ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the conditions of the surface and subsurface in and around the area now encompassed by the Black Lake Field, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. It points out the numerous dry holes that had been drilled in the near vicinity of the field, before the discovery, and the close proximity of some of these to the now established productive limit. It points out the factors leading to the discovery in an area long thought to be barren of oil or gas possibilities by most oil men.

The production in the Black Lake Field comes from a biohermal type reef of the Pettit Formation, which is Lower Cretaceous--Sligo in age.

The unique aspect of this field lies in the manner in which the operators have handled the development. Unitization has been carried out before any competitive production was allowed. The field has been shut in since discovery and facilities are being installed in preparation for inauguration of a full pressure-maintenance gas-cycling operation.

The discovery of the Black Lake Field has triggered a flurry of exploration activity across central Louisiana. There have been numerous exploratory wells drilled along the Pettit Trend since Black Lake Field's discovery--all without success. The writer points out that, even with the new activity, subsurface control is sparse and additional Black Lake Field type accumulations are possible.