Exploration activity declined in offshore California as operators focused on development plans for the nearly 2 billion bbl of oil discovered in recent years. Fourteen planned platforms could more than double current offshore production to 400,000 BOPD.

Highlighting the offshore Santa Maria basin was the Reading & Bates Tricia Prospect discovery. The Reading & Bates 1-OCS-P-0416 tested a 1,570-ft Monterey section at a combined initial potential of 2,400 b/d of low-gravity oil. Elsewhere in the basin, successful extension work was recorded in San Miguel and Point Pedernales fields. In the Santa Barbara Channel, exploration activity was highlighted by Union's new-pool discovery in the Santa Clara unit. The Union S-26-OCS-P-0216 flowed 356 b/d of 20.7° oil and 245 MCFGD from lower Repetto sands.

Renewed optimism in 1984 increased exploration activity in onshore California basins. 183 wildcats resulted in 51 discoveries: 10 new fields, 7 new pools, and 34 extensions. Most of the success centered in the Sacramento and San Joaquin basins.

Drilling in Oregon and Washington reached a near record level in 1984. Activity was quite high in the Mist gas field in Oregon. The 12 wells drilled resulted in 4 new-pool discoveries. The deepest well drilled to date in Washington was abandoned late in the year. The well, drilled in the Columbia basin as a joint venture of Shell and Arco, reportedly reached a total depth of 17,518 ft and tested gas at noncommercial rates.

Geothermal activity in California was also at a higher level in 1984, up 32% over 1983. The increase mainly was due to renewed activity in the Imperial Valley gearing up for the installation of 2 new power plants.