Texas Oil Well Revived After 85 Years

An oil well drilled in 1941 near Odessa, Texas, produced less than two barrels a day and had been inactive for 14 years. A new hydraulic fracturing operation in December 2024 and a $422,000 investment restored production, generating nearly $50,000 in monthly net operating income.

Some wells appear dead but are merely dormant. The Paul Moss No. 4, located on the outskirts of Odessa, Texas, was drilled in **1941** and eventually produced less than two barrels daily. It remained idle for **14 years**. In **December 2024**, it underwent new hydraulic fracturing of the producing formation to facilitate oil flow into the well.

## A $422,000 Investment with Fracturing Equipment

The intervention cost **$422,000**. This covered fracturing equipment, workover rig, production restart, auxiliary equipment, and water transport. While not a small figure for a well of this size, the result changed the economics: post-intervention, the well averaged nearly **$50,000 per month** in net operating income.

## From Under Two Barrels Daily to Monthly Revenue

Before fracturing, the well produced less than two barrels a day, a flow rate that did not justify keeping it operational. Afterwards, the flow increased enough to be profitable. The process was not without mechanical issues during the intervention, a factor affecting actual return on investment time.

## The Well Standing for 85 Years

The Paul Moss No. 4 is **85 years** old. The opportunity lay not in drilling something new, but in reviewing the old with different techniques. Hydraulic fracturing allows reopening formations previously considered depleted. In this case, the production recovery justified the investment and left a significant monthly margin.