Brief History of Oil Development in Lyon Canyon


This topo map shows all the known well sites in Lyon Canyon


There is no documented oil drilling activity in Lyon Canyon until 1922. Although Sanford Lyon was involved with early drilling in Pico Canyon, there is no evidence that he did anything in Lyon Canyon. Early searchers must have inspected Lyon Canyon, but no work was apparently done, since there was no obvious signs of oil.

Of the nine wells drilled in the canyon, only three produced oil. The best year for Lyon Canyon was 1969 when production was 109,014 barrels of oil. The 72nd Annual Report of the State Oil & Gas Supervisor reports that in September of 1986, the field was abandoned. It had produced a total of 314,719 barrels of oil and 334.1 million cubic feet of gas. When abandoned, all 3 wells were still capable of producing 3 to 4 barrels of oil per day.

For the most complete Lyon Canyon oil description, see the 1973 California Division of Oil and Gas Summary of Operations report for the Lyon Canyon Oil Field here.

Table of the wells drilled in Lyon Canyon

(From Walling, 1934, and DOGGR records)
Last Owner Well # Year 1st Drilled Total depth(ft) Initial Production Remarks
Young Napoleon Oil Co. 1 ? ? ? No records
Schroeder Oil Syndicate 1 1922 2785 0 Abandoned in 1923, no oil
Sun Drilling Co. Ayers 1 1961 9785 0 Abandoned in 1961, no oil
Lyon Canyon Oil Corp. 24X-4 1969 10700 100 bpd Abandoned in 1986 with .5 bpd production
Lyon Canyon Oil Corp. 26X4 1969 10500 480 bpd Abandoned in 1986
Lyon Canyon Oil Corp. 35X4 1969 10930 500 bpd 1984 prod 8 bpd. Abandoned in 1986
Little Four Limited 36X4 1969 10800 0 Abandoned in 1969, no oil
Macpet Blinn 86X5 1969 10500 0 Abandoned in 1969, no oil
Macpet Gross Et All 67X-5 1970 10562 0 Abandoned in 1970, no oil

Location of Macpet Gross 67X-5, drilled and abandoned in 1970. (Photo taken on 3/1/2009)