern part of the Strawn basin. Much of the acreage leased was purchased before exploration.