Drilling Through Time: 75 Years with California's Division of Oil & Gas

by William Rintoul

The whole story of Californias oilfield & geothermal history is gathered into one volume. Begins in the 1860s, with pioneers mining & refining the asphaltum from tarry seeps. By 1876, the state had its first truly commercial oil well. Soon, many oil fields were being discovered & produced. Companies sought to capture as much oil as possible, as fast as they could. Events grew so chaotic that the petroleum industry itself sought regulation. Thus, on Aug. 9, 1915, the Calif. Dept. of Petroleum & Gas (now, the Div. of Oil & Gas) was formed. This book tells how the petroleum & geothermal industries & the Div. of Oil & Gas have developed together. Dozens of photos.

178 pages, Unknown Binding

First published July 28, 2000