The Calumet news., 1912-02-19
NEW POSSIBLE FIELD
OF OIL DISCOVERED IN
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

The United States Geological Survey
has just issued "a preliminary report
on the geology and possible oil res
sources of the south end of San Joa-
qrin Valley. California by Robert An
derson as an advance chapter from
Bulletin AL. Tho vast stores of pc
troleum discovered I'm tho rocks along
the foothills of The Terlblor Range Oh
the southwest side of the San Joaquin
valley and i'm the foothills of the Sierra
Nevada. near Bakersfield on the north
east side, have suggested the possi-
bility of oil occurring in tire continu-
alton of this foothill belt, around the
south end OF the valley between these
two productive districts. Very little
attention has been given to the geology
of this intermediate region and no
tests of its oil possibilities have been
made. With view to obtaining a
general idea of the geologic features
and the possible oil resources, Mr. An
derson made a reconnaissance around
the south end of the valley during the
early part of October 1910
Tho main conclusion derived from
this brief field examination is that a
continuous productive area joining the
present developed fields on the two
sides of the valley is by no means TO
be expected. but that two or more
areas situated near the border of the
foothills at the south end of the valley
offer favorable conditions for the accu-
mutation of oil. Across the level San
joaquin Valley from Bakerlield tc
Buena Vista Lake, To the San Emigdio
region. and to the TETON region. even
though # is likely that the oil-bearin9
rocks underlic the valley. every indica-
ton is that they are too deep to be
accessible by present methods of drill
ing.
Promising Oil Areas.
Around the foothin belt that fringes
the valley the possible oil-bearing for
nations are not continuous and the
structural conditions arc not uniform.
so that If oil is to be found at all II
must be sought i'm areas where the
presence of bearing strata and the
occurrence of favorable geologic struc-
ture make the accumulation of oil pos
sible one such area containing pc
culiarly favorable conditions Is TO be
found IN wheeler Ridge, which extends
into the valley east of Pleito Creek.
Another promising area les farther
west. along the edge of the valley
ncrth of the mouths of Muddy and
Santiago creeks and northwest of the
mouth of San Emis6io Creek. The
l. tier area bids fair TO form an cast
ward extension OF the Sunset field, but
II does not appear likely to be con-
tinuous with the prospective Wheeler
Ridge field mentioned above.
These areas as well as other parts
of the region are briefly described in
the report IL is further stated that
when studied in detail. areas other
than those just mentioned may prove
to have stratigraphic and structural
conditions favorable fer the accumula-
ton of oil.
Land Withdrawals.
In pursuance of the policy of the
Federal Government and on the recon-
pcndation of the Geological Survey
the public lands in the region de-
scribcd have been withdrawn from all
forms CT entry. Attention is. however
ccIled to the fact that the large areas
listed as withdrawn lands include
numerous tracts that are privately
owned ana that are in no way affected
nlI1lTA 0n0o