PRESIDENT CARTER SIGNS CRUDE OIL WINDFALL PROFIT TAX
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 2, 2026 PRESIDENT CARTER SIGNS CRUDE OIL WINDFALL PROFIT TAX On April 2, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax (WPT) into law, one year after removing federal price controls on oil. The tax aimed to capture a portion of oil producers’ gains resulting from sharply […]
AN APRIL FOOLS’ JOKE TURNS INTO AN OIL BOOM
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY April 1, 2026 AN APRIL FOOLS’ JOKE TURNS INTO AN OIL BOOM On April 1, 1911, the Clayco No. 1 well erupted with oil near Electra, Texas, after striking a productive reservoir close to the Red River border with Oklahoma. Because the discovery occurred on April Fools’ Day, many locals initially […]
TEXAS ESTABLISHES OIL & GAS OVERSIGHT
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 31, 2026 TEXAS ESTABLISHES OIL & GAS OVERSIGHT On March 31, 1919, a statute formally granted the Texas Railroad Commission (TRC) regulatory authority over the state’s oil and natural gas industry. This move represented one of the earliest structured efforts to regulate petroleum production, conservation, and safety in what would […]
REMEMBERING A PHILLIPS PETROLEUM LEADER
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 30, 2026 REMEMBERING A PHILLIPS PETROLEUM LEADER On March 30, 1975, Kenneth “Boots” Adams, longtime executive and former president of Phillips Petroleum Company, passed away. Adams played a key role in guiding the company’s expansion across oil production, refining, and pipeline infrastructure during a period of rapid growth in the […]
EKOFISK CONFIRMS NORTH SEAL OIL POTENTIAL
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 27, 2026 EKOFISK CONFIRMS NORTH SEAL OIL POTENTIAL On March 27, 1968, appraisal drilling confirmed the Ekofisk oil field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea as a commercially viable discovery. Originally struck in late 1967 by Phillips Petroleum, Ekofisk proved that large-scale offshore oil production was possible in […]
TEXAS REAILROAD COMMISSION LIMITS CRUDE PRODUCTION
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 26, 2026 TEXAS REAILROAD COMMISSION LIMITS CRUDE PRODUCTION On March 26, 1930, the Texas Railroad Commission implemented one of its first major production-limiting measures to address severe crude oversupply and collapsing oil prices. At the time, Texas was producing millions of barrels per month, causing storage shortages and widespread waste […]
NELLIE JOHNSTONE NO. 1 SPARKS OKLAHOMA OIL INDUSTRY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 25, 2026 NELLIE JOHNSTONE NO. 1 SPARKS OKLAHOMA OIL INDUSTRY On March 25, 1897, the Nellie Johnstone No. 1 well near Bartlesville, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), struck oil at a depth of about 1,300 feet. This was the first commercially significant oil well in the region, igniting the growth of […]
BIG INCH SECURES U.S. WARTIME OIL SUPPLY
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 24, 2026 BIG INCH SECURES U.S. WARTIME OIL SUPPLY On March 24, 1944, the Big Inch and Little Big Inch pipelines were officially dedicated, providing a critical boost to U.S. wartime petroleum logistics. These pipelines moved crude oil and refined products from Texas and the Gulf Coast to Northeast refineries, […]
SIGNAL HILL WELL SPARKS CALIFORNIA OIL BOOM
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 23, 2026 SIGNAL HILL WELL SPARKS CALIFORNIA OIL BOOM On March 23, 1921, crews began drilling the Alamitos No. 1 well on Signal Hill, California. When the well struck oil later that year, it launched one of Southern California’s largest petroleum booms, transforming Long Beach into a major oil-producing region. […]
API BECOMES THE VOICE OF U.S. OIL & GAS
TODAY IN ENERGY HISTORY March 20, 2026 API BECOMES THE VOICE OF U.S. OIL & GAS On March 20, 1919, the American Petroleum Institute (API) was founded in New York City to represent U.S. oil and gas producers, refiners, and pipelines. Its mission was to standardize petroleum measurement and practices, helping the young industry operate […]