Exploratory Drilling in 1949

Abstract

This is the fifth annual report on data gathered by the committee on statistics of exploratory drilling. During 1949, 9,058 exploratory holes were drilled in the United States. Of these 4,449 were new-field wildcats, 2,457 were new-pool tests (including new-pool wildcats, deeper-pool tests, and shallower-pool tests), and 2,152 were outposts. Among the new-field wildcats, 506 were successful; among the new-pool tests, 656 were successful; and among the outposts, 668 were successful. The total exploratory footage drilled in the United States in 1949 was 34,798,291 feet in the 9,058 holes, or 3,842 feet per hole. These figures compare with 32,741,097 feet drilled in 8,013 exploratory holes, with an average depth of 4,086 feet in 1948. For the second time we are presenting data on Canada and Mexico.