Rankin, Upton County
Discovered 1953. Initial well, about 2-1/2 miles south of this spot, was drilled by E. G. Rodman and W. D. Noel as No. 1 Radford Grocery. It was completed January 13, 1953, for a natural flowing potential of 960 barrels in 24 hours, from Grayburg formation and at total depth of 1744 feet it is located 1980 feet from the south and west lines of section 1 of the gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe survey in railroad commission district 7C. The field has a number of well completed for natural potentials in excess of 3,000 barrels a day. The drillers Rodman and Noel were oil business veterans at the time they brought in this Upton County field. Already experienced in various phases of petroleum development, E. G. Rodman became an independent producer in Texas in 1938. W. D. Noel became an independent producer in Texas in 1940. Their interests extend into international exploration and other phases of oil development, including manufacture of petrochemicals. Their opening of this field -- which contributed substantially to the 1925-60 Upton County total of 272,628,476 barrels of production-- was made 28 years later than the great boom in McCamey.