California, that land of anomalies, imports 36% of its crude oil while the continent's largest proven reservoir of untapped oil sits untouched under the harbor and waterfront of Long Beach. The size of this pool1.2 billion bbl.has been certain for four years, but Long Beach ordinances forbade drilling inside the city and the city fathers disagreed with the state over the division of royalties. Finally, last fall, the drilling laws were relaxed and a split finally agreed on: 85% for California, 15% for Long Beach.
Last week oilmen jammed into the Long Beach city council chambers to bid for the right to...
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