ABSTRACT

Several major trends involving beds of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous Age are presently in various stages of exploitation.

Of these, Smackover appears to be more promising. Area of the active trend covering 17 counties will be illustrated. Discussion will briefly cover basic geology, careage acquisition, exploration and drilling costs, producing fields, economic return and comments on recent exploration in other areas of Upper Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States and northern Mexico.

Cotton Valley exploration, in addition to being secondary objective of Smackover trend, has been extended to include major structures of interior basin. Discussion will include brief coverage of basic stratigraphy producing fields, acreage acquisition, and future development.

Lower Cretaceous trend in southern portion of area was stimulated by the extension of the South Texas "Edwards" play into the area underlain by massive porous facies of Upper-Lower Glen Rose. Production established thus far is limited to Upper Glen Rose and "Edwards." A secondary objective in this trend will include potential reservoir sand of Woodbine.

Stimulated by discovery of Fairway Field, interest continues in James Lime exploration. A brief summation of the potentialities of this horizon will be discussed.

Poor marketing conditions, long standing lease inventories, and lack of available outside risk capital have combined to slow exploration in the interior basin areas. An accelerated drilling program for 1964 is anticipated.

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