The California Well Sample Repository is California’s only facility for permanent storage and public use of cores, sidewall samples, drill cuttings, outcrop samples, microfaunal slides, foundation borings, and mineral suites. The repository, founded in 1975, consists of two buildings of 6,000 square feet each located on the campus of California State University, Bakersfield.
Cores, ditch samples, and sidewall samples from more than 4,000 exploration and development, oil and gas wells located throughout onshore and offshore California are in our collection. This material was donated by a large number of operators and individuals, and represents samples not only from recently drilled wells, but also from some of the earliest cored wells in the state. Whenever possible, cores are center-sliced to enhance study. Materials are placed in standard-size cardboard boxes, labeled for retrieval, and stored on steel shelving.
Ancillary data such as well histories, core descriptions, photos, analyses, and electric logs for many of the wells.
Microscope slides processed for microfauna from over 2,000 wells and outcrop localities.
Foundation boring samples, ocean bottom sediments from water quality control studies, and rock sample suites from mining districts and geothermal areas.
Most of these cores and samples would never have been made available for study by the public, and would have been discarded and destroyed by their owners were it not for the Repository. Our collection includes materials from every major oil company in California, cores from many exploration wells drilled by independents, and cores from mining and geothermal companies.
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The Repository is the only public facility of its type in California. It is open to anyone interested in studying these materials. Primary users are oil company personnel, students and faculty of colleges and universities, and government agencies. The facility is open several days a week, year round. Space is available for on-site examination, but materials may also be sent out on loan.
From time to time, the Repository organizes special displays, called "Open Houses", of representative core from important California reservoirs, such as the Stevens, Winters, Monterey, and Temblor. Maps, logs, cross-sections, and outcrop samples supplement these presentations. Special publications prepared by the Repository staff and other knowledgeable workers provide additional supporting information for these "Open Houses".
Materials from the Repository are used for seminars, schools, and professional meetings, as well as academic and petroleum research. The Repository is eager to cooperate and support any legitimate request for use of Repository facilities or materials.
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The day-to-day operation of the Repository is carried out by the curator, a geologist with extensive experience in oil, gas, mining and geothermal projects. The Project Director, a member of the CSUB faculty, acts under guidelines and advice from the Advisory Committee, which supervises the facility. Grants, contracts, donations, gifts and other funds received in support of the Repository are administered by the California State Bakersfield Foundation solely for the benefit of the Repository. The Foundation is a non-profit corporation established in 1969 to beneficially support projects and services of the State University, which are not provided through state university funding.
The Advisory Committee of the Repository establishes operating policies and procedures, and directs, advises, guides, and authorizes the general operation of the Repository. Membership on the committee has broad representation of those interested in use of the facility. Members currently include representatives from the California State University, California Division of Oil and Gas, State Lands Division, Division of Mines and Geology, Bureau of Land Management, major oil companies, independent oil companies, petroleum service companies, independent geologists and paleontologists, and engineers.
The Board of Governors
Larry Knauer, ChevronTexaco - Chairman
Bob Horton, CSUB - Director
Thomas Meyer, CSUB - Dean of Sciences
Frank Charron - Repository Curator
Al Almgren, SEPM - Board Member
Bonnie Bloeser, Aera Energy - Board Member
Mike Clark, San Joaquin Geological Society - Board Member
Bill Long, Occidental - Board Member
Mark Wilson, ChevronTexaco - Board Member
Ed Stinemeyer - Emeritus Member
Jack West - Emeritus Member
The Repository operates on a modest annual budget of approximately $35,000, which provides for the curator, temporary student help, supplies, shelving, and equipment. Volunteer help aides appreciably with day-to-day operations.
Funding for the Repository comes from several sources consisting of user fees, interest from an endowment fund, individuals, corporate sponsors, and professional associations. Students and faculty of schools, colleges and universities are exempt from user fees.
If it were not for gifts from the private sector, this important segment of California geological history would be lost. Its existence and continued operation is predicated on annual gift support. Gifts to support the Repository should be made to the Cal State Bakersfield Foundation. For further information, please contact the Repository Curator at 661-664-2324 or the Foundation Manager at 661-664-3209.
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