NEEDHAM 2-1 (037-12983)
Needham 2-1 was spudded on April 15, 1932, and completed in July at 1761 feet. Initial production was reported at 50 bpd of clean oil with a gravity of 24 degrees. The well probably ceased producing commercial quantities of oil because in July of 1933 it was deepened to 1905 feet. At that depth, initial production was only 10 bpd of 25 gravity oil. Records report that the well last produced in March of 1986, but the amount was not given. In 2001, it was officially plugged and abandoned. The top of the casing cut off at 5 feet below ground level. With all the plant growth since then, it was hard to see the site clearly. However, in July of 2023, the Victor Fire cleared much of the area. Most of the following photos were taken after that fire. The above 2017 photo of the site was obtained from DOGGR (CalGem) records for the well. However, based on what this area looked like after the Victor Fire, I believe that the photo shows the old road and the actual site is just to the left, and below, the road.
Some of the brush hiding the site, which is right of this base. I don't know what the base was used for. (9/17/2017)
Odd cement cylinder about three feet in diameter with a hole in the middle about 30 feet behind the base. The hole is only about two feet deep. (9/17/2017)
An overall view of the well site looking south after the Victor Fire of July 2023. The base is on the left, the well site is the flat area to the right of that, and the road loops up around and above the site. That road goes to Needham 1 (037-12837 - note that the well name Needham 1 was used multiple times), spudded in 1941. Needham 2-1 still existed at that time so the road had to go around it. I am standing on the road up to Needham 2-2. It is possible that the base actually pointed to the well site and the flat area above it was used for maybe an oil tank. However, I don't think so because then it would have been closer to the water runoff from the two canyons joining there. The higher flat area wouldn't have had that problem. (9/24/2023)
Close-up from previous photo. (9/24/2023)
Looking from the opposite direction (north) at the road on the left just above the well site. The trees survived the fire, although it is obvious that they were singed. (9/24/2023)
Looking south at the base with the cylindrical object in the distance. (9/24/2023)
Looking north at the base to the site of Needham 2-2, just past the pole in the high background. (9/24/2023)
Close-up of the cylindrical object after the fire. (8/5/2023)