Sep 17, 2007
Birthday meme: We have a gusher!
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On the first of January 1909, drilling commenced on Lakeview Number One well in Kern County, California. On March 14 1909, the drilling reached 2440 feet, and the largest recorded U.S. oil well gusher. Whee! High pressure blew some of the well casing out, and about nine million barrels of oil spurted out before the gush was once again brought under control–eighteen months later. Workers had to create a channel with sand bags in order to capture the new creek of crude oil.
The site is now state historic landmark #458. I haven’t been there yet.
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