There was a definite increase in both wildcat and field-well drilling during 1945. Wildcat drilling increased 24 per cent and field-well drilling 25 per cent.

Discoveries increased in number from 17 in 1944 to 26 in 1945. Their average quality is not impressive, and their effect on production rates and reserves will probably be small.

Production decreased 2¼ per cent as compared with 1944. This decrease is attributed to the decline in demand following the cessation of hostilities.

Geophysical exploration showed a decline of 8 per cent in crew-weeks below 1944. Geophysics greatest success during the year was in Colorado County where 6 out of 8 wildcats, drilled on seismic prospects, resulted in the discovery of gas-condensate fields.

Most of the new-field wildcats, which resulted in discoveries, were drilled on seismic prospects; however, subsurface studies are credited with 35 per cent of the successes. No zone or trend was neglected in the search for new reserves either by wildcat drilling or geophysical exploration. The deep Frio and Hackberry trend along the coast, the Frio at medium depth in Wharton and Fort Bend counties, the Yegua in the east-central part of the district, the Wilcox across the northern counties, and the flanks of several of the known salt plugs, all received attention. Ten of the 26 discoveries produced from the Wilcox, 10 from the Frio, 5 from the Yegua and 1 from the Miocene. No new trends were opened to exploration. A new objective, the Edwards limestone, may have been added to that part of the downdip Woodbine trend which extends into the extreme northern part of this district.