About This Item

Share This Item

The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

AAPG Bulletin

Abstract


Volume: 22 (1938)

Issue: 12. (December)

First Page: 1658

Last Page: 1681

Title: Geology of Bellevue Oil Field, Bossier Parish, Louisiana

Author(s): A. F. Crider (2)

Abstract:

The Bellevue oil field is in T. 19 N., R. 11 W., Bossier Parish, in the midst of the oil- and gas-producing area of northwestern Louisiana.

Although the presence of a structure was long suspected from surface geology, the field was discovered in 1921 by a systematic plan of core drilling which located the crest of the uplift and proved it as an oil field.

Geologically, Bellevue is probably a deep-seated salt dome in which salt has forced the overlying formations as much as 2,000 feet above their normal horizontal position. The deepest well on the structure is Harry Morgan's Smith No. 2, completed at a depth of 6,147 feet without encountering salt.

Bellevue is one of the outstanding shallow fields of northern Louisiana. The oil is produced from the Nacatoch sand at the shallow depth of 300-400 feet, with some gas and oil from the contact of the Upper and Lower Cretaceous at a depth of about 1,800 feet.

The economy of drilling to such a shallow depth and the prolific nature of the Nacatoch sand has made Bellevue approach the Utopia of the oil man's dream. On January 1, 1938, the field had produced a total of 9,860,430 barrels of oil from 900 acres, or an average of 10,996 barrels per acre, and for the year 1937, the field produced 280,130 barrels.

Depression conditions caused the field to be closed during the years 1932 and 1933. All wells were abandoned and casing was pulled from many of them. Production for the year previous to the shut-down, 1931, was 103,930 barrels and for the year 1937, with only a part of the field reworked, it had reached a total of 280,130 barrels. A re-drilling of one 80-acre tract, which was abandoned with casing pulled in 1932, to January 1, 1938, resulted in a total new production of 3,000 barrels per acre.

Pay-Per-View Purchase Options

The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.

Watermarked PDF Document: $14
Open PDF Document: $24

AAPG Member?

Please login with your Member username and password.

Members of AAPG receive access to the full AAPG Bulletin Archives as part of their membership. For more information, contact the AAPG Membership Department at [email protected].