Petroleum Developments in Africa in 1954

Abstract

Petroleum production in Africa declined to 15,241,492 barrels for 1954 as compared with 17,970,916 barrels in 1953. This decrease is largely due to the decline of the Asl field in Egypt. Production in French Morocco increased slightly, but production in Algeria declined. Gas production is recorded in 1954 from Tunisia and French Morocco. Exploration activity in Africa continued to increase in 1954. Important oil or gas discoveries were made in Algeria, Egypt, French Morocco, and Nigeria. A total of 786,473 feet of exploratory and development drilling was carried out during the year, exceeding all previous years, and 48 drilling rigs were in operation at the end of the year. Eighty-six exploratory wells and 69 development wells were drilled in Africa during the year. Exploratory drilling was 5.6 per cent successful and development drilling was 58 per cent successful. Exploratory work in party-months in Africa in 1954 was essentially as follows: surface geology 491, seismograph 317, gravity 126, magnetometer 23, electrical and telluric 11, and structure drilling 72. Active petroleum exploration was carried out in Algeria, Angola, Belgian Congo, Cameroun Egypt, Ethiopia, French Equatorial Africa, French West Africa, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, French Morocco, Spanish Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, British Somaliland, Sudan, Tanganyika, Tunisia, Union of South Africa, and Zanzibar.