Well completions in Michigan during 1944 increased 18 per cent and the number of permits issued increased 12 per cent over 1943. Total footage drilled was 1,655,240 feet, approximately 33,000 feet more than for the previous year. Of the total number of wells drilled, 44 per cent were productive--the same proportion as in 1943. Two-thirds of the state's completions and more than four-fifths of the successful wells were in the "Basin" area.

Two hundred sixty-nine wildcat tests were drilled in 1944. Nine oil fields and three gas fields were discovered and three oil fields extended. New pay zones were found in three fields. The Coldwater, Isabella County, Deep River, Arenac County, and Essexville, Bay County, fields added appreciably to the state's oil reserves. All are in the "Basin" and production is from the Dundee (Devonian) formation. None of the southwestern Michigan Traverse (Devonian) discoveries added large reserves, but Hilliards and South Monterey, Allegan County, were the most active. Average initial production of all wells was 461 barrels per day in 1944, contrasted with an average initial of 307 barrels in 1943. Oil production continued the decline started in 1943. Eighteen million, four hundred eighty-nine t ousand, four hundred seventy barrels, a decrease of 11 per cent, were produced.

Gas well completions increased to sixty-four, seventeen more than in 1943. The majority of the gas wells were drilled in old fields in Clare, Mecosta, Newago, and Osceola counties. None of the three 1944 discoveries was developed to more than a one-well pool at the end of the year. Gas production increased 8 per cent over 1943 to reach an all-time high of 21,253,903,000 cubic feet.

Seismograph parties were active during the year in the "Thumb" district. Although one discovery, the Pinconning field, Bay County, was credited to seismograph exploration, subsurface geology supplemented by core-test information continued to be the most effective and popular method of exploration. Permits for 181 geological tests were issued during the year, compared with 376 issued in 1943. Twenty-five per cent of the tests were in the "Thumb" district and the remainder in the "Basin" and northeastern counties.

One of the highlights of wildcat activity was the drilling of four tests which penetrated the pre-Cambrian granite and one which was drilled into the Cambrian sandstone. All were located in the southeastern part of the state.