Production - Domestic - Petroleum and Gas in the Rocky Mountain District, 1932

Exploration work in 1932 in the Rocky Mountain region, which includes the states of Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, resulted in the discovery of one new oil field, Cut Bank in Glacier County, Montana; one new gas field, Craig in Moffat County, Colorado; and the definite outlining of a second gas field, Piceance Creek in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, in which there had been drilled but one small gas well prior to 1932. During the year, 95 producing oil or gas wells were completed, giving new initial production amounting to 188,000,000 cu. ft. of gas and 176,420 bbl. of oil per day for the region. By far the largest part of this new production of both oil and gas was developed in southeastern New Mexico, mainly the Hobbs field. However, the Dry Creek field of Carbon County, Montana, contributed over 5000 bbl. of; new oil production. Sixty-two wells were abandoned during the year but of this number only 10 promising structures were nonproductive. The remaining 52 wells had little to recommend their drilling from a structural or strati-graphical standpoint. Eighty-eight wells were suspended in the region' during 1932 before the tests had reached their individual objective horizons. Many of these suspensions were due to financial difficulties and it is possible that several of the operations may be resumed at a later date. At the close of the year, 54 wells were actively drilling, 54 were shut down and there were 20 rigs and locations in the five Rocky Mountain states. The accompanying table gives details of drilling and production.