Site information:

Mission Hills District, plaque is located 1.6 mi N of Union Oil Co. Production Office, office is located off of Rucker Rd, 5 mi NE of Lompoc

Oil field is private property.  Access may be restricted, though we were able to drive to the plaque unstopped many years ago. 

34.716089,-120.409093

Plaque information:

Private plaque

Plaque text:

First Successful Cement Job, this well, Hill No. 4

Spudded September 26, 1905, and completed April 30, 1906, is the first oil well in which a water shut-off was attained by pumping cement through the tubing and behind the casing--forerunner of the modern cementing technique. It was drilled by Union Oil Company of California to a total depth of 2507 feet, and 1872 feet of 10-inch casing and 2237 feet of 8-inch casing where so securely cemented off that the well subsequently produced for over 45 years. The development of oil well cementing was one of the most significant events in the history of petroleum technology. It has increased the productive life of thousands of oil wells and has thereby made available for the good of humanity, millions of barrels of oil that might otherwise have remained in subterranean storage. This monument is also a tribute to a worthy pioneer, Frank F. Hill, under who direction Hill No. 4 was drilled, and to whom the petroleum industry is indebted for initiating the oil well cementing process.

Dedicated September 20, 1952. Union Oil Company of California. Petroleum Production Pioneers, Inc.

OHP description:

This well, spudded September 26, 1905, and completed April 30, 1906, is the first oil well in which a water shutoff was attained by pumping cement through the tubing and back of the casing-forerunner of the modern cementing technique. It was drilled to a depth of 2,507 feet by Union Oil Company of California, 1,872 feet of 10-inch casing and 2,237 feet of 8-inch casing were so securely cemented off that the well produced for over forty-five years.

Registered 5/1/1957