The discovery of oil in the upper Miocene by The Texas Company at San Ardo in November, 1947, culminated 47 years of unsuccessful exploration and 91 dry holes. In the ensuing ten months (to October, 1948) an additional 38 wells have been drilled. These include three discoveries, 19 producing wells, 15 dry holes and four wells currently drilling.

Most of the post-discovery exploration has been directed to the upper Miocene sands. Drilling is soon to be commenced in areas adjacent to the San Andreas fault and also west of the Salinas River for middle Miocene sand objectives.

Three different pools have been discovered, and oil sands recently encountered by the Cleveland Oil Company north of San Ardo indicate the probability of a fourth pool. Oil sands on both sides of the King City fault suggest that the time of original accumulation was pre-King City fault.

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Contours on top of the basement show a high basement area, nearly reaching the surface, extending south from San Lucas toward San Ardo on both sides of the Salinas River, and a steep basement slope along the present western edge of the Salinas Valley.

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