Oil and Gas Developments in South Texas in 1981

Abstract

The south Texas report includes 58 counties within Texas Railroad Commission Districts 1, 2, and 4, and portions of the Texas offshore. Overall exploratory activity decreased 9% from 1980 totals. District 1 experienced an increase in activity of 7%; in both Districts 2 and 4 there was a downturn of 9%. Average depth figures continued to increase; in Districts 1, 2, and 4, wells were drilled an average of 31%, 7%, and 4% deeper, respectively. The success rate of District 1 improved from 37% to 51%, whereas District 2 fell from 66% to 48% and District 4 remained the same at 60%. There were 27 new onshore Miocene reservoirs found; however, there were no new fields discovered. There were 272 Oligocene discoveries made onshore in 1981. In the Frio trend, successful exploratory activity was down 27% with 204 new reservoirs found. Vicksburg trend activity levels remained steady with 68 new discoveries made. Eocene discoveries totaled 168, down 23% from 1980 totals. The Wilcox Group, the dominant Eocene producing trend, was successfully explored for 109 new reservoirs. Activity in the Cretaceous trend was up 56% in 1981 with 148 discoveries made. The most concentrated drilling was in the Austin Chalk-Buda producing areas of Frio, Gonzales, and Wilson Counties. There were 2 Jurassic discoveries, 1 in McMullen County and the other in Bastrop County. Exploration activity in the south Texas offshore area resulted in the finding of 13 new reservoirs, 5 of which were new fields.