The drilling of three dry holes in the southern half of Arizona constituted the year's activities for that state. Sixteen wildcats, all unsuccessful, were completed in northern New Mexico. Eight of these were in the San Juan basin, 6 in the north-central part of the state, and 2 in the northeastern part. Tests to the pre-Cambrian on the southern flank of the San Juan basin and in southern Santa Fe County furnished geological information of particular value.

Six outposts were completed in the producing area of the San Juan basin, of which 3 were dry, 2 were completed as extension wells, and one as a new-pool discovery. The three producers are gas wells. A discovery of some importance was made by a deep test on the Barker dome in northern San Juan County, which encountered a large volume of gas in Pennsylvanian strata between 8,419 and 8,630 feet.

There was considerable geological and geophysical activity throughout the year, especially in northwestern New Mexico.