The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-01-19
OIL PRODUCTION
OF CALIFORNIA
Figures of United States Geological
Survey For 1911 Place Output of
State at 80 TO IS Million Barrels.

The petroleum production of Cali !
fornia in 1911 is estimated by David |
T. Day, of the United States Geologi-
cal Survey, as reaching possible s3,-
100000 barrels.
At the close of 1910 oil was being
produced in California at an average
rate greater than during 1909 This
increase continued and the total pro-
duction for the year 1911 was between
SO,O0O,000 and $4,000 900, barrels, com
pared with 73,010,560 barrels in 1910.
While the consumption also increased,
production continued to exceed the de-
mand, stocks increased to about 40,-
100000 barrels, and prices receded to
30 cents barrel where they were not
governed by longtime contracts, al
though higher prices ruled for defining
oils. The increased production was
chiefly from the Sunet and McKit-
trick region, from the polls already
developed in 1910. Three significant
discoveries during the year were (1)
evidences of large field in La Habra
Valley; (2) the discovery of a deep
oil sand in the Midway field contain
ing a heavier oil than in the higher
zones; and ca the discovery at the
end Of the year in the Coalinga field
of a zone of light oil 1,500 feet below
the main producing beds, in a lower
geologic formation. The probability
of this last mentioned discovery had
been pointed out in the reports on the
Coalinga district published by the
United States Geological Survey in
1908 and again in 1910.
The Lake View gusher collapsed at
the end of 1910. In the later part of
March the Associated Oil Co. drilled
in Sec. 13, T. 3, r. 10, in LaHabra
Valley, miles from the old Fullerton
field and in line with the developments
in the Coyote Hills. Oil was found
at 1850 feet, and the wells started at
600 barrels day. This caused such
activity in the region and such favor
able results that in June the Fuller
ton field, including the new develop
ments, was producing about half mil
lion barrels monthly. The oil sands
seem thick and the wells promise to
be persistent producers. The Stand
ard Oil Co. promptly connected the
field by pipe lines to its tank station
at Wortham and by the end of the
year completed the connection to the
new refinery at El Segundo, the work
on which began during the year. The
refinery was practically completed by
the end of December and will begin in
the grst part of January with a ca
pacity of 5000 barrels a day, to be
rapidly increased The Associated Oil
Co. drilled a test we'll in the Elk Hills.
San Joaquin Valley, in Sec. 30, T. 80,
r. "a, and obtained small production,
thus proving the oil-bearing character
of these hills, as had been predicted by
the government geologists The oil
was found at a depth of more than
5000 feet and proved to be of rs b., an
unusually high gravity.
Important discoveries were made by
drilling along the border of the San
Joaquin Valley to the east and north
east of the McKittrick field, in the
Belridge and Lost Hills fields, result
/, ing in considerable extension of the
possible productive territory.
Interesting developments were also
made in the Cat Canyon field. On No
vember 25 the Union Oil Co obtained
a 3,60O-barrel well of high-gravity oil.
Transportation facilities in the Cali
fornia fields were increased by the
line of the Associated Oil Co from
Canarez station to the Aost Hills
Larger Oil Consumption.
While there was the expected accu-
mutation of stocks( it is important to
: note the considerable increases in con-
sumption, important features of which
were contracts with Arizona smelters
: for 10000 barrels a month, which were
made at the beginning of the year. In
October the Canadian Pacific Railway
was buying 10000 barrels month for
. use in terminal yards and on the
steamers plying to the north. It is
said to be the plan of this railway
eventually to use oil only for its pas
senger service as far as Kamloops,
j B. c. The year proved strenuous for
4 the Independent Producers Agency
: and after many methods for relieving
S the situation had been suggested the
2 association agreed to a plan for pro
: viding 100000 barrels of storage
E and at the end of the year contracts
e for building this storage had been