Why California Built Fake Islands to Hide an Oil Field00:14:52

Use my code SOCASH or click the link in the description for 20% off DeleteMe. Go to http://joindeleteme.com/SOCASH, activate your plan, and reclaim your privacy. Dont wait until someone else misuses your dataprotect yourself now

Off the coast of Long Beach, California, four small islands sit in the harbor surrounded by palm trees, colorful towers, and decorative waterfalls. From the shore they look like a resort development. Behind the landscaping, they are active oil extraction facilities built on artificial land deliberately designed to look like anything but what they are. This is the story of the THUMS Islands, one of the most unusual pieces of industrial camouflage in American history.

The Wilmington Oil Field beneath Long Beach is one of the largest ever discovered in the continental United States, producing over 2.5 billion barrels of crude since its discovery in the early twentieth century. By the 1960s, engineers knew that vast reserves sat beneath state-controlled harbor waters but the political cost of visible offshore rigs near the California coastline was too high. The solution was a consortium of four oil companies, a public university funding deal, and a designer who proposed hiding the platforms inside artificial islands dressed to pass as leisure destinations. The towers arent art. The waterfalls arent decorative. Every element of the disguise was engineered to keep the machinery out of sight and out of mind.

#ItsHistory #LosAngelesHistory #OilHistory

Support the Channel by becoming a member https://youtube.com/channel/UCzIZ8HrzDgc-pNQDUG6avBA/join

ITS HISTORY - Weekly Tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?listPL2NN2rktA4yMZ4vmNaA3KpsS5KXLj3xVN

» Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@ITSHISTORY?sub_confirmation1
» Listen podcasts: https://ffm.bio/itshistory

» CONTACT
For brands, agencies, and sponsorships: itshistory@thoughtleaders.io
Click here to book a sponsorship with me http://thoughtleaders.io/reserve/its-history

» DISCLAIMER
Some media elements in this video are used under the fair use provisions of U.S. copyright law (Title 17, Section 107) for purposes of commentary, criticism, and education. If you believe your image or content was used in a way that violates your rights, please contact us at copyright@videobrothersmusic.pl

» CREDIT
Scriptwriter - Ryan Socash
Editor - Karolina Szwata
Host - Ryan Socash


» NOTICE
Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.