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y drilling to exist. These can be grouped into: 1) probable resources (extensions of
known pools); 2) probable resources (new pools); 3) possible resources; and 4) speculative
resources. These subdivisions of potential resources are differentiated on the basis of
available geologic, geophysical, and engineering data and studies. Probable resources
(extensions) consist of oil and gas in pools that have been discovered but have not yet
been developed by drilling; their presence and distribution can generally be surmised with
a high degree of confidence. Probable resources (new pools) consist of oil and gas that
are surmised to exist in undiscovered pools within existing fields. Possible resources are
less assured; they are postulated to exist outside of known fields but within productive
stratigraphic units in a productive basin or geologic province. Speculative resources are
expected to be found in stratigraphic units, basins, or geologic provinces that have not yet
been proven productive; estimates of speculative resources are the least assured of all
resource estimates. Unrecoverable resources are dispersed in such minute accumulations
or under such conditions that they can not be extracted with existing or foreseeable
technology.
In this report calculations are made for cumulative production and probable
resources (extensions ofknown pools) for the 16 sections that constitute the WIPP site and
for the 20 sections that constitute the one-mile-wide additional study area around the
WIPP site (Fig. 2, Tables 1-4). Cumulative production consists of historical data; it is
listed as a separate item. Proved reserves are included with probable resources (extensions
of known pools) because the sum of these two factors is the main goal of the oil
and natural gas part of this study; together, these include oil and natural gas that are
likely to be produced from existing wells and from undrilled areas that are thought to
overlie extensions of producing pools. No numerical estimates were made for undiscov~
ered resources that may reside unknown beneath the WIPP land withdrawal area, because
quantitative estimates of these resources are uncertain at best. However, geologic studies
conducted as part of this project were used to make a qualitative evaluation as to the
likelihood of new, undiscovered pools and fields being present. Unrecoverable resources
are not estimated.
Cumulative production data were obtained from official state records collected by
the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and
Natural Resources Department. The Oil Conservation Division is the state agency which
is required by law to regulate oil and natural gas drilling and production operations on
state and private lands within the state. In addition, the Oil Conservation Division keeps
records of all oil and DatIIral gas production within New Mexico. Monthly and annual
reports subdivide production by pool, operator, and individual well; these reports are
available in hard copy as monthly and annual reports published by the New Mexico Oil
and Gas Engineering Committee. These data are also kept in digital tape format by the
Oil Conservation Division. Both digital and hard copy forms of the data were used in
preparation of this report.
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