Mason Hill; Oil Geology Expert
Mason Hill, a geologist credited with a leading role in the first commercial oil discovery in Alaska, has died of a stroke, it was learned Tuesday.
He was 88 and died March 11 in Whittier, where he lived.
Hill participated in the discovery of oil at Swanson River on the Kenai Peninsula in 1957 and was an expert on the San Andreas Fault. At the time of the Swanson River discovery, he was chief geologist for what was then the Richfield Oil Co. Hill also participated in the geological mapping of Alaska’s North Slope and Richfield’s subsequent discoveries at PrudhoeBay.
He retired in 1969 as manager of international exploration for what evolved into Atlantic Richfield Co.
In the years after his retirement, Hill, whose writings on plate tectonics received wide scientific acclaim, taught at several California colleges and universities. He also wrote papers for scientific journals, mostly dealing with geology and many concerning California earthquake faults.
Survivors include his wife, Marie, five sons, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday at Memorial Chapel, Rose Hills Memorial Park, in Whittier.
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