The south Louisiana Gulf Coast onshore region consists of 38 parishes. Petroleum operators completed 1,230 wells in this area in 1983, a 9% decline from the 1,344 of 1982. The 1983 total footage decreased to 13,453,752 ft from the 1982 total footage of 15,670,916 ft. Operators drilled 218 wildcats, 274 exploratory tests, and 738 development wells during 1983. The success rate was 6% for wildcats, 36% for exploratory tests, and 63% for development wells. Wildcat drilling discovered 11 significant new fields. Three of these field discoveries produced from Cretaceous zones, 1 produced from the Wilcox sand, 3 produced from the Oligocene Frio or Hackberry sands, and 4 produced from Miocene sands.

Leasing activity decreased 26% from the 1982 level of 1,005,464 acres to 801,043 acres. Leasing was most active in St. Bernard, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion, and Terrebonne Parishes. Leasing along the oil-bearing Wilcox trend was brisk, pushing rentals to more than $1,000/acre.

Geophysical activity decreased for the second consecutive year. Seismic shooting decreased 21% from the 1982 level of 1,526 crew-weeks to 1,212 crew-weeks for 1983. The highest levels of seismic activity were recorded in Lafourche, Cameron, and Terrebonne Parishes, which are situated along the Miocene trend.