Oil and Gas Developments in Southeastern States in 1988

Abstract

Total drilling activity in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, including both exploratory and development wells, increased 15.8% from 525 wells in 1987 to 608 wells in 1988. Exploratory drilling in 1988 in the southeastern states increased 29.9%. Of the 265 exploratory tests in 1988, 50 were successful for an 18.9% success rate. This compares to 1987's 47 successful completions of 204 tests and a 23.0% success rate. The Paleozoic trend of northeastern Mississippi and northwestern Alabama accounted for 34.0% of the exploratory tests. This active trend had 17 new-field discoveries in 1988 compared with 6 in 1987. The Jurassic trend, with 24.5% of the total exploratory effort, had 8 new-field discoveries in 1988 compared with 6 in 1987. The shallow Eocene Wilcox trend in southwestern Mississippi accounted for 16.6% of the exploratory tests. This trend had 3 new-field discoveries in 1988 compared to 5 in 1987. The Upper Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, and Miocene trends accounted, respectively, for 15.1%, 8.7%, and 1.1% of the total exploratory tests. Two new-field discoveries were reported in the Upper Cretaceous, 2 in the Lower Cretaceous, and 2 in the Miocene.