The group was created to represent independent producers—often called "wildcatters"—who faced volatile prices, minimal regulation, and intense competition. At the time, California oil production exceeded 80 million barrels per year, supplying fuel for railroads, ships, and the rapidly growing West Coast economy. Over time, the organization evolved into the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), which remains one of the oldest petroleum trade groups in the U.S., continuing to influence energy policy, refining, and fuel standards more than a century later.