This report, the fourteenth based on data gathered by the Committee on Statistics of Exploratory Drilling, is the 23d annual summary on the subject published in the Bulletin. Frederic H. Lahee prepared this statistical analysis and wrote the annual article for 20 consecutive years. Graham B. Moody prepared the report for exploratory drilling for 1956.

During 1958, 13,199 exploratory holes were drilled in the United States and Alaska. Of these, 6,950 were new-field wildcats, 3,191 were new-pool tests (including new-pool wildcats, deeper-pool tests, and shallower-pool tests), and 3,058 were outposts. Among the new-field wildcats, 786 were successful, among the new-pool tests, 809 were successful, and among the outposts 972 were successful.

The total exploratory footage drilled in the United States and Alaska in 1958 was 61,483,911 ft. in the 13,199 holes, or 4,661 ft. per hole. These figures are comparable with 69,136,266 ft. drilled in 14,707 exploratory holes, with average depth of 4,701 ft. in 1957.

For the 11th time, we are presenting data on Canada and Mexico.