Photographer: Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post/Getty Images
Looking north from GZ, you will see the Kern River Oil Field, the fifth largest oil field in the US. It has produced over 2 billion barrels of oil, qualifying it as a “supergiant” field. In 2012, the annual oil production from the field was 26.2 million barrels. The Kern River field is also one of the longest-lived in the nation, having been in production for over 100 years.
Geologic History
Some 10 to 15 million years ago, the Kern River area was a warm inland sea, making it a perfect environment for breeding algae and collecting organic matter from the land. It was mainly primeval algae and plants, not dinosaurs, that contributed the organic matter that later became oil. About 10 million years ago the sea began to recede, and then about 4 million years ago the Sierra Nevada range began to be uplifted, giving birth to the Kern River as glaciers carved out the rock and water flowed down the western slope of the mountains. This makes the Kern River formation a very young one among oil fields (most of the oil we produce today was formed during extreme warming periods 90 million to 150 million years ago).
Early History
The first discovery well in the Kern River area was dug by hand in 1899 to a depth of 75 feet. They found a thick, viscous, “heavy oil,” meaning it can just barely float in water and is thick like molasses (API gravity of 10). Primary production reached a peak quickly and then slowly tailed off for the next five decades. Production had slumped so far by the late 1950s that many expected the field to be abandoned. In the early 1960s, in an effort to increase oil production, experiments with hot water and steam injection commenced. The tests were successful, and steamflooding was pursued vigorously starting in 1964. It radically improved the production and, over the next three decades, bested the previous peak production rate by a factor of three. As of 2011, the Kern River field had about 15,000 active wells with a typical depth of 400 to 1,000 ft.
Future of Kern River Oil Field
It is estimated that 60% of the Kern River oil has been recovered:
- ~5% from primary recovery
- ~15% from hot water injection
- ~40% from steamflooding
It is thought steamflooding will be able to achieve 80% oil recovery. For comparison, most oil fields only have a 35 to 40% recovery rate.
California Registered Historical Landmark No.290
The discovery well and the historical landmark plaque can be seen from Round Mountain Road (see the waypoint). However, one can not get closer due to safety concerns surrounding oil production activities. Below is a picture and inscription of the plaque.
Discovery Well Kern River Field
Oil was discovered here at 70 feet in 1899, when Tom Means persuaded Roe Elwood and Frank Wiseman to dig here for oil, aided by Jonathan, Bert, Jed, Ken Elwood, George Wiseman, and John Marlowe.
June 1, 1899, 400 feet north, Horace and Milton McWhorter drilled this region's first commercial well.
To get a closer view of the oilfield and pumps, one can drive the only public road through the Kern River field: China Grade Loop.
Logging Requirements
In order to mark this cache as found, please send me a message answering all of the questions below.
- List the name of this earthcache
- What percentage of pumping units are active/moving? What can you deduce about the underlying geology based on the activity of the pumping units?
- In your Found log, post a photo showing you were at the site.
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