Background

While modern well drilling techniques have advanced safety features that reduce the chances of a gusher, in extreme conditions, early Twentieth-Century oil well drilling technology could not contain the high pressures encountered. The gusher made its debut March 14, 1910 as the drill bit found the 2,440-foot level.

The well casing is a steel pipe liner that contains oil as it is pumped from the depths. During drilling, the casing also guides the drill bit and drive shaft in a roughly-straight line. Pressure blew at least part of the well casing out, along with an estimated 9 million barrels (378 million gallons/1.4 billion liters) of oil, before the gusher was brought under control 18 months later, (about September 1911).

Initial flow from the gusher was 18,800 barrels per 24-hour period. The peak flow during the gusher was estimated to be 90,000 barrels per 24 hour period. The large flow created a creek of crude oil running downhill from the well site. Crews rushed to contain the river of crude oil with a system of improvised sand bag dams and dikes. Remarkably, the gusher never caught fire during its gassy, 18-month stint.

External links

• San Joaquin Geological Society article on the gusher.
• U.C. Berkeley archival photograph of the gusher on "day 34."
• The gusher site looks like this today, (Center for Land Use Interpretation).

References