Natural Oil & Gas Seeps in California

Welcome to our web site about natural oil and gas seeps in the state of California. Seeps are like springs that ooze oil and gas instead of water. Tour our site to learn about:

• how oil and gas seeps form, where they occur, and how they affect the environment;
• the relationship between oil seeps and underground oil fields; and
• the La Brea Tar Pits, a world-famous oil seep in downtown Los Angeles.

The “Natural Oil and Gas Seeps in California” project is a collaborative between
the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Department of Conservation.