U.S. Petroleum Statistics

Exploration Activity

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Year

Seismic
Crew

Exploratory Wells

Total New Field
Wildcat Wells

Oil

Gas

Dry

Total

% Dry Total

1977

3,063

1,181

1,557

7,402

10,140

73

6,162

1978

4,229

1,189

1,786

8,055

11,030

73

6,731

1979

4,443

1,335

1,921

7,479

10,735

70

6,423

1980

5,915

1,777

2,085

9,008

12,870

70

7,332

1981

8,172

2,661

2,522

12,247

17,430

70

9,151

1982

7,060

2,481

2,172

11,229

15,882

71

7,386

1983

5,681

2,129

1,654

10,062

13,845

73

6,057

1984

5,931

2,334

1,588

11,216

15,138

74

6,528

1985

4,539

1,724

1,283

9,201

12,208

75

5,630

1986

2,355

993

749

5,414

7,156

76

3,484

1987

2,113

926

756

5,052

6,734

75

3,515

1988

2,161

855

747

4,711

6,313

75

3,271

1989

1,587

607

706

3,934

5,247

75

2,644

1990

1,493

664

693

3,793

5,150

74

2,685

1991

1,251

601

544

3,390

4,535

75

2,195

1992

847

498

427

2,550

3,475

73

1,762

1993

952

509

541

2,509

3,559

71

1,683

1994

1,087

579

740

2,465

3,784

65

1,618

1995

1,253

549

583

2,279

3,411

67

1,605

1996

1,307

496

591

2,246

3,333

67

1,478

1997

1,336

434

543

2,178

3,155

69

1,757

1998

1,566

286

510

1,649

2,445

67

1,478

1999

1,125

156

519

1,167

1,842

63

1,244

2000

727

267

615

1,349

2,231

61

1,505

2001

717

330

972

1,716

3,018

57

1,765

2002

674

239

701

1,283

2,223

58

1,452

2003

481

326

892

1,266

2,484

51

1,711

2004

563

368

1,323

1,200

2,891

42

1,951

2005

655

448

1,532

1,358

3,338

41

1,985

2006

728

576

1,559

1,870

4,005

47

1,916