Abstract

Over 100 wildcat wells were drilled unsuccessfully in the Salinas Valley area prior to the discovery of the San Ardo Field in November, 1947. By 1951 the field was fully outlined and reservoir engineers estimated that reserves of between 50 and 100 million barrels of heavy oil would be recovered from the 2 billion barrels in place. Since the discovery of San Ardo over 150 more exploratory wells have been drilled in the basin without any substantial discoveries resulting but thermal recovery processes and higher prices have increased the field reserve in startling fashion. To the present date about 290 million barrels of oil have been produced and it appears probable that a similar volume will be produced in future years assuming a continuation of a favorable economic climate. Since no expansion of producing area nor discovery of new zones occurred between 1952 and the present the San Ardo experience suggests that not only will “Tomorrow’s Oil” come from “Today’s provinces” it may well come from yesterday’s oil fields.