The
seep is located a short walk along Sulphur Mountain Trail, an
unpaved fire road. Parking is off the pavement at the end of the
road (watch the fire access). Bikes, horses, leashed dogs, and
hikers use the popular trail.
You should smell the seep before reaching it, so you likely will
not need the gps once you get close. The oil and water also run a
fair way down the side of the trail, so it will also lead you to
it.
This oil and water likely rises up from the Monterey Formation
that is likely a short distance under the soil. The Monterey
Formation is common along the coast of California. In fact, similar
rocks were deposited throughout the Pacific Rim during the Miocene
(17.5 to 6 million years ago). All of these rocks share similar
characteristics. They are
- Diatomaceous (made up of the shells of microscopic plankton
called diatoms)
- Phosphatic (containing phosphate)
- Dolomitic (containing dolomine); and
- Rich in organic matter (oil and gas).
This last characteristic, being rich in organic matter, makes these
rocks economically important because they often are reservoirs for
oil and gas. Most of the off-shore oil rigs along the California
coast are pulling oil from this formation. Across the Pacific,
Japan has similar rocks and oil reserves.
Pure oil does not occur in the rock. It often has other
compounds mixed in. One common impurity is water. At this location
both oil and water are coming to the surface.
As you might expect, the oil flowing out across the landscape
and the gasses escaping into the atmosphere have their detrimental
effects upon the environment. The plants and animals are exposed to
the toxins in oils and the gasses that escape are greenhouse
gasses. You will also likely find some plants and animals stuck in
the oil.
However, you will also notice that the area around the seep has
some of the most robust plantlife, especially in the dry months of
the year. The plants that grow on the edge of the seep must
obviously develop some immunity to the toxins, but more important
in this dry climate, the seep also produces a constant water
source.
Logging requirements:
Send me a note with :
- The text "GC1A5E2 West Sulphur Mountain Oil Spring" on the
first line
- The number of people in your group.
- your evaluation of the plants adjacent to the seep and some
another 100 feet or so up the trail.
- Take a close look at the liquid flowing along the trail and
estimate the relative percentage of water and oil.
- How would your answer to #4 relate to your answer in #3
The above information was compiled from the
following sources:
- Behl, Richard J. (California State University,
Long Beach), THE MONTEREY FORMATION OF COASTAL ORANGE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA: PRELIMINARY SEDIMENTOLOGIC AND DIAGENETIC
FINDINGS
- Sorlien, Gratier, Luyendyk, Hornafius, Hopps,
2000, Map restoration of folded and faulted late Cenozoic strata
across the Oak Ridge fault, onshore and offshore Ventura basin,
California, GSA Bulletin; July 2000; v. 112; no. 7; p.
1080–1090; 7 figures.
- Siang S. Tan and Terry A. Jones 2006 GEOLOGIC
MAP OF THE MATILIJA 7.5' QUADRANGLE VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: A
DIGITAL DATABASE , CALIFORNIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Prepared in
cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, Southern California
Areal Mapping Project
http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/rghm/rgm/preliminary_geologic_maps.htm
Placement approved by Ventura County Parks