Exploratory Drilling in 1953

Abstract

This is the ninth annual report on data gathered by the committee on statistics of exploratory drilling. During 1953, 13,313 exploratory holes were drilled in the United States. Of these 6,925 were new-field wildcats, 3,358 were new-pool tests (including new-pool wildcats, deeper-pool tests, and shallower-pool tests), and 3,030 were outposts. Among the new-field wildcats, 774 were successful; among the new-pool tests, 924 were successful; and among the outposts, 982 were successful. The total exploratory footage drilled in the United States in 1953 was 60,702,371 feet in the 13,313 holes, or 4,560 feet per hole. These figures compare with 55,615,389 feet drilled in 12,425 exploratory holes, with an average depth of 4,476 feet, in 1952. For the sixth time we are presenting data on Canada and Mexico.