Lakeview Gusher
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The Lakeview Gusher was an eruption of hydrocarbons from a pressurized oil well in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field in Kern County, California, in 1910. Caused by a blowout, it created the largest accidental oil spill in history, lasting 18 months and releasing an estimated 9 million barrels (1.4×10^6 m3) of crude oil.[1]
Lakeview Gusher Number One | |
---|---|
Location | Kern County, California |
Coordinates | 35°05′29″N 119°24′05″W |
Date | 15 March 1910 – September 1911 |
Cause | |
Cause | Wellhead blowout |
Operator | Lakeview Oil Company |
Spill characteristics | |
Volume | 9 million barrels (1.4×10 |
Reference no. | 485 |
Midway-Sunset was one of the largest oil reserves in the United States. When drilling commenced, the Lakeview Oil Company expected natural gas and a small amount of oil. Instead, there was a large blowout which overloaded storage tanks.[2]
The geyser released more than 1.2 million short tons (1,100,000 t) of crude oil, far more than any other single leak on land or water. Its site is located about a half-mile (800 m) east of the Taft–Maricopa Highway, California Route 33, marked by a Caltrans guide sign and a bronze plaque designated as California Historical Landmark number 485.[3]