Annual oil production for this area during 1940 increased by 3,546,270 barrels, or 7.6 per cent over the figure of the previous year. South Arkansas produced 25,790,380 barrels and North Louisiana 24,381,760 barrels, making a total of 50,172,140 barrels.

Of the 169 wells drilled in southern Arkansas, 53 were dry; 131 of the 651 North Louisiana wells were dry. Most of the wells in southern Arkansas were drilled to the Smackover formation, with the Hosston formation a close second. In northern Louisiana a great majority of the wells ended in the Gulf series, while the majority of the remaining wells ended in the Eocene series. Prospecting and development in southern Arkansas continued to point to the Smackover formation, while in northern Louisiana the search for Wilcox production predominated.

Southern Arkansas had one new gas-distillate field producing from the Smackover limestone, a new oil field producing from the Paluxy formation, and one producing from the Hosston formation. Northern Louisiana had two new oil fields and two new gas fields producing from the Wilcox formation, and one gas field in the Paluxy. A new field from the Hosston was in prospect at the end of the year.