NEW YORK:
New development work in New York state during 1942, aside from secondary recovery operations, was confined principally to drilling for additional Oriskany gas supplies. There were 29 wells drilled in the Oriskany sand area of southwestern New York during this period. Of these only 9 were producers with a combined open flow of 6,311 M.C.F. Six of the wells drilled are considered as wildcats; 2 were completed as gas producers, 2 as dry holes, and 2 are now locations. The two producing wells discovered the two parts of the Groton field in Tompkins County, which was the only new field discovered; and, in view of present development, it is not expected to add substantially to the depleted gas reserves. Wildcat drilling is increasing in the state due to the depleted gas reserves, OPM's order M 68, and closer cooperation between companies.

PENNSYLVANIA:
The number of wells completed in the shallow gas and oil territory of western Pennsylvania (Upper Devonian or higher) in 1942 was about 3 per cent less than in 1941. Of the wells drilled for gas, 80 per cent were producers and 20 per cent were dry. The 738 new gas wells had a total initial open flow capacity of 240,353 M cubic feet per day. The Armburst gas pool in Westmoreland County, discovered in 1941, was the scene of greatest activity. The productive area includes about 2,200 acres.

Outside the Bradford oil field, there was very little drilling for oil during the year. In the Bradford field production increased 11 per cent over 1941 and accounted for 54.6 per cent of the total Pennsylvania grade crude oil production of the Appalachian province in 1942. In the central and southwestern oil districts of Pennsylvania, oil production declined 11 per cent.

Successful deep drilling operations were confined almost entirely to the Summit gas pool in Fayette County. Of the seven wells completed, four were producers and three, dry holes. One well was abandoned above the Onondaga after it had passed through a fault. The new work did not extend the productive area of the pool. In the Oriskany territory of north-central Pennsylvania, two small gas wells and five dry holes were completed. No extension of productive areas occurred. Eight other deep tests were completed in western Pennsylvania during the year. One of these in northwestern Erie County reached the Trenton limestone and encountered salt water. One in Lawrence County and two in Mercer County were drilled through the Lockport dolomite of the Middle Silurian. One of the Mercer County we ls is a small gas producer in the Lockport. The other four deep tests, one in Beaver, one in Fayette, one in Greene, and one in Lawrence County, were drilled through the Oriskany only and produced no oil or gas.

OHIO:
Tests completed in Ohio in 1942 numbered 998. This was 36 per cent less than the total drilled during 1941. Of these, 454 were gas wells, 194 were oil wells and 350, or 35 per cent, were dry.

The total initial open-flow capacity of new gas developed was 316,446 M.C.F. A total of 3,663,872 barrels of oil was produced of which 1,751,566 barrels were of Pennsylvania grade.

The drilling in the state is summarized by counties and by sands.

WEST VIRGINIA:
During the year 229 wells were drilled into or through the Oriskany sand in West Virginia. Of these 197 were gas wells with combined open flow of 1,011,096,000 cubic feet and 32 were dry holes.

The Elk-Poca and Sandyville fields (one continuous field) were well defined and the larger part of present activity is edge drilling. The entire field covers about 125,000 acres. No new areas of Oriskany sand production were opened, but at year's end, interesting tests were drilling in Tucker, Wyoming and Raleigh counties.

In the shallow sands, there were no discoveries of consequence, although various extensions of older fields were brought into gas production.

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Fig. 1.

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According to the Department of Mines, with figures not complete, wells completed in 1942 numbered 758. Of these, 514 were gas wells, 73 were oil wells, 20 were combination oil and gas wells, 149 were dry holes, and two were brine wells. In this period, 300 gas wells, 430 oil wells and 23 combination oil and gas wells were abandoned. New initial oil production developed with 2,234 barrels.

KENTUCKY:
Most of the development in eastern Kentucky during 1942 has been for the purpose of developing additional gas reserves. Federal regulations have tended to materially reduce the amount of drilling for oil, but due to modification of the original M-68 order the adverse effect on gas development has been considerably less. The low price of oil has likewise tended to discourage drilling operations.

TENNESSEE:
There were only 6 completions during the year 1942 in Tennessee east of the Cincinnati arch--2 being gas wells, and 4 dry holes. The most significant test was the Stanolind's wildcat in Putnam County, which was abandoned in the upper part of the Knox dolomite at 2,130 feet, after logging a showing of oil at 1,653-1,661 feet.