Exploring history and news about the Elroy Oil Field.

Elroy Oil Field is an oil field that is located in the small community of Elroy, Texas. Elroy Oil Field is one of the few operating oil fields in Travis County and Austin next to the Santa Rita Oil Field and Del Valle Oil Field. Only a handful of oil fields in Travis County exist. Not that many oil fields in Austin or Travis County exist.

Elroy Oil Field was built and established after oil was discovered in 1950 by Electragas, Inc. on land property owned by Martha Golden Cooper and Douglas Kay Cooper. This oil field started out as a minuscule mining and fracking operation with 2 oil wells and 2 oil tanks. Mining and fracking involves pumping huge amounts of wastewater deep underground in order to drill for oil. The oil is placed inside of oil tanks. (Ref: San Antonio Express, Page 47, Sunday, November 16, 1952)

Elroy Oil boasted a total of 6 oil tanks and 8 oil wells in 1956. Petroleum was found on the property while digging for oil in 1959. 4 wells were reportedly found to have been drilling for petroleum during oil production. (Ref: Report of Investigations, Issues 78-87)

Sometime in the 20th century is when the more oil rigs were installed. The number of oil wells and oil tanks remained the same throughout the 1960s. 8 oil wells were reportedly found on the property of Douglas Kay Cooper.

Elroy Oil Field was reduced to just down to 4 oil tanks and 7 wells by 1987. 1988 is when Elroy Oil Field was reduced even further down to just 2 oil tanks and 5 wells. Elroy Oil Field is the only oil field which still reports brine production inside of Travis County. (Ref: Texas Department of Water Resources, Report 276, OCCURRENCE, AVAILABILITY, AND QUALITY OF GROUND WATER IN TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS)

Elroy Oil Field was still listed as a functioning oil filled and petroleum base in 2004. 8 oil rigs were pumping oil from out of the ground daily. (Ref: Oil and Gas Field Code Master List 2004)

In 2011, Martha Golden Cooper sold 247 acres of land to Butler Interests LTD and to the Martin Butler Trust. Butler Interests LTD and the Martin Butler Trust have been managing the 247 acres worth of land property since then. (Ref: http://www.texas-drilling.com/travis-county/leases/east-elroy-unit/004137)

shalexp has reported 305 BBLs of natural oil had been produced in March 2018. The total gas production for Elroy Oil field was 40 MCF. There had been no gas production from this oil field for the year of 2018. (Ref: https://www.shalexp.com/texas/travis-county/east-elroy-unit/815322)

In April 25, 2018, Motor Sports Magazine cited that the moveable bumps at F1 Austin racetrack had something to do with seismic activity in the local area, some of which is caused by mining and fracking. Mining and fracking involves pumping huge amounts of wastewater deep underground in order to drill for oil. The oil is placed inside of oil tanks. The Elroy Oil Field is situated less than 2 miles from the track. (Ref: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/motogp/motogp-mutterings-grand-prix-americas)

Today Elroy Oil Field is now currently operating 15 oil wells and 5 oil tanks on 493 acres worth of land owned by Martha Golden Cooper and Electragas Inc. from Houston, Texas. All 15 oil rigs continue to dig for oil in the Elroy community and Travis County. Mining and fracking still continues at Elroy Oil Field.

Electragas, Inc still owns the property today along with Martha Golden Cooper, Douglas Kay Cooper, and Eileen Moore Cooper. A portion of the land tract for Elroy Oil Field is now part of the Martin Butler Trust.

Elroy Oil Field is located on Williford Lane, Del Valle, Texas, US 78617.