The southeastern states, which include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, had in 1949 a total of 2,146 geophysical and core-drill crew weeks, a decline of 261 crew weeks from 1948. Wildcats drilled in the area increased from 156 in 1948 to 158 in 1949. Oil production declined from the 1948 peak of 46,432,429 barrels to 40,367,396 barrels for 1949, a drop of 6,065,033 barrels.

In Alabama 15 wildcats were drilled and abandoned. Four new producers were added to the Gilbertown field and oil production amounted to 457,203 barrels, making the cumulative total 2,027,079 barrels. Geophysical and core-drill crew weeks totaled 176, a 43 per cent decrease from the 1948 total of 405.

Florida activity declined from the 1948 totals. Geophysical and core-drill crew weeks totaled 57 as compared with 169 for 1948. Nineteen wildcats were drilled and abandoned. Three new producers were added to the Sunniland field, and oil production for the state was 441,820 barrels, the cumulative total reaching 1,091,514 barrels.

Georgia's 7 wildcats failed to find oil. Geophysical and core-drill crew weeks totaled 10, a drop of 7 from the 1948 total.

Mississippi wildcats in 1949 totaled 117. Seven new fields and 4 piercement salt domes were found. In the producing fields 159 producers and 56 dry holes were drilled. Production for the state totaled 39,468,373 barrels of oil and condensate, a decline of 6,193,740 barrels from 1948 due to pipeline proration in low-gravity crude-oil fields. Geophysical and core-drill activity in Mississippi reached 1,903 crew weeks, an increase of 138 over the 1948 total of 1,765.