Oxy's majority interest in the giant Elk Hills field is a key factor in the company's position as the largest natural gas producer and third-largest oil producer in California. Located in the southern portion of California's San Joaquin Valley, Elk Hills is one of the largest oil and natural gas fields in the United States, with cumulative production of the field to date approaching 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Elk Hills exemplifies Oxy's focus on acquiring large, long-lived properties and, by applying enhanced oil recovery techniques, continuing to increase production in mature fields. Since acquiring Elk Hills, a former U.S. National Strategic Petroleum Reserve, in 1998, Oxy has customized a range of recovery techniques to the field's complex reservoirs, transforming this once declining asset into the largest natural gas producer in California.
Elk Hills has been recognized for outstanding environmental stewardship by the State of California and environmental organizations including the Wildlife Habitat Council, California Climate Action Registry, California Department of Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Elk Hills programs and initiatives include the preservation of endangered species habitats, emissions reduction, waste minimization and recycling, and cultural resource preservation.