California Well Sample Repository

The California Well Sample Repository is California’s only facility for the 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---each 6,000 square feet in area---that are located on the campus of California State University at Bakersfield.

On this website, you can find extensive catalogs that contain information about the thousands of oil, gas, water and core wells from California that are in our collection. There are tens of thousands of entries in our catalogs that list available core, cuttings, well logs, and paleo samples. Our files are in Microsoft Excel (.XLS) format, and they can be downloaded from this site by any interested party. Or, you can visit us at our present facility on the campus of the California State University at Bakersfield.

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PROCEDURES, POLICIES AND FEES

The purpose of the California Well Sample Repository is to collect, classify, process, store and make available for public inspection and investigation rock samples representative of the geologic history, stratigraphic sequences, rock properties, and mineral resources of the State of California.
Repository facilities, including the rock samples and ancillary data contained therein, are available to all bona fide investigators. Appointments for use of the facility and examination of rock or file materials may be made by mail, email, Fax, or telephone.
Normal Repository hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesdays only. During summer months the Repository may be open more days per week. All users are requested to complete a Repository 'Request for Materials Form'.
No one will be permitted to remain after the 3:00 p.m. closing time without having received prior approval from the Curator or Project Director or their delegated authority.
For information on our fee structure please click this link.
Only Repository staff will remove and replace boxes from the shelves.
Only Repository staff is authorized to operate Repository equipment (diamond saw, fork lift, pallet truck, sample washer, etc.).
All users shall provide their own examination equipment. To the extent it is possible and reasonable, the Repository will attempt to comply with special requests. Such requests should be made at least one week prior to the user's visit.
The Repository cannot be responsible for any personal equipment belonging to a user, which is left, either during the working day or overnight.
All material accepted into the Repository becomes the sole property of the Repository, and any such material shall not be removed from the Repository without prior written consent from the Project Director, Curator or their delegated authority.
Repository cores and cuttings will be available for loan upon request made of the Curator, Project Director or their delegated authority. Materials on loan must be returned to the Repository within three months.
During study of material, users are requested to use good geological practices to avoid “mixing up” or mis-orientating samples. “Mix-ups” can be avoided by replacing an examined sample to its proper place before removing the next piece. Please be careful!
If a box of material is spilled, please notify the Curator so that samples can be restored as best as possibly to their original positions in the box.
Wetting a slabbed core face with water is permitted, but please do not use an excessive amount, as the cardboard boxes may become damaged. Also, please use paper or cloth towels to dry off any wet surfaces before putting the core back in the boxes.
Testing agents other than water should be used only on very small areas, and always with extreme care.
Minor samples necessary for simple examinations or tests may be taken from slabs, but only with permission of the Curator of Project Director or their delegated authority. Lengths of core may be broken to obtain pieces equal to, or less than 2 inches, in length.
Upon request, permission may be given to obtain sufficient material necessary to conduct more thorough research or analysis. No sample, however, shall be removed from a core or box of material, which has been excessively sampled.
A copy of the results of all research, tests, analyses, and thin sections, run upon or prepared from Repository samples, are to be filed with the Repository within 90 days of sampling or the return of Repository boxes, and will become part of the permanent record of the Repository.
A catalog of the material available at the Repository will be published on the repository webpage and updated as necessary.
Duplicate or excess material will be available to qualified or interested persons, companies, or institutions upon request.
It is the desire of the Repository to make material as useable and useful to investigators as possible. Suggestions to improve the operation and usefulness of this facility should be sent to the Project Director. For information regarding donation of material to the Repository, please contact any of the individuals listed in the following table.

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