STANDARD OIL FACES THE SUPREME COURT
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 9, 2026 STANDARD OIL FACES THE SUPREME COURT On March 9, 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States, a landmark antitrust case that challenged John D. Rockefeller’s vast petroleum empire. At its peak, Standard Oil controlled an estimated […]
OFFSHORE OIL PRODUCTION BEGINS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 6, 2026 OFFSHORE OIL PRODUCTION BEGINS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO On March 6, 1950, the Pure Oil Company completed Creole No. 1, the first commercially successful offshore oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, located just off the coast near Creole, Louisiana. Drilled in shallow waters using a fixed […]
WYOMING’S FIRST OIL REFINERY CAOMES ONLINE
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 5, 2026 WYOMING’S FIRST OIL REFINERY CAOMES ONLINE On March 5, 1895, Wyoming entered the refining business when Philip “Mark” Shannon and his partners opened the state’s first oil refinery near Casper, Wyoming. The small but ambitious facility was capable of processing about 100 barrels per day, producing lubricants that […]
CALIFORNIA OIL PRODUCERS ORGANIZE DURING BOOM YEARS
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 4, 2026 CALIFORNIA OIL PRODUCERS ORGANIZE DURING BOOM YEARS On March 4, 1911, the Western Oil and Gas Association—originally known as the Chamber of Mines and Oil—was formally organized in Los Angeles. The association emerged during California’s early oil boom, when the state had already become one of the top […]
SAUDI ARABIA’S FIRST COMMERCIAL OIL DISCOVERY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 3, 2026 SAUDI ARABIA’S FIRST COMMERCIAL OIL DISCOVERY On March 3, 1938, Dammam No. 7 struck commercial oil near Dhahran, marking Saudi Arabia’s first major oil discovery. Drilled by the California Arabian Standard Oil Company, the well came after six years of costly exploration and multiple failed attempts, earning it […]
THE LAKEVIEW GUSHER FLOODS KERN COUNTY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 2, 2026 THE LAKEVIEW GUSHER FLOODS KERN COUNTY On March 2, 1910, the Lakeview Gusher No. 1 well in Kern County, California, blew out in the Midway-Sunset oil field, creating one of the most spectacular gushers in petroleum history. Oil erupted uncontrollably for 18 months, reaching a peak flow of […]
A RECORD-BREAKING DEEP WELL IN APPALACHIA
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY February 27, 2026 A RECORD-BREAKING DEEP WELL IN APPALACHIA On February 27, 1918, a well drilled on the Martha Goff Farm in Harrison County, West Virginia reached a depth of 7,386 feet, setting a new world record for the deepest well ever drilled at the time. Remarkably, the well was drilled […]
WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY February 26, 2026 WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING On February 26, 1993, a truck bomb detonated beneath the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000. The explosion crippled power, ventilation, and emergency fuel systems throughout the complex, revealing how vulnerable […]
AMERICA’S FIRST GASOLINE TAX IS BORN
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY February 25, 2026 AMERICA’S FIRST GASOLINE TAX IS BORN On February 25, 1919, Oregon became the first U.S. state to enact a gasoline tax, introducing a one-cent-per-gallon levy to help fund road construction and maintenance. The legislation was championed by state legislator Loyal Graham as automobile ownership surged nationwide. At the […]
THE OFFSHORE RIG THAT CHANGED OIL DRILLING FOREVER
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY February 24, 2026 THE OFFSHORE RIG THAT CHANGED OIL DRILLING FOREVER On February 24, 1954, Ocean Drilling & Exploration Company (ODECO) completed Mr. Charlie, the world’s first transportable, submersible offshore drilling rig — a breakthrough that launched the modern era of offshore oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike fixed […]