Utah's Uinta basin continues to be the best part of that State in which to prospect for oil and gas. Wildcatters discovered gas at two localities and oil at six localities out of 24 wells drilled in the Uinta basin between September 1, 1964, and June 1, 1965. Excluding the Four Corners area, half of the wells drilled in Utah were in the Uinta basin. Other wildcat wells were drilled at scattered localities through the northern Paradox basin, the northern plunge of the Uncompahgre uplift, the northern San Rafael swell, and the Kaiparowits region. These wells resulted in one oil and one gas discovery.

All but two of the new oil discoveries were completed in Tertiary Green River sandstones near Red Wash field and in the belt of productive Green River sandstone extending west from Red Wash. Of the others, one was a new "pay" discovery (Jurassic Entrada Sandstone) in the old Ashley Valley field, and the other was an oil discovery in the Permian Kaibab on the Ferron anticline, between the San Rafael swell and the Wasatch plateau.

During the first half of 1965, approximately the same number of wells were completed in Utah as during the first half of 1964. However, fewer wells were completed in 1964 than during 1963. Daily oil-productive capacity is down to 75,000 barrels per day from 90,000 barrels in 1964. The number of acres of Federal land under lease declined by 150,000 acres during the first quarter of 1965 from the previous quarter.

Oil and gas industry expansion plans include a 6-inch gas transmission line to be built south from Price, Utah, to the Ferron gas field by Mountain Fuel Supply Company. Gulf Oil Corporation is considering the construction of a 3-million dollar viscosity breaker plant at the Wonsits Unit (near Red Wash) where its productive capacity of high-pour-point waxy crude oil exceeds the amount that can be accommodated by existing pipelines.

A successful 3/4-mile step-out well east of the oil production in the Tertiary Sheep Pass Sandstones, Eagle Springs field, was completed early in 1965; this discovery gave added stimulation to leasing and drilling in Nevada. By mid-year, four development wells were being drilled around the step-out.

An additional ½ million acres of Federal lands were leased during the first half of 1965, to bring the total to slightly more than 2 million acres of Federal lands under lease in Nevada. Northern Railroad Valley, White River Valley, and Jakes Valley are all leased. Large blocks of acreage also have been leased in Long Valley, Butte Valley, Steptoe Valley, and Newark Valley. Since the current play started in March, 1964, one dry hole has been drilled in Newark Valley, two in White River Valley, and one on the eastern flank of the Eagan Range.

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