THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF ARKANSAS 
127 
 
but gas completions were 40 percent higher than in 1966. Of the 102 wells
drilled for natural gas in north Arkansas, 74 were gas productive for a 72
percent success ratio. As a result of the new gas discoveries, reserves of
natural gas were 8 percent higher than in 1966. 
 Crude oil and natural gas liquids reserves declined 3 percent and 10 percent,
respectively, as only 135 of 328 field development and exploratory wells
were completed as oil producers. Thus oil well drilling, confined essentially
to south Arkansas, had only a 43 percent success ratio. Most of the productive
oil wells were in Union County. Oil discoveries in south Arkansas were confined
to Upper and Lower Cretaceous strata 
and Jurassic beds. Three new fields were found—Mayton field in Miller
County, and Langley and Oginaw fields in Ouachita County. Several new oil
sources and field extensions were developed in south Arkansas. 
 The Patmos oilfield in Hempstead County, discovered in 1966, was not confirmed
by the six test wells drilled - in 1967, thus the production potential declined
sharply. Arkansas continued to have only seven oil productive counties. 
 Secondary recovery projects to increase oil output, utilizing water, steam,
gas or fireflood methods, were active in Columbia, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita,
and Union Counties. 
 
Table 6.—Oil and gas dr 
hung in 
1967, by counties 
 
 
Development 
County —-— 
 Oil Gas Dry 
 
Exploratory 
~ 
 ——— Gas Dry 
Total 
Geophysical 
prospecting 
(reflection 
seismograph), 
crew-weeks 
 
Oil 
 
 
 
Arkansas                                             
 
2 
2 
 
Ashley                                             Benton               
                       
 
 31 1 
3 
2 
 
Bradley 5 1 
Calhoun                                             
 
2 
6 
2 
16.0 
Columbia 4 3 
 
 6 
13 
7.5 
Conway 1 
Crawford 11 4 
 
 1 2 
  
4 
15 
 
Franklin 25 1 
 
 
26 
 
Grant                                               
 
1 
1 
 
Hempstead  2Johnson 13 5 
 
 4 
  
6 
18 
 
Lafayette 9 1 18Logan  3 5Miller 11  13 
1 
 14 
  
 9 
42 
8 
34 
2.5 
 
21.0 
Nevada - 8 7 
 
 5 
20 
 
Ouachita 28 7 
2 
 10 
47 
6.0 
Pope 1 2 
Scott 2 3 
 
 
3 
5 
 
Sebastian  12 4Union 70 1 44Yell  3 1 
 
Total: 
 
 1 
 28 
  
17 
143 
4 
1.5 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 1967 135 72 121 
3 
2 88 
421 
54.5 
 1966 147 52 147 
9 
6 105 
466 
84.5 
Source: Arkansas Oil and Gas Statistical Bulletin. 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 7.—Estimated proved recoverable reserves of crude oil, natural
gas liquids, and 
natural gas 
 
Proved reserves 
Dec. 31, 1966 
Changes in proved reserves, due to revisions, extensions, and new discoveries

in 1967 
Proved reserves, 
Dec. 31, 1967 
(production was 
deducted) 
Change from 
1966 percent 
Crude oil thousand barrels.. 
Natural gas liquids 1 do. 
Natural gas   million cubic feet - 
181,327 
16,174 
2,599,629 
15,496 
—79 
335,250 
176,429 
14,574 
2,811,251 
—3 
—10 
+8 
1 Includes condensate, natural gasoline, and LP gases. 
 
 Source: American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, and Canadian
Petroleum Association. Proved Reserves of Crude Oil, Natural Gas Liquids,
and Natural Gas. Published in the Tulsa Daily World, v. 63, No. 208, Apr.
8, 1968, p. 22.