Kern River Oil Field

[2] The principal operator on the field is Chevron Corporation[3] The Kern River Oil Field covers an area of 10,750 acres (43.5 km2) in a rough oval extending over the low hills north-northeast of Bakersfield, hills which are now almost completely barren except for oil rigs, drilling pads and associated equipment.

[5] According to a California State Historical Marker of the original site in Kern County, "Oil was discovered at 70 feet (21 m) in 1899, when Tom Means persuaded Roy Elwood and Frank Wiseman, aided by Jonathan, Bert, Jed, and Ken Elwood, George Wiseman, and John Marlowe, to dig here for oil.

Wastewater from the field was once allowed to drain directly into the streams dissecting the region, and thence into the Kern River.

This practice ended in the 1960s and 1970s when more stringent environmental regulations were enacted both on federal and state levels.

Wastewater now is treated in facilities specifically built for this purpose, and after the treatment, is used to irrigate crops in the San Joaquin Valley.

The Kern River Oil Field (purple) in south-central California. Other oil fields are shown in gray.
Kern River drilling rigs, 1923
Kern River Oil Field aerial, 2012.
Kern River Oil Field in 1910
Kern River Oil Field; view from Panorama Park in Bakersfield, on the blufftop across the river. This is the most densely developed oilfield in California, and the fifth-largest producer (as of 2006) in the US.
Kern River Oil Field Geologic Cross Section
Area of active operations, along China Grade Loop
BLM employees inspect the Chevron water recovery operation at the Kern River oilfield, 2017. 500 thousand barrels of purified water are produced every day, irrigating 90 farms in the district.