Oil and Gas History of Kentucky: A Timeline

Contact: Brandon C. Nuttall

Central power was a common method of producing oil.

An industry doesn't spring fully developed from a single event. Thus, it is very difficult to claim to be the "first" of anything. This timeline represents notes I have compiled for a narrative of the petroleum history of Kentucky. It traces the development of the oil and gas industry from before the Drake Well in Pennsylvania to recent events. While the timeline focuses on Kentucky, the history is necessarily expanded to include significant (in my opinion) events and provide an overview and context for those events. As for claims of being "first," I will state with reasonable assurance that the Beatty well, drilled 1818, was the first commercial oil well in Kentucky.

• 1541 to 1858: Oil springs, salt-making, drilling technology, and gushers
• 1859: 27-Aug-1859, Col. E. L. Drake's well on Oil Creek in Pennsylvania is a success. (Pees, 1989, Pees, 1998) See Oil History and the Drake Well Foundation (Sam Pees' web site is currently looking for a new host and is unavailable as of 2-Oct-2006)
• 1860 to 1900: Booms and the golden age of discovery
• 1901 to Today: Exploration and development

Other Links

• Early Petroleum History Site
• Oil and Gas Museum, Parkersburg, West Virginia
• Petroleum Histiory Institute, Oil City, Pennsylvania
• Petroleum History Resources
• San Joaquin Geological Society
• Spindletop-Gladys City Museum
• Petrolia Discovery, Canada's Historic Oilfield
• Black Gold, Oil Museum of Canada
• The Tallini Tales of Destruction

Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank John Harper of the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Sam Pees of the Drake Foundation, Lee Avery of the West Virginia Survey, Ron McDonald and Larry Wickstrom of the Ohio Survey, Gerry Friedman, and Art Van Tyne of New York for their comments, contributions, and encouragement.