Imperial Announced Nine Month Drilling Results: 87 Oil Wells, 38 Gas

CALGARY (DOB) -- IMPERIAL OIL participated in bringing in 87 new oil wells and 38 new gas wells in western Canada in the first nine months of 1978 the company has disclosed.

The company added that exploration and development drilling, carried on by itself or with others, was successful in bringing in 61 new oil wells and 13 new gas wells during the third quarter of 1978. IMPERIAL's subsidiary company, ESSO RESOURCES CANADA LIMITED, assumed responsibility for the company's exploration and drilling program September 1.

In announcing the results, IMPERIAL president, J.A, ARMSTRONG said that while the new discoveries, including those of other companies, have attracted a lot of attention and generated, a lot of excitement "we should not expect that we will find enough new conventional oil and gas in the western provinces to solve all of our energy problems."

He said that in the Elmworth area on the British Columbia border northwest of Edmonton, ESSO RESOURCES participated in 10 exploration wells during the year. Three are gas wells, two are potential gas wells, one has been abandoned, and four were still drilling on November 1.

In the Redwater, Judy Creek, and Ferrier pools in Alberta as well as in other pools in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia the company participated in 26 new oil wells and seven new gas wells during the quarter.