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Detailed map of the Belridge Oil Field and Lost Hills Oil Field in Kern County, showing the ownership claims in area.
The wells are centered in two clusters on the map, in the Lost Hills (northeastern) and the North Belridge (southeastern) field.
The map includes a legend noting all the different types of well drilling in the area, including oil, gas, and water, as well as storage facilities and the like. The map was originally sold for 75 cents by the Division of Mines of the California Department for Natural Resources.
Lost Hills Oil Field
The Lost Hills Oil Field is today the six-largest remaining oil reserve in California. It is one of several oil fields along the anticline between the Coalinga and Midway Oil Fields, with five oil-producing units. The region is unusual because the ground is prone to collapse in areas where oil has been removed.
The oil field was discovered in July of 1910 when cattle ranchers attempted to drill for groundwater. Later, in 1998, the site was notorious for the Bellevue blowout, one of the largest modern well blowouts in American history.
Provenance
This map was used by a contemporary who was active in the California oil industry, as evidenced by the additional information provided through pencil annotations in the southwestern sector, showing the locations of additional wells and contour lines. The annotations cover both oil fields but are more concentrated in the North Belridge field.
Rarity
OCLC lists one example of the 1920 edition of this map and two examples of the 1927 edition of the map. We have previously had an example of the 1933 edition.
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