Geologic appraisal of the petroleum potential of offshore Southern California: the borderland compared to onshore coastal basins

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1976 · U.S. Geol. Surv., Circ.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6623772

Taylor, J C

Offshore S. California is part of a much larger Pacific continental margin, and the 2 areas have a similar geologic history at least as far back as middle Tertiary time. Assessment of the petroleum potential of the offshore S. California borderland is accomplished by examining the adjacent highly explored productive coastal basins in the tectonically unstable area west of the San Andreas fault. The S. California borderland, although a part of a locally rich petroliferous region, has no known basins with geologic histories or characteristics similar to the Los Angeles and Ventura basins. Some offshore basins are similar to less endowed basins in terms of petroleum potential such as the Santa Maria and Salinas basins. Areas with the best petroleum potential may be in deep water (greater than 500 m). Some of the past high estimates of the petroleum potential may have been overstated; the existing geologic data tend to substantiate low estimates of 0.6 to 5.8 billion bbl of oil and 0.6 to 5.8 trillion cu ft of gas for the S. California borderland at the 5 and 95% probability level. (88 refs.)

• OSTI ID: 6623772
• Journal Information: U.S. Geol. Surv., Circ.; (United States), Vol. 730
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
CALIFORNIA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
MARINE SURVEYS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCES
SURVEYS
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration