The History of Oil in Los Angeles

Introduction

• Common associations with Los Angeles: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, beaches.
• Lesser known fact: LA was once a rich oil field area.

Early Oil Use by Native Americans

• Native Americans used California oil as a lubricant and sealant, not as an energy source.
• Oil seeps: natural leaks from underground oil reservoirs.

Oil Boom Post-Gold Rush

• Population growth after 1849 Gold Rush increased oil demand.
• Primary use: kerosene for lamps.
• Shift to transportation with the internal combustion engine's development in the early 1900s.

Early Oil Drilling

• First oil drilling in California: 1865 by Union ML Company, unsuccessful.
• Successful drilling: Pico Canyon Oil Field in 1876.
  • Star Oil Works' Pico Number Four well: produced up to 150 barrels/day.
  • Operated until 1990.

Los Angeles City Oil Field

• Discovered in 1892 by Edward Dohini and Charles Canainfield.
• Location: North of downtown LA, once a top producer in California.
• Peak year 1901: 200 oil companies active.
• Led to discovery of other fields in LA Basin.

Expansion of Oil Production

• 1920s-30s: New fields discovered regularly.
  • Notable fields: Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs, Wilmington.
• LA became a major oil production center, comparable to Saudi Arabia of its time.

Urban Development and Oil Production

• Increase in LA's population due to oil boom.
• Drilling sites intermixed with urban housing.
• Aesthetic mitigation in the 1960s to disguise oil sites.
  • Examples: Cardiff Tower, Packard Well site, Beverly Center Mall.

Environmental and Safety Concerns

• Oil drilling releases harmful chemicals.
• 1985 explosion at Salt Lake Oil Field (Ross Dress for Less).
• Impact on Metro Rail project: stringent building codes and safety measures.

Decline of Oil Production

• Easy-to-extract oil exhausted by the 80s.
• Larger companies left, smaller operators remained.
• Issues with old wells leaking pollutants.

Recent Developments

• 2022: LA City Council banned new oil and gas drilling, aiming to halt existing operations within 20 years.
• 2024: Ban overturned by LA County Superior Court, leaving future uncertain.

Conclusion

• The history of oil in LA significantly impacted its development and urban landscape.
• Ongoing challenges with environmental safety and regulation.