A new mark was set by Petroleos Mexicanos with the drilling of 762 wells during 1960, this being a considerable increase over the 441 wells drilled during the preceding year. An all-time high for Mexico amounted to 5,273,314 ft., drilled with an average of 6,920 ft. per well.

Of the total number of wells drilled, 176 wells were classified as exploratory holes, of which 87 were new-field wildcats resulting in the discovery of 15 new oil and (or) gas fields. Other exploratory holes were classified as follows: 21 new-pool wildcats, 11 deeper-pool wildcats, 8 shallower-pool wildcats, and 49 extensions, totaling 89 exploratory wells of which 61 were completed as producers. Of the total 762 wells drilled, 582 were completed as producers.

The new fields discovered were located as follows: 2 in the Eocene and 2 in the Oligocene trends in Northeastern Mexico, 5 in Cretaceous formations in the Tampico Embayment; 5 in Miocene sands in the Isthmus and Tabasco region, and one outstanding discovery in Cretaceous limestones in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, south of the Saline Basin in the Isthmus region.

Surface geological and geophysical exploration activities were concentrated in the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico although some exploration was also carried on in the Cretaceous trends in Northeastern Mexico in the state of Coahuila; seismological exploration was continued in the Sebastian Vizcaino Embayment in Baja California, and systematic gravity-meter surveys were made in north-central Chihuahua and in eastern Quintana Roo.

Crude oil and distillate production in 1960 was 108,771,585 bbls., an increase of 9.7% over the previous year. Total gas production was 341,266,000 MCF with an increase of 9.6% over 1959.