by Bruce Wells | Aug 17, 2026 | This Week in Petroleum History
August 17, 1785 – “Bituminous Matter” reported at Oil Creek –
Two years after the end of the Revolutionary War, oil was reported floating on a creek in northwestern Pennsylvania. “Oil Creek has taken its name from an oil or bituminous matter being found floating on its surface,” noted a report by Gen. William Irvine, adding, “Many cures are attributed to this oil by the natives, and lately by some of the whites, particularly rheumatic pains and old ulcers.” (more…)
by Bruce Wells | Aug 12, 2026 | Energy Education Resources
A 1991 Oklahoma oil discovery in a hidden meteor crater attracted worldwide attention.
Millions of years ago, a meteor 1,000 feet wide struck north-central Oklahoma, creating an impact crater — an astrobleme — more than eight miles wide. Originally thought to be 450 million years old, researchers in 2026 examined zircon crystals found inside the crater and dated the impact to around 370 million years ago.
The small town of Ames (population 190 in 2024) has claimed the Paleozoic Era crater as its own with an annual celebration. The impact sight also marks a milestone in the geological knowledge of the global petroleum industry.
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