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AAPG Bulletin

Abstract


Volume: 44 (1960)

Issue: 6. (June)

First Page: 711

Last Page: 714

Title: Oil and Gas Developments in West Virginia in 1959

Author(s): R. C. Tucker (2)

Abstract:

The total number of wells drilled in West Virginia in 1959, reported to January 21, 1960, was 905, an increase of 67, or 8%. Permits to drill or deepen issued by the Oil and Gas Division of the West Virginia Department of Mines totaled 1,007, an increase of 94, or 10%. Abandoned during the year were 242 gas wells and 147 oil wells, or a total of 389 wells. These abandonments are all wells drilled before permits were required (May, 1929). No information as to the exact number of abandonments of wells drilled since May, 1929, is available as these wells are abandoned under original drilling permit numbers. Wells completed were: gas, 591; oil 37; oil and gas 95; storage, water-injection, brine, rock salt, and pressure wells, 59; dry holes 123; total, 905. Compared with 1958, gas wells increased 106, or 21.8%; oil wells decreased 27, or 42%; oil and gas wells decreased 16, or 14.4%; storage and other wells increased 1, or 1.7%; dry holes increased 3, or 2.5%. Depth of wells ranged from 206 to 8,635, compared with 200 to 8,410 ft. in 1958. Total footage drilled (2,321,474) increased 61,444 ft., or 2.7% over 1958 (2,260,030 ft.). The average depth of wells (2,565 ft.) decreased 132 ft. under the 1958 average (2,697 ft.), or 5%. The total initial daily open flow of the gas wells was 688,121 MCF, an increase of 349,302 MCF, or 103% over the 1958 total (388,819 MCF). The size of the gas wells ranged from 4 to 39,680 MCF, compared with 2 to 17,250 MCF in 1958. The total daily initial oil was 3,408.5 bbls., a decrease of 1,085.5 bbls. under 1958 (4,494 bbls.), or 24 2%. The size of the oil wells ranged from 0.5 bbl. to 220 bbls. daily, compared with 0.5 bbl. to 550 bbls. in 1958. The number of wells drilling or unreported if completed at the end of the year was 447, 94 more than in 1958, an increase of 26.6%.

Since we received drilling and scout reports from several major companies and had the status of practically every well, no letters were sent operators since that would have delayed the report, even if we had replies. The average size of gas wells was 1,003 MCF, compared with 627 MCF in 1958, an increase of 376 MCF, or 60%. The average size of the oil wells was 40 bbls., compared with 37.5 bbls. in 1958, an increase of 2.5 bbls., or 6%. Preliminary estimates of production for 1959: gas 205,000,000 MCF, compared with 197,250,000 MCF in 1959, or 7,750,000 MCF, an increase of approximately 4%; oil, 2,184,000 bbls., a decrease of 2,500 bbls. under the 1958 estimate (2,186,500 bbls.), or 0.11%. The estimated number of producing wells at the end of 1959: gas 15,800; oil 12,741. The table of perations gives statistics by counties.

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