Walter Stalder (1881-1949) - Petroleum Geologist

Biographical Sketch, by Sharon Landwehr, Archives Volunteer

Walter Stalder was born in Oakland, California on 6 April 1881. While attending the University of California (BS-1904, MS-1907), he worked for the San Francisco Chemical Co. as a chemist (1904-1907) and later a petroleum geologist (1907-1909). Other employment included M.L. Requa and Nevada Petroleum Co. (1909-1911), Union Oil Co. of California (1911) (when and where the fundamentals of present decline curve method of estimation oil reserves originated), Nevada Petroleum Co. (1911-1913), and Independent Oil Producers (1914-1915) where he worked as Chief geologist on valuation. In 1916 he opened a private construction practice.

Stalder is noted for bringing in the Marysville Buttes Gas Field, the first real commercial discovery in Northern California, and as a contributor on early California oilfield history and its geology.

Memberships include: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers (chairman San Francisco section 1945), American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Seismol Society of America, California Academy of Sciences (1923), Commonwealth Club of California (chairman mineral resources section 1922-1929).

Walter Stalder died 15 March 1949.

Sources Consulted:

Who Was Who in America, vol.2 August, 1949-August, 1952

Index cards for California Academy of Sciences Staff and Members

California Academy of Sciences Manuscript binder