DAMMAM NO. 7 SPARKS SAUDI OIL ERA
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 26, 2026 DAMMAM NO. 7 SPARKS SAUDI OIL ERA On January 26, 1938, the Dammam No. 7 well — famously called the “Prosperity Well” — struck commercial oil near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. This discovery marked the beginning of Saudi Arabia’s rise as a global oil powerhouse and laid the groundwork […]
LEDUC NO. 1 LAUNCHES ALBERTA’S OIL ERA
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 23, 2026 LEDUC NO. 1 LAUNCHES ALBERTA’S OIL ERA On January 23, 1947, the Leduc No. 1 well near Edmonton, Alberta, struck oil, marking the official start of Alberta’s commercial oil industry. The discovery sparked a surge in exploration throughout the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, ultimately transforming Canada into a […]
STANDARD OIL OF NEW JERSEY EMERGES AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 22, 2026 STANDARD OIL OF NEW JERSEY EMERGES AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING On January 22, 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the breakup of the Standard Oil monopoly, leading to the formation of Standard Oil of New Jersey, which would later become Exxon. The company inherited a vast network of […]
EAST TEXAS OIL FIELD DISCOVERY CHANGES U.S. PETROLEUM LANDSCAPE
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 21, 2026 EAST TEXAS OIL FIELD DISCOVERY CHANGES U.S. PETROLEUM LANDSCAPE 16:00On January 21, 1930, the Daisy Bradford No. 3 well successfully struck oil, marking the official discovery of the East Texas Oil Field. The field quickly proved massive, with peak production reaching over 1 million barrels per day in […]
CORSICANA OIL FIELD IGNITES TEXAS OIL BOOM
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 20, 2026 CORSICANA OIL FIELD IGNITES TEXAS OIL BOOM On January 20, 1902, the Corsicana oil field in Texas began producing oil, marking one of the earliest major petroleum discoveries in the state. The field initially produced around 1,500 barrels per day, fueling rapid development in Navarro County and attracting […]
OFFSHORE INNOVATION: THE UNDERWATER MANIPULATOR
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 19, 2026 OFFSHORE INNOVATION: THE UNDERWATER MANIPULATOR 15:54 On January 19, 1965, Howard Shatto Jr. received a U.S. patent for his “underwater manipulator with suction support device”, a groundbreaking invention that paved the way for modern remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in offshore oil operations. This technology allowed operators to perform […]
CANADA’S OIL BOOM IGNITES AT OIL SPRINGS
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 16, 2026 CANADA’S OIL BOOM IGNITES AT OIL SPRINGS 15:53 On January 16, 1862, driller John Shaw struck a gusher at Oil Springs in what was then Enniskillen Township, Ontario, marking Canada’s first major oil boom. The well initially produced hundreds of barrels per day, with oil spurting more than […]
NIGERIA’S OIL ERA BEGINS: OLOIBIRI DISCOVERY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 15, 2026 NIGERIA’S OIL ERA BEGINS: OLOIBIRI DISCOVERY 15:51 On January 15, 1956, the Oloibiri oilfield in the Niger Delta, operated by Shell Darcy, produced Nigeria’s first commercial oil. This historic discovery ended decades of exploratory setbacks and marked the birth of Nigeria’s petroleum industry, setting the stage for the […]
DR. SEUSS: EARLY CAREER WITH STANDARD OIL
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 14, 2026 DR. SEUSS: EARLY CAREER WITH STANDARD OIL On January 14, 1928, Theodor Seuss Geisel, later known worldwide as Dr. Seuss, published his first cartoon in Judge magazine while working with Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. During this period, Geisel honed his unique illustration style while creating advertisements […]
H. L. HUNT: FROM OIL FIRELDS TO AMERICAN FORTUNE
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY January 13, 2026 H. L. HUNT: FROM OIL FIRELDS TO AMERICAN FORTUNE On January 13, 1889, H. L. Hunt was born, later becoming one of the most influential figures in the American oil industry. Hunt built his fortune through exploration and production in East Texas, particularly during the booming East Texas […]