The Louisiana Gulf Coast, as treated in this analysis, consists of the 38 southern parishes and the 16 adjacent continental shelf areas offshore. Production is obtained from sediments ranging in age from Cretaceous to Pleistocene.

The 2,251 development and exploratory wells drilled in 1960 are favorably comparable in number and in results with those of 1959. Of the 769 exploratory wells, 44.4% were successful. The Southeast District continued to be the most important in both development and exploratory drilling. The Offshore District had a 69.4% increase in exploratory drilling.

Of the 50 new-field discoveries (42 onshore, 8 offshore) the most important are: South Chauvin field, Terrebonne Parish; Pierre Pass field, Assumption Parish; and Eugene Island Block 100 field. The most important of the 292 new pools and extensions include Buck Point field, Vermilion Parish, and South Pass Block 27 field.

Leasing continued to be very active with large blocks of acreage being assembled and traded. Subsurface geology increased in importance as more well control became available. Seismic exploration continued to be extensive.

In 1960, the high level of activities recorded in 1957 and 1959 was maintained.