Tunnel Area wells - West of Sierra Highway - South part

This aerial photo was taken between July 18, 1930, and August 25, 1930. The resolution is good enough to see the shadows of four out of five derricks for for the following described oil wells. Needham 3 is in the shadows. Needham 4 is not described here because it was plugged and abandoned in 1943. The Needham 1 here is 037-12979. The other Needham 1 is not in this photo.

The Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) performed an environmental inspection of these wells on October 12, 2017, and found many violations. A Notice of Violation was subsequently sent to Mark Gates of Gate King Properties LLC on October 23, 2017. By December 12, 2017, all the violations were satisfactorily rectified. Needham 1 (037-12837) was not inspected because it could not be found by DOGGR until May of 2018.

NEEDHAM 1 (037-12979)

Needham 1 was drilled by the Southern California Drilling Company in July - October of 1929. It was a prospect well. The total depth was 1952 feet. Although the initial production is not reported, thirty days after completion, the well was producing 200 barrels of 19.5 gravity oil per day. By 1933, production was down to 10 barrels per day. By 1980, the well was being used for waste water disposal. (Photo date 11/17/2017)

Another view. (8/28/2017)

New bolts for the cap and plugs so the smaller side pipes have been added. The well will be plugged and abandoned in the future. (12/16/2017)

This well was in the burn area of the Victor Fire in July of 2023. (8/5/2023)

NEEDHAM 2 (037-12980)

Needham 2 (also called Gate King 3-2) was drilled by the Southern California Drilling Company in November - December of 1929. The final depth was 1505 feet. Thirty days after completion, the well was producing 150 barrels of 22.3 gravity oil per day. At some point in time, production was stopped and the well went idle. This well was behind a fence covered with bushes when I first saw it. (Photo date 9/4/2017)

A view of well through the fence. (9/4/2017)

The wellhead has now been exposed for future abandoning. The bushes were cut down and the fence was taken down. Some of the hardware has been removed from the top. New bolts and probably some side pipes with one valve have been added to the wellhead. (12/10/2017)

A well number has also been attached. (12/16/2017)

Another view. (5/26/2018)

The Victor Fire in July of 2023 burned near this well. (8/5/2023)

NEEDHAM 3 (037-12981)

Needham 3 (also called Gate King 3-3) was drilled by the Southern California Drilling Company in May - June of 1930. The final depth was 1683 feet. Thirty days after completion, the well was producing 80 barrels of 20 gravity oil per day. The records don't say when pumping was ended, but the pump was never removed. (Photo date 9/4/2017)

Needham 3. The pump was never removed after the well went off production. (9/4/2017)

This is a Cabot pump sold by Howard Supply. The Howard Supply Company started in 1937. Here is a video of an actual Cabot pump running (but not this one). (8/28/2017)

Needham 3. (8/28/2017)

Needham 3 with the wellhead exposed for future abandonment. New bolts and probably the side pipe extension with plug were added. Also a sign with the well number was attached. (12/16/2017)

The Victor Fire in July of 2023 also burned near this well. (8/5/2023)

Another view of the well after the fire from further away. (8/12/2023)

NEEDHAM 4 (037-12982)

This is the site of Needham 4. It was started on July 22, 1930, and completed on November 11, 1930, at a depth of 3504 feet. In 1939-40, the well was deepened to 4400 feet. A little oil was found, but there were problems with water getting into the well. It was officially abandoned in 1943. (9/4/2017)

View of the site after the Victor Fire in July of 2023. (8/5/2023)

View of the site from above towards the east after the fire. Highway 14 is in the upper right. (8/12/2023)

YORK 1 (037-13114)

York 1 was drilled by the York-Smullin Oil Company in Novermber, 1929 - January, 1930. The final depth was 1490 feet. Thirty days after completion, the well was producing 250 barrels of 20 gravity oil per day. At some point in time, production was stopped and the well went idle. (Photo date 8/28/2017)

Closer view. (8/28/2017)

The broken pipe sticking out of the ground in the background is the rathole. The rathole is a storage place for the kelly. The kelly is used to transmit rotary motion from the rotary table to the drill string. (11/17/2017)

Another view of the rathole. Photo from the DOGGR York 1 well records.

York 1 has also been better exposed for future abandonment with new bolts and a plug for the small side extension added. Also added was a new sign with the well number. (12/22/2017)

A steel plate was welded to the top of the rathole. (12/22/2017)

After the Victor fire in July of 2023. (8/5/2023)

Looking down (towards the south) on York 1 in the middle of this photo after the fire. (8/12/2023)

YORK 2 (037-13115)

York 2 was drilled by the York-Smullin Oil Company in Novermber, 1929 - January, 1930. The final depth was 1368 feet. Thirty days after completion, the well was producing 195 barrels of oil per day. At some point in time, production was stopped and the well went idle. (Photo date 11/17/2017)

Closer view. (11/17/2017)

View of site showing the four concrete piers that the derrick would have rested on. (9/4/2017)

Work done on York 2, like the other wells in the area. Top horizontal side pipe plugged. Bottom side pipe exposed. (12/10/2017)

More work done. Valve and plug added to bottom side pipe. Well name sign added. Name signs were hung on all the wells here and many have disappeared. (12/16/2017)

Leaking gas after rain filled up the hole. This problem was eventually fixed. (1/14/2018)

York 2 wasn't touched during the Victor Fire in July of 2023, but you can see the burn area in the distance. There is a lot of trash near this well site. (8/12/2023)

NEEDHAM 1 (API number: 037-12837)

Needham 1 was drilled by the Tunnel Oil Company in July-August of 1941 (north of the previous wells). The total depth was 1760 feet. The well record states that on 5/31/1946 the Tunnel Oil Company "filled hole with dirt and screwed 8-5/8 OD 10 V thread bull plug into top of casing." This was accepted as abandonment by the Division of Oil and Gas. (Photo date 9/17/2017)

Another view. (9/23/2017)

The well is next to an old gas tank. (9/17/2017)

Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) field engineers (John and Cliff) inspecting the well. An object dropped into the well takes a few seconds to hit the bottom. It is not filled with dirt to the top. (5/10/2018)

Cliff (on the right) is waiting for a very sophisticated device to warm up. When ready, it will be able to detect very minute quantities of any vapors leaking from the well. Leaking vapors were detected, so something will have to be done to mitigate this issue, and others, until the well is plugged. (5/10/2018)

Photo (probably from 2021) from well data downloaded from DOGGR (now CalGem) website. The well data also shows that on May 19, 2021, the operator was ordered to reabandon the well and restore the well site. The order can be appealed, but I don't know if that was done. However, so far the well has not been abandoned, although this fence around the well was erected. The owner of the land, now part of the Gates King Open Space, is the City of Santa Clarita.

In July of 2023 the Victor Fire hit this area. As you are coming up the now exposed road, you can see the fence around the well. Since it's been two months since the fire, green is now appearing. (9/24/2023)

Here we see the tank and well site. The fire did not do much damage aroung this well. (9/24/2023)

For some reason the original fence was replaced by this more secure fence with razor wire along the top. (9/24/2023)

The wellhead is still not up to DOGGR's (CalGem's) standard. Bolts are still missing. (9/24/2023)