The Birth Certificate of Texas Oil

Cyanotype cross section of cable tool rig designed to drill an artesian water well at Corsicana Texas.  Cross section drill log further depicts series of eight underlying geologic formations.  Of critical note, “Oil Sand” is indicated at 1025 to 1050 feet, and the ultimate depth of 2,490 feet is shown. 

As the first oil field with flush production, Corsicana was the stage where the curtain rose on the Age of Texas Oil.  While oil springs and tar pits were known and used by Native Texans, its first recorded instance occurred in 1543 when de Soto’s expedition washed ashore near High Island and discovered a black sticky substance they used to caulk their boats.  Corsicana sets the stage for what was to become the world’s greatest oil boom, as earlier efforts in Texas to explore for and drill oil had led to inconsequential plays.