TIME LINES: Historic Events and Defining Moments in the Oil & Gas Industry of Mississippi
Exploration and Development
Discovery Date /Field
/ County(ies) /Reservoir
/Discovery Well
/Location
/Remarks
1926 October 6 / Amory / Monroe / Hartselle SandCarter (MS) / Amory Petroleum
#1 Carter / S7-T13S-R17W / Initial gas production in Mississippi
See D.J. Hughes, p.39
1930 February 16 / Jackson / Hinds
Rankin / Selma Chalk
Gas Rock / Jackson Gas & Fuel
#1 Mayes / S2-T5N-R1E / Love Petroleum responsible for
Discovery. See D.J. Hughes, p. 64
1934 September 11 / Midway Salt Dome / Lamar / Salt / Tom Cranfield &
E. B. Germany’s
J.J. Newman #1 / Fist Electric Log Run by
Schlumberger to 3,520’
1936 / Midway Salt Dome / Lamar / Salt / Sun Oil
Scanlon & Semmes #1 / First discovery of Piercement Salt Dome. Encountered salt at 2,522’. T.D. 4,024 in salt.
1939 September 5 / Tinsley / Yazoo / Selma Chalk
Woodruff Sand / Union Producing
#1 G. C. Woodruff / S13-T10N-R3W / First commercial oil field discovery
Resulted in State’s largest oil field to date.See D.J. Hughes p. 148, Chpt. 24
1941 / Muldon / Monroe / Sanders (MS) / Carter Oil
#1 J.T. Sanders / See p.198, D.J. Hughes. This well was P&A but was later proved to be the discovery well by Union Producing (1952)
1943 March 10 / Brookhaven / Lincoln / Lower Tuscaloosa
Massive / California Company
#1 G.T. Smith / S4-T7N-R7E / This structure was found on the
Company’s original seismic line shot in 1937. Perf. 10,138-10,322
1943 September 3 / East Eucutta / Wayne / Eutaw / Gulf Refining
#1 Aden-Davis / S2-T9N-R9W / This was the first of 3 locations selected from intensive exploration including surface mapping, gravity and seismic. This well was initially completed in the Lower Tuscaloosa. See D.J.Hughes p. 201.
1943 October 4 / Cranfield / Adams / Wilcox / California Company
#1 National Gasoline / S52-T7N-R1W / Initial Wilcox production in Mississippi
1944 January 24 / Cranfield / Adams
Franklin / Lower Tuscaloosa / California Company
#2 National Gasoline / S52-T7N-R1W / This structure was found by the early seismic program. Cranfield, Brookhaven & Lake St. John made 3 successful discoveries in a row.
1944 January 27 / East Heidelberg / Jasper / Eutaw / Gulf Refining Company
#1 Helen Morrison / S35-T1N-R12E / This was the 2nd of Gulf’s original 3 wildcat prospects. See Hughes p. 207
1944 July 26 / Gwinville Heidelberg / Jeff. Davis / Eutaw
Upper Tuscaloosa / S.W. Richardson
#1 C.E. Berry / S24-T9N-R19W / Hughes p. 214. MS’s largest gas field.First well in state to find gas in Eutaw or Upper Tuscaloosa. Gulf held most of block but Independents bought many leases.
1945 March 1 / Soso / Jasper / Eutaw (Christmas) / Gulf Ref. #1 Edward Bailey / S27-T10W-R13W
1945 March 3 / Hub / Marion / Lower Tuscaloosa / Humble Oil #1 Evans / S15-T2N-R18W
Discovery Date
/Field
/ County(ies) /Reservoir
/Discovery Well
/ Location /Remarks
1945 October 21 / Quitman / Clarke / Upper Eutaw / L.T. Roussel et al  Long Bell / S12-T2N-R16E
1945 September 15 / Hub / Marion / Lower Tuscaloosa / Humble Oil & Refining Co. #1 E.A. Ball / S20-T4N-R14E
1945 October 21 / Quitman / Clarke / Upper Eutaw / L.T. Roussel et al # 1 Long / S12-T2N-R16E
1946 January 30 / Hub / Marion / Eutaw / Humble Oil & Refining Co. #2 E.A. Ball / S20-T2N-R14E
1946 February 13 / LaGrange / Adams / Massive
Lower Tuscaloosa / Sohio-Roeser & Pendleton
#1 Baker-Maier / S34-T6N-R2W
1946 March 5 / Baxterville / Lamar / 8650’ Lower
Tuscaloosa / Humble Oil & Refining Co. #2 Board of Supv.. / S16-T1N-R16W
1946 March 13 / Kings – Salt Dome / Warren / Zilpha / Magnolia Petroleum Co.
#2 Ruth Pidgeon / S27-T17N-R4E
1946 June 16 / Hub / Marion / Lower Cretaceous / Humble Oil & Refining
#3 E. A. Ball / S20-T2N-R14E
1950 October 15 / Thompson’s Creek / Wayne / Washita-Fredericksburg / Placid Oil Company
#A-1 U.S.A. / S15-T7N-R9W
1950 November 23 / Valley Park / Issaquena / Lower Cretaceous
(Mooringsport) / Amerada-Reese-Vaughey
#1 Delta Wildlife & For.,Inc. / S5-T9N-R6W
1951 January 16 / Pistol Ridge / Forrest / Upper Tuscaloosa / I.P. LaRue
#1 Creosote Oil Corporation / S7-T1S-R13W
1951 November 29 / Tinsley / Yazoo / Smackover / Union Producing Company
#1 Logan / S23-T10N-R3W
1952 March 3 / Muldon / Monroe / Mississippian / Union Producing Company
#1 J.T. Sanders / S22-T15S-R6E
1952 June 16 / Maxie / Forrest / Eutaw / Ohio Oil Company
#1 Coleman –Powe Acct. #1 / S5-T1S-R12W
1953 July 23 / Soso / Jones / Lower Cretaceous / Gulf Refining Company
#1 J.W. Bailey / S27-T10N-R13W
1953 September 1 / New Hope / Monroe / Ordivician / Magnolia Petroleum Co.
#A-1 J.B. Snow / S27-T13S-R7E
1954 May 24 / Loring / Madison / Smackover Lime / The Carter Oil Company
#1 S.L. Brown
1954 July 30 / Bolton / Hinds / L. Cretaceous - Paluxy / Larco #1 Lettie McAlpin / S19-T6N-R2W
1954 November 16 / Oakley Dome / Hinds / Wilcox / Walter E. Sistrunk
#1-A Shuff Unit / S27-T5N-R3W
1957 January 2 / Raleigh / Smith / Hosston / The California Co.
#1 Central Oil Co. #5 / S33-T2N-R7E
Discovery Date
/ Field / County (ies) / Reservoir /Discovery Well
/ Location /Remarks
1958 May 14 / Soso / Jasper / Cotton Valley / Gulf Oil Corp.#1-ZB Soso Fld. U. Tr. 28-7 / S28-T10N-R13W
1958 July 17 / Magee / Smith
Simpson / Sligo / Arkansas Fuel Oil Corp.
31 Lavon Womack / S35-T1N-R6E
1958 December 30 / Magee / Magee / Hosston / Arkansas Fuel Oil Corp.
#1 Floyd E. Wells et al / S6-T10N-R16W
1960 January 19 / Siloam / Clay / Pennsylvanian “J” Gas / Shell Oil Company
#1 Cottrell, et al Unit / S25-T16S-R5E
1961 August 5 / Summerland / Jones / Washita Fredericksburg / Triad Oil & Gas Corp.
#1 E. S. Gambrell / S34-T10N-R14W
1962 January 14 / Summerland / Jones / Paluxy / Traid Oil & Gas Company
#1 Central oil Co. / S34-T10N-R14W
1963 September 5 / Bienville Forrest / Smith / Smackover / Austral Oil Co., Inc.
#14-11 U.S.A. / S14-T4N-R9E
1963 October 31 / Quitman Bayou / Adams / Wilcox (4600’) / Callon Petroleum Co.
#2 Jurkin / S2-T8N-R3W
1964 September 4 / Barber Creek / Scott / Smackover / Pan Amer. Pet. Corp.
#1 U.S.A. – Rubie Bell / S18-T5N-R8E
1965 January 13 / Bay Springs / Jasper / Cotton Valley / Shell Oil Co.
#1 C.E. Brown / S27-T2N-R10E
1965 July 11 / Black Creek / Perry / Smackover Gas / Phillips Petroleum Co.
#A-1 Josephine / S35-T1S-R10W
1969 June 30 / Thomasville / Rankin / Smackover / Shell Oil Company
#1 Garrett / S28-T4N-R3E
1971 November 9 / Thomasville / Rankin / Smackover Gas / Shell Oil Company
#1 L.D. Burch Unit / S33-T4N-R3E
1971 November 24 / Piney Woods / Rankin / Smackover Gas / Shell Oil Company
#2 Cox et al / S29-T3N-R3E
1972 February 3 / Corinne / Monroe / Mississippian – Sanders
Gas / Ladner-Hilderbrand-Gibraltar
#1 T.A. Richardson / S1-T16S-R7E
1974 March 7 / Bassfield / Jeff. Davis / Hosston Gas / Florida Gas Exploration Co.
#1 Booth et al / S3-T6N-R17W
1974 December 18 / SW Piney Woods / Rankin / Smackover Gas / Shell Oil Company
#1 Ridgway Management / S35-T3N-R2E
1975 January 25 / Bassfield / Jeff. Davis / Hosston-Harper Gas / Florida Gas Exploration Co.
#1 Harper et al / S10-T6N-R17W
Discovery Date /
Field
/ County(ies) / Reservoir /Discovery Well
/ Location / Remarks1976 November 16 / Greens Creek / Jeff. Davis / First Hosston Gas / Harkins & Company
#1 Board of Supv. Unit 16-8 / S16-T5N-R19W
1976 November 16 / Greens Creek / Jeff. Davis / Fifth Hosston Gas / Harkins & Company
#1 Bd. Of Supv. Unit 16-8 / S16-T5N-R19W
1977 March 7 / Oakvale / Jeff. Davis / Hosston-Harper Gas / Florida Gas Exploration Co.
#1 Davis et al / S31-T6N-R18W
1977 October 22 / Gluckstadt / Madison / Norphlet Gas (CO2) / Texas Pacific Oil Co.
#1 D.R. Yandell / S36-T8N-R2E
1978 June 18 / Bay Springs / Jasper / Buckner / Shell Oil Company
#1 C.E. Brown et al / S27-T2N-R10E
1978 November 9 / Greens Creek / Marion / Hosston-Harper Gas / Tomlinson Interests, Inc.
#J.C. Williamson et al / S21-T5N-R19W
1980 June 30 / Black Creek / Stone / Hosston-Josephine Gas / Florida Expl. Company
#1 Inter. Paper Unit 5-6 / S5-T2S-R10W
1980 August 29 / Monroe / Devonian Oil / Pruet Production Co.
#1 C.P. Thompson 17-15 / S17-T15S-R18W
1981 August 14 / Catahoula Creek / Hancock / Cotton Valley Gas / Hunt Energy Corporation
#3 Rhoda Lee Brown / S28-T6S-R15W
1985 January 25 / West Raymond / Hinds / Rodessa “A” Oil / E.P. Operating Co.
#1 Prassel Trust 28-15 / S28-T5N-R3W
1988 November 11 / Utica / Hinds / Sligo Oil / Zilka Energy Co.
#1 W.E. Hammond 15-7 / S15-T3N-R4W
1988 December 19 / Trimble / Smith / Stanley Gas / Cobra Oil & Gas Corp.
#1 Purser 317 / S17-T10N-R16W
1989 November 16 / Free State / Jones / Hosston Gas / Oryx Energy Co.
#1 Frankie Smith / S19-T8N-R13W
1990 August 6 / Goodwater / Clark / Norphlet Oil / Maynard Oil Co.
#1 Paramount-Johnston / S5-T10N-R8W
1993 October 15 / Dry Creek Dome / Covington / Hosston Gas / Amerada Hess Corporation
#1 Minerals Mangmt. 28-1 / S28-T8N-R17W