Thrust Faulting in Temblor Range, Kern County, California

Abstract

Surface and subsurface studies confirm the presence of overthrusting in the Temblor Range between Gonyer Canyon and Recruit Pass. In the subsurface, three wells have penetrated the Cree fault, the Hudbay Cree' No. 1 (7,300 ft), the Frantzen Oil Company Cree' No. 1 (5,865 ft) and the Arco Cree Fee' 1A well (5,915 ft). Below the fault, 25 to 35{degree} of westerly dips on the west flank of the sub-thrust Phelps anticline are encountered. The McDonald section below the fault is comprised of siliceous fractured shale which contains live oil and gas showings. A drill-stem test of the interval from 8,247 to 8,510 ft in the Frantzen well resulted in a recovery of 1,200 ft clean 34{degree} oil and 40 MCF per day gas. The shut in pressure was 3,430 lb, which is a normal hydrostatic pressure common to the producing structures in the southern San Joaquin Valley. The equivalent of this interval has produced over 7,000 bbl of oil in the Arco Cree' 1A well. The Arco Cree Fee' No. 1A well crossed the axis of the Phelps Anticline as indicated by good dipmeter and bottomed in Lower Zemorrian at 14,512 ft total depth. This well was not drilledmore » deep enough to reach the Point of Rocks Sand and did not test the gas showings in the lower Miocene section. In the Gonyer Canyon area, subsurface evidence indicated conditions are similar to those in the Cree area because a large structure is present below a thrust fault. It is believed that significant accumulations will be found beneath thrust faults in the eastern part of the Temblor Range where conditions are similar to those that were instrumental in forming fields such as the Elk Hills, B. V. Hills, Belgian Anticline and others.« less