WELLS The following table, showing the approximate number of producing oil wells on December 31, 1922 and 1923, was compiled from reports of companies that operate gathering lines, supplemented, for the few small companies that do not maintain lists of wells with which their lines are connected, by estimates based on reports of producers with whose wells those lines are connected. Prior to 1920 the enumeration of producing oil wells published by the Geological Survey was based on reports of producers, and the results are not strictly comparable with the recent compilations. Approximate number of producing oil wells in the United States December 31, 1922 and 1923 Total number of oil • Bureau of Mines. American Petroleum Institute; does not include wells temporarily shut in. wells in California in 1923 reported by State Mining Bureau as 10,332 (Mining in California, July, 1924, p. 338). Although there are more than 290,000 petroleum-producing wells in the United States, the greater part of the production is obtained from a relatively small number of wells, principally from those in the larger new pools. Data are not available for many pools, but the following table indicates general conditions. In 1923 the 5,100 wells in the eight major pools listed produced 340 million barrels of oil-that is, approximately 1.8 per cent of the total number of wells in the United States yielded 46 per cent of the total production. Number of wells and petroleum produced in eight of the larger pools in 1923 There is a general parallelism between the price curve for crude petroleum and the curve showing the number of oil wells completed (fig. 21), illustrating that in times of high prices there is greater drilling activity; but there is little accord between the daily average production and the number of oil wells completed, because large production may come from a relatively small number of new wells. FIGURE 21.-Oil wells completed in the United States, price of Oklahoma-Kansas grade crude petroleum, and daily average production of petroleum, by months, 1918-1923 Reports of drilling activity showing wells put down for oil and gas, including oil wells, gas wells, and dry holes, have been published monthly for many years by the Oil and Gas Journal, and the results have been summarized in the Geological Survey's annual statistical statements. In 1923 the number of wells reported to have been drilled in search of oil and gas in the United States (exclusive of gas wells in California, for which figures are not available) was 24,438, which was less by 251 than the number reported in 1922. Of the total number drilled 66 per cent were oil wells, 10 per cent gas wells, and 24 per cent dry holes. In 1923, as contrasted with 1922, increased drilling was reported in only five States-Arkansas, Texas, West Virginia, Montana, and California-and decreased drilling activity is recorded for the rest, Louisiana leading in this respect, 538 fewer wells having been drilled in that State than in the previous year. The greatest drilling activity was in Oklahoma, where 5,833 completions were recorded; then followed, in the order named, Texas, Pennsylvania and New York (combined), Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, Kansas, and West Virginia, in each of which more than 1,000 wells were sunk in search of oil and gas. In the estimated average initial daily capacity of the oil wells drilled California led all the States with 1,404 barrels. Texas ranked second, with 656 barrels, and Arkansas third, with 615 barrels. Pennsylvania and New York (combined) were at the foot of the list, showing only 4 barrels. Summary of wells drilled in the United States, 1914-1923⚫ 23, 137 14, 157 24,619 23, 407 25, 687 29,173 33, 911 21,937 24,689 24,438 • California dry gas wells and dry holes not reported. Wells drilled in the United States, 1922 and 1923, by months" Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total 1,657 1,631 1,802 1,991 2,054 2,219 2,430 2,469 2,304 2,053 2,192 1,887 24,689 1923 Oil.. 207 1,215 1,093 1,239 1,525 1,875 1,836 1,717 1,469 1,240 1,114 Gas.. 236 165 168 Dry... 505 455 482 171 989 894 16,206 181 209 216 181 185 213 217 2,349 566 619 605 466 401 359 348 5,883 1,956 1,713 1,889 2, 237 2,618 2,583 2, 545 2,290 1,887 1,700 1,561 1,459 24,438 • California dry gas wells and dry holes not reported Wells drilled for oil and gas in the United States, 1923, by States and counties or Not reported. 106 88888 58 78887 10 112 8 19 51 29 12 9 29 14 1 13 13 97 43 120 14 • For States east of California, Oil and Gas Journal; for California, American Petroleum Institute. California dry gas wells and dry holes not reported. |