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Ohio lays claim to the first discovery of oil from a drilled well. In
1814, two men drilled 475 feet in search of salt in Olive Township of
Noble County. They cursed when a black liquid oozed into the pit. In 1859,
the first commercial well in the United States was completed in
Titusville, Pennsylvania by Colonel Drake. Ohio’s first commercial oil
and gas well was put into production in 1860 at Macksburg in Washington
County. From 1860 through 1998, over 267,000 wells have drilled in Ohio,
ranking it fourth nationally behind Texas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Ohio’s
oil and gas wells are located in both rural areas and highly populated
residential areas of the state. Wells produce in 68 of the state’s 88
counties.
Since its early days, oil and natural gas production has played a key role in Ohio’s industrial development. Ohio’s oil and gas industry includes independent producers, landowners, geologists, drillers, contractors, engineers, attorneys, accountants, and many others in allied fields. This vital industry employs several thousand people throughout the state. Drilling for oil and natural gas in Ohio is a business with a high degree of risk. Unlike the gushers sometimes seen in the movies, Ohio wells produce an average of one barrel of oil a day. Most wells are classified as marginal wells, which means they produce less than ten barrels of oil a day. Ohio ranks first in the number of marginal (low volume) gas wells and fifth in the number of marginal oil wells in the United States. Though the oil and natural gas produced in Ohio is not enough to meet the State’s total consumption requirements, its impact on Ohio’s economy is significant in helping to meet our energy needs. Ohio oil and natural gas production annually pays out millions of dollars in royalties to Ohio landowners and farmers, which contributes significantly to the reserve base of local economies and local school districts. Ohio’s oil and gas producers truly are Ohio’s energy farmers. Because they choose to participate in a high-risk business, they are used to working long hours and operating under adverse conditions. Innovation, perseverance, and plain hard work are key to their survival in an industry built on uncertain conditions - geologic, operational, and economic. You will find that most Ohio lease operators and well pumpers will not hesitate to put their oilfield knowledge and experience to work for you. To learn more about Ohio's oil and gas history visit the following
museums:
Drake Well Museum Ken Miller Supply's Oil, Gas, Car & Truck Museum
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