41.   The bad news was prices were rising enough to make drilling more wells profitable enough to encourage the investment.

42.   The company said at the time that two rigs used to drill the discovery wells would continue to drill exploratory wells in the area.

43.   The companies are considering drilling more wells in the same area, Oryx said.

44.   The expansion is crucial because drilling deeper wells means the rig needs to carry more pipe, drilling mud and other equipment, Vecchio said.

45.   The field had been producing, but output had declined because the government lacked cash to buy new equipment and drill new wells.

46.   The oil-service industry drills wells, supplies drill bits, transports workers to offshore rigs and performs other support tasks for oil-exploration companies.

47.   The oil companies sign leases with mineral owners, which grant them rights to drill wells and build pipelines.

48.   The old guys in bib overalls who waved a cleft stick to show farmers where to drill new wells are fading into yesterday.

49.   The well is being drilled in one of the marshy Louisiana streams called bayous.

50.   The well was drilled in one of the marshy Louisiana streams called bayous.