by Bruce Wells | May 4, 2026 | This Week in Petroleum History
May 4, 1869 – Offshore Drilling Platform Design patented –
Thomas Rowland of Continental Iron Works in Greenpoint, New York, received the first U.S. patent for an offshore drilling rig for his “submarine drilling apparatus.” The remarkably advanced platform included a fixed platform for drilling in water up to 50 feet deep. (more…)
by Bruce Wells | Oct 27, 2025 | This Week in Petroleum History
October 27, 1763 – Birth of Pioneer American Geologist –
William Maclure, who would become a renowned American geologist and “stratigrapher,” was born in Ayr, Scotland. He created the earliest geological maps of North America in 1809 and later earned the title “Father of American Geology.” (more…)
