In 1944, 492 wells were drilled in Louisiana Gulf Coast, an increase of 144, or 41 per cent, over 1943. Of the total, 57 wells, or 11.6 per cent were wildcats, 13 of which, or 22.8 per cent, discovered new fields. Four hundred thirty-five wells were drilled in 103 of the district's 153 fields producing prior to 1944, and development wells had been drilled in seven of the 13 new fields by the close of the year. Eight fields formerly classified as gas or distillate fields became oil fields in 1944; 15 of the old fields were given major extensions; and important new sand discoveries were made in 24 additional fields. Three hundred thirty development wells were completed as producers and 105, or 24 per cent of the total, were abandoned.

Reflection-seismograph, subsurface geology, and gravity-meter work were the chief methods by which new fields, extensions, and new sands were found. Geophysical activity increased for South Louisiana during the year from an average of 33.5 crews working throughout 1943 to 38.67 in 1944. Reflection-seismograph crews increased from an average of 27 in 1943 to 32.78 in 1944 and only a total of 7 crew-weeks of torsion-balance work and 22 crew-weeks of refraction-seismograph work was done this year. Gravity crew-weeks decreased from an average of 6.5 for 1943 to 5.33 for 1944 and no appreciable exploration was carried out by core drilling, surface geology, or magnetometer. More acreage was taken under lease than in the preceding year with a slight increase in the average prices paid.

Development by the close of the year indicates that of the 13 newly discovered fields 6 may be expected to have reserves exceeding 10 million barrels, 3 may exceed 5 million, and the remaining 4 are inadequately developed to give an estimate of their size. While new fields have increased the reserves for South Louisiana, there has been a much greater increase from extensions, new sands, and new structural reservoirs in old producing fields. The age of the discovery sands are given in this paper according to the usage of the operators in each field.

The high proportion of field dry holes largely results from the very complicated nature of many of the structures in South Louisiana. Intricate faulting, extremely steep dips, or abrupt changes in stratigraphic conditions are common to most of the structures of this area. In addition, drilling hazards characteristic of South Louisiana are responsible for many dry holes. Among these are heaving shale, salt water flows, and great depths to which wells must be drilled. Forty-eight per cent of all the wells drilled were below 10,000 feet and 98 wells were drilled below 11,000 feet. Only a third of all the wells drilled were less than 9,000 feet deep and only 17 wells were drilled to depths less than 5,000 feet.

The geological significance of important wells in the area is discussed and the basis on which the discovery wells were drilled in 1944 is given where possible.