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Offshore Drilling News
Offshore Drilling Began...
In the late 1800's, the citizens of Summerland, California, began producing the numerous springs of crude oil and natural gas that dotted their landscape. After drilling a large number of wells, these early oilmen noticed that those nearest the ocean were the best producers. Eventually, they drilled several wells on the beach itself. Then in 1887, one citzen, H.L. Williams came up with the idea of building a wharf and erecting the drilling rig on it. His first offshore well extended about 300 feet into the ocean. As expected, it was a good producer and before long the entrepreneurs built several more wharfs. The longest stretched over 1,200 feet in the Pacific.