The Cuyama Valley in 1950 continues to be an important area in California for the drilling of both field development wells and wildcats. More than 50,000 barrels of high-gravity oil are now produced daily from the combined fields of Cuyama. The Russell Ranch field, discovered in June, 1948, has reached a state of almost complete development and now produces 21,000 barrels of oil per day from 138 wells. The South Cuyama field, discovered in May, 1949, is incompletely developed and now produces about 29,000 barrels of oil per day from 155 wells. The geology of these proved fields is not reviewed.

Thus far in 1950, about 45 wildcat wells have been drilled in the Cuyama-Carrizo area and only the three which resulted in new discoveries in the Morales Canyon area of North Cuyama were successful. This rather low discovery ratio of 1:15 reflects the complexity of the geologic structure and the difficulty of finding new oil in Cuyama Valley. The Superior Oil Company completed "Government" No. 18-2 in Sec. 2, T. 11 N., R. 28 W., S.B.B. & M., on April 1, 1950, flowing from an undisclosed formation in the interval 5,635-6,125 feet, 500 barrels per day of 37.5° gravity oil, 2.5% cut, through ½-inch bean with 400 pounds pressure and 250 M.c.f. gas. Immediately surrounding this well, one additional pumper has been completed, three dry holes abandoned, and one well is currentl drilling.

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On April 25, 1950, the Hancock-Mohawk-Oceanic No. 65-10 well on the Clayton lease in Sec. 10, T. 11 N., R. 28 W., was completed as a new-pool discovery pumping 75 barrels per day of 32.8° gravity oil, 1% cut, from the Morales formation (Pliocene). There are now eleven wells in a proved area of about 120 acres, producing a total of about 800 barrels per day. The limits of the field at the south and east have been established. On August 22, 1950, the Hancock Oil Company made a discovery about 2 3/4 miles northwest of the Superior well in the Hancock-Bishop No. 44-31 well in Sec. 31, T. 32 S., R. 20 E., M.D.B. & M. The well was completed, pumping 226 barrels per day of 36.6° gravity oil, 0.4% cut, 100 pounds casing pressure and 100 M.c.f. gas from a new lower Miocene sand i the interval 5,785-6,020 feet. Three wells are drilling in the area.

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