Historical surface deformation near Oildale, California

Abstract

Historical surface deformation recognized in the S. San Joaquin Valley and adjacent Sierra Nevada foothills near Oildale, Calif., includes normal and apparently aseismic dip slip along 4 faults; subsidence within or adjacent to the Kern Front, Poso Creek, Mt. Poso, and Fruitvale oil fields; and uplift of much of the area within and north of the Kern River oil field. As much as 0.34 m of vertical separation has been observed along a 5.2-km segment of the Kern Front fault, the structural barrier separating the Kern Front oil field on the west from the Kern River field to the east. The apparent uplift within and north of the Kern River oil field and along the north edge of the Mt. Poso field probably is due in part to compaction of as much as 0.055 m beneath the reference bench mark; most of this apparent uplift, however, is interpreted as an effect of tectonic tilting. 61 references.