The general area of this paper consists of the six most northeastern counties of the Texas Panhandle, namely, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hutchinson, Roberts, and Hemphill counties, and the two eastern counties of the Oklahoma Panhandle, or Texas and Beaver counties. This area is part of the Western Anadarko basin, which is an asymmetrical sedimentary basin with its main axis trending northwest and southeast. This basin actively subsided during Pennsylvanian time. Gas fields have been found scattered over much of this area and these fields produce gas from rocks ranging in age from Permian to the Mississippian with Morrow (lower Pennsylvanian) sands furnishing the greatest number of reservoirs. The depths of production range from 2,600 feet to 13,600 feet. Most of thes reservoirs result from stratigraphic traps but structural anomalies control, in part, the gas accumulation in a few fields. Sandstone forms the principal reservoir rock. With rare exceptions these reservoirs have moderate to low pressures, and with few exceptions, the gas is fairly dry. Generally accepted reserves estimates for these various reservoirs range from 350 MCF per acre foot to more than 500 MCF per acre foot. Several gas fields cover large areas and comprise many individual reservoirs which are separated both horizontally and vertically; other fields consist of one, two or few wells. The separate reservoirs of the multipay fields commonly comprise sand lentils each with separate but similar physical characteristics. Dual and triple completions are not

End_Page 124------------------------------

unusual in these multi-reservoir fields.

The Hansford gas area of Hansford County is a large multi-reservoir field. Accumulation is controlled by lensing sandstones on the northwest flank of the Anadarko basin. Gas production occurs in rocks of various ages but the dominant number of reservoirs are Morrow in age. The Lips field in northern Roberts County has gas production from Morrow sands and is situated on a pronounced anticline. The accumulation of gas in this reservoir may be due in large part to its high structural position; however, there are other Morrow sand reservoirs in the adjacent area that are not astride this anticline.

Several large interstate gas pipelines traverse the Panhandle area and furnish a ready market for gas. Present prices paid for gas average 15-17 cents per MCF. This ready market, and numerous gas discoveries of the past year, have kept the drilling activity in the western Anadarko basin at a brisk pace through the first half of 1960. Large untested areas within this basin area, combined with favorable discovery rates and access to pipelines, give indications that the accelerated pace of exploratory drilling and development drilling will continue through the remainder of this year and into 1961.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 125------------