Lakeview Gusher EarthCache
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This is the site of the worst accidental oil spill in history: The Lakeview Gusher. The coordinates are for the state historical marker for this site. The cache is located on Petroleum Club Rd. just east of Hwy 33.
Geology of Oil
Oil forms from the remains of living things over the course of millions of years. These remains get buried by the deposition of rock over time. Heat and pressure change these remains into hydrocarbons known as crude oil and natural gas.
The formation of oil is the first step. After formation the oil, due to it's relatively light density, migrates through the rocks. It will continue to do so until it either reaches the surface as an oil seep (see the nearby McKittrick Oil Seep GC1EXGT) or get trapped beneath the surface by faults or folds (structural traps) or by impermeable layers of rock such as shale (stratigraphic traps). [See image gallery for more info.] If oil is collected and trapped in this way it is called a reservoir. The oil can be removed from these reservoirs by drilling down into the reservoir and pumping it out. If the oil is already under pressure, pumping may be unnecessary, similar to artesian wells. If the pressure is too high and cannot be controlled the well will become a "blowout" or "gusher".
The Lakeview Gusher
Accidental oil spills have been in the news for years. The recent Deep Horizons (BP) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico made headlines for months as it gushed oil from April to July, 2010. However, it is not the worst spill in history. The worst spill was at this site. The gusher started March 15, 1910 and continued uncontrolled for 544 days (18 months!). It released over nine million barrels during that time, with a peak output of 100,000 barrels/day. In comparison, the BP Deep Horizons oil spill released about 4.9 million barrels with a peak output of 62,000 barrels/day.
Attempts to control the well were unsuccessful, so efforts were primarily directed to containing the oil and preventing the oil from reaching the nearby Buena Vista lake. Sand berms were set up to direct the flow of oil. In the end, less than half of the oil was recovered. The rest of the oil either evaporated or seeped back into the ground. After the well was brought under control it only produced about 30 barrels a day and was soon abandoned. What you see at this site is all that remains of the well.
To log this cache:
1. Look around the site. What evidence do you see that there was ever a major oil spill here?
2. There are always environmental concerns with oil contamination. After 100 years, do you think this site has recovered? Why or why not?
3. (Optional) Post a picture of yourself at the cache site.
For more information on the subject of oil or the Lakeview Gusher please visit one of the following museums:
West Kern Oil Museum
1168 Wood St, Taft, CA 93268
www.westkern-oilmuseum.org
Kern County Museum (formerly Pioneer Village)
3801 Chester Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301
www.kcmuseum.org
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