What oil field was one of three fields set aside as 'naval oil reserves' and later transferred to Interior Department and leased to private companies?

What oil field was one of three fields set aside as 'naval oil reserves' and later transferred to Interior Department and leased to private companies?

• A. Teapot Dome
• B. Elk Hills
• C. Big Cypress
• D. Buena Vista

Answer: (A)

Naval oil reserves were created to secure fuel for the Navy, and Teapot Dome in Wyoming became the most infamous example of what happened when one of these fields was transferred to the Interior Department and leased to private companies. That transfer and the subsequent private leases sparked a major scandal in the 1920s, highlighting how public resources could be steered toward private interests. The field was one of three reserves—Elk Hills and Buena Vista were the others—set aside for naval use, but Teapot Dome is the name that became synonymous with the controversy.

Naval oil reserves were created to secure fuel for the Navy, and Teapot Dome in Wyoming became the most infamous example of what happened when one of these fields was transferred to the Interior Department and leased to private companies. That transfer and the subsequent private leases sparked a major scandal in the 1920s, highlighting how public resources could be steered toward private interests. The field was one of three reserves—Elk Hills and Buena Vista were the others—set aside for naval use, but Teapot Dome is the name that became synonymous with the controversy.