Needham 1 (037-12837)

1990 photo from its DOGGR well records. Needham 1 was drilled by the Tunnel Oil Company in July-August of 1941 (north of the other "blue" wells). The total depth was 1760 feet. The well record states that on 5/31/1946 the Tunnel Oil Company "filled hole with dirt and screwed 8-5/8 OD 10 V thread bull plug into top of casing." This was accepted as abandonment by the Division of Oil and Gas.

The wellhead in 2017. (Photo date 9/17/2017)

Another view. (9/23/2017)

The well is next to an old gas tank. (9/17/2017)

Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) field engineers (John and Cliff) inspecting the well. An object dropped into the well takes a few seconds to hit the bottom. It is not filled with dirt to the top. (5/10/2018)

Cliff (on the right) is waiting for a very sophisticated device to warm up. When ready, it will be able to detect very minute quantities of any vapors leaking from the well. Leaking vapors were detected, so something will have to be done to mitigate this issue, and others, until the well is plugged. (5/10/2018)

Photo (probably from 2021) from well data downloaded from DOGGR (now CalGem) website. The well data also shows that on May 19, 2021, the operator was ordered to reabandon the well and restore the well site. The order can be appealed, but I don't know if that was done. However, so far the well has not been abandoned, although this fence around the well was erected. The owner of the land, now part of the Gates King Open Space, is the City of Santa Clarita.

In July of 2023 the Victor Fire hit this area. As you are coming up the now exposed road, you can see the fence around the well. Since it's been two months since the fire, green is now appearing. (9/24/2023)

Here we see the tank and well site. The fire did not do much damage around this well. (9/24/2023)

For some reason the original fence was replaced by this more secure fence with razor wire along the top. (9/24/2023)

The wellhead is still not up to DOGGR's (CalGem's) standard. Bolts are still missing. (9/24/2023)

Grading the surrounding area for well abandonement. (1/24/2026)

Close-up of the new wellhead soon to be removed when the well is abandoned. (1/24/2026)

Another view of graded well area. (1/24/2026)

The old tank pushed aside. It will eventually be removed. (1/24/2026)

View from above looking at Highway 14 in the distance. (3/13/2026)

View from above looking the opposite direction with abandonment trucks.(3/13/2026)

(3/13/2026)

View north looking Highway 14 and Sierra Highway in the right distance. The buildings are part of the Center at Needham Ranch. Nearer is a blue truck at the site of Needham 2-2.(3/13/2026)

(3/15/2026)

At the wellhead looking at the BOPE above the wellhead. The Blowout Prevention Equipment is a safety valve system to control unexpected underground pressures and prevent a dangerous blowout. (3/15/2026)

All the cement at the well must be removed as part of the abandonment process. (3/22/2026)

The casing was cut off at about five feet. (3/22/2026)

There are two different sized casings here. (3/22/2026)

The smaller casing is filled with cement first. (3/24/2026)

(3/24/2026)

Then the larger casing gets filled. (3/25/2026)

The last step is to weld a metal plate with the well number to the top of the casing. The "037" is not there because all the wells in Los Angeles County start with 037. It is just a county indicator. Of course the N1 stands for Needham 1 and 3/26 is the date is was capped. (3/26/2026)

Before the hole was finally filled in, it rained. The lead weld easily rusts.(4/5/2026)

Finally the hole was filled in.(4/10/2026)

View from above. Everything has been removed. In a few years the graded well site area and the road to the well will be covered with plants. (4/14/2026)