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Natural Gas and Petroleum


1819

Oil was produced by George Lemon in Wirt County

Other events that happened on or around 1819

1857

The Northwestern Virginia Railroad built a station where Oil Spring Run flows into Goose Creek

Other events that happened on or around 1857

1861

The first refinery was built in Parkersburg

Other events that happened on or around 1861

Jun 20, 1863

West Virginia entered the Union as the 35th state

Other events that happened on or around June 20, 1863

1868

All refineries except one founded by Johnson Newlon Camden closed due to his partnership with Standard Oil Trust

Other events that happened on or around 1868

Dec 26, 1872

Construction began on more refineries in Parkersburg

Other events that happened on or around December 26, 1872

1875

Johnson Newlon Camden joined John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Trust

Other events that happened on or around 1875

1889

Anticlinal theory of oil and gas location was developed by I. C. White of WVU

Other events that happened on or around 1889

1890

Michael L. Benedum entered the industry as an employee of Standard Oil

Other events that happened on or around 1890

1893

Sistersville became the nation's premier oil-field boom town

Other events that happened on or around 1893

1898

West Virginia's oil production passed that of Pennsylvania

Other events that happened on or around 1898

1900

The anticlinal theory of oil and gas was applied along Sand Fork of the Little Kanawha

Other events that happened on or around 1900

1906

West Virginia's natural gas production exceed that of any other state

Other events that happened on or around 1906

1911

The Blue Creek oil field was discovered along the Elk River

Other events that happened on or around 1911

1913

A major refinery was built at St. Marys by Quaker State

Other events that happened on or around 1913

1936

Standard Oil closed its Parkersburg refinery

Other events that happened on or around 1936

1999

Oil and gas industry employed more than 15,000 people

Other events that happened on or around 1999

2002

West Virginia produced about 180 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year

Other events that happened on or around 2002


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