The East Gosford oil field, 6 miles southwest of Bakersfield, was discovered in 1948 with completion of Hancock Oil Company's KCL 85-23 in Sec. 23, T. 30 S., R. 26 E. Development of the

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upper Stevens from depths averaging 8,000 feet was orderly over 2½ years. Structure near the upper Stevens lenticular or channel-type sands is a gentle southwesterly plunging nose with minor unimportant normal faulting. Through 1957, 5,063,000 barrels were produced from 27 upper Stevens wells.

Late in 1957 Universal Consolidated Oil Company and State Exploration Company discovered lower Stevens oil ½ mile east of the original field limits. To date (September 10, 1958) 25 lower Stevens producers have been completed, 4 dry holes were drilled, and 3 wells are drilling. In contrast to the gentle bowing in upper Stevens rocks, there are one and perhaps two areas of structural closure at lower Stevens time. In general, greater pay thicknesses and better production are encountered high on the fold, but basin source sands are well developed downdip and additional stratigraphic traps in downdip wells have afforded commercial reservoirs.

Limits of lower Stevens production have not been reached as yet, but it is likely that principal future drilling will be in the southwest part of the pool, although northerly field limits are not entirely defined. At least 540 acres are proved in the lower Stevens pool (September 10, 1958). The ultimate size of the pool could be substantially larger. Cumulative production from lower Stevens at East Gosford through July, 1958, is 325,000 barrels from 21 wells. Average daily production, August, 1958, was approximately 3,000 barrels from lower Stevens.

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