During the past 10 years, a new search for significant reserves swept the Texas part of the Marietta basin and resulted in several important discoveries. The Ordovician Oil Creek Sandstone and numerous Strawn sandstones of Pennsylvanian age were the primary objectives.

The Marietta is primarily a Pennsylvanian basin, and oil occurrence is related closely to sedimentation and orogenies during this period. The presence of the southeast extension of the southern Oklahoma Criner Hills trend caused much deep exploration for Oil Creek gas-condensate production. The New Mag field was a significant result of this play. Much exploration remains to be done for fields of this type.

The 20-yr-old Handy field, also on the Criner trend, was extended considerably and new pay zones were found in this multipay Strawn field. Reserves were increased several times.

On the southwest side of the basin, the Bob K field in Cooke County was an important find. A combination of structural and stratigraphic entrapment created this very prolific multipay Strawn field.

Histories of development and geological interpretations of these and other areas are presented.

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