Oil and Gas Development in Ohio - Revision history

James Gilbert: /* Utica Shale Development */

2015-07-01T18:11:56Z

‎Utica Shale Development

James Gilbert: /* Early History */

2015-06-30T13:38:08Z

‎Early History

James Gilbert: /* Early History */

2015-06-22T18:02:43Z

‎Early History

James Gilbert: /* Early History */

2015-06-22T17:30:32Z

‎Early History

James Gilbert: /* Early History */

2015-06-22T17:24:12Z

‎Early History

James Gilbert: /* Ohio Environmental Protection Agency */

2015-06-22T17:20:26Z

‎Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

James Gilbert: /* Early History */

2015-06-22T17:09:03Z

‎Early History

James Gilbert: /* Early History */

2015-06-22T17:08:35Z

‎Early History

James Gilbert: /* The Ohio Oil Rush */

2015-06-22T17:03:37Z

‎The Ohio Oil Rush

James Gilbert: /* The Ohio Oil Rush */

2015-06-22T17:03:04Z

‎The Ohio Oil Rush

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:11, 1 July 2015
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	==Utica Shale Development==		==Utica Shale Development==
		+	Main Article: [Utica Shale]

	Utica Shale drilling and production began in Ohio in 2011. Ohio as of 2013 is becoming a major natural gas and oil producer from the Utica Shale in the eastern part of the state.<ref>[http://www.uticashalenews.com/ ''Utica Shale Oil Discovery In Ohio, News And Maps,'' Utica Shale News and Maps]</ref><ref name=drillingactivity>		Utica Shale drilling and production began in Ohio in 2011. Ohio as of 2013 is becoming a major natural gas and oil producer from the Utica Shale in the eastern part of the state.<ref>[http://www.uticashalenews.com/ ''Utica Shale Oil Discovery In Ohio, News And Maps,'' Utica Shale News and Maps]</ref><ref name=drillingactivity>

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 Ohio was one of the original modern-energy states in the world starting in the 19th century and has a storied history. The first discovery of oil from a drilled well and first offshore [[Oil_platform#History|oil rig]] occurred in Ohio in 1814 in [[Noble County, Ohio|Noble County]], and 1891 at [[Grand Lake St. Marys]].<ref>[http://burchfieldcraig.org/FamLib/FamBus/OilGasGeneral/OhioOilandGasIndustryOverview-OOGA.pdf "Ohio Crude and Natural Gas Producing Industry"], Burchfield Craig, retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio was the country's lead producer of oil between 1895 and 1903, until technology allowed further developments throughout the nation.<ref>[http://www.energybulletin.net/node/7376 "Ohio was once oil king, but production peaked in 1896"], Energy Bulletin, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Since that first well drilled in 1814 by Silas Thora and Robert McKee in Noble County, the state has drilled 273,000 wells, ranking it fourth nationally behind Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania historically.<ref>[http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/11/21/state-a-natural-for-growth-in-oil-natural-gas-wells.html?sid=101 "State a natural for growth in oil, natural-gas wells"], ''Columbus Dispatch''. November 21, 2010.</ref> At peak production, the state produced {{convert|24000000|oilbbl}} of oil in 1896. Oil development in this era also helped create  the world's first billionaire, [[John D. Rockefeller]], as a result. [[Standard Oil]] was first headquartered in Cleveland, beginning in 1870. The state has produced {{convert|1120000000|oilbbl}} since 1860. Offshore oil drilling in [[Lake Erie]] first occurred in 1913, and the lake is home to oil reserves.
-[[Natural gas]] was discovered in [[Clinton County, Ohio|Clinton County]] in 1887. In 2008, the state produced 85 billion cubic feet of natural gas, which nearly 100% of the production stayed in the state, enough to heat 1 million homes.<ref name=OOG />  Ohio became a world leader in oil production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
+[[Natural gas]] was discovered in [[Clinton County, Ohio|Clinton County]] in 1887. Ohio became a world leader in oil production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
 The Ohio oil and natural gas industries employ 14,400 citizens, resulting in $730 million in wages. The industries paid $202 million in royalties to landowners, and $84 million in free energy.<ref name=OOG>[http://www.oogeep.org/industryinformation/statistics.html "Industry Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> The state's oil and natural gas industry continues to grow, having topped the $1 billion mark in market value production for four consecutive years, including $1.35 billion in 2008. This has only been accomplished five times in state history.<ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2008%20ODNR%20DMRM%20Annual%20Report(1).pdf "Summary of Ohio Oil and Gas Activities 2008"], Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Management, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> <ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2009%20Energy%20and%20Economics%20Benefits%20Brochure.pdf "Ohio Energy Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Education Program, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio has the second largest oil refining capacity in the Midwest.<ref>[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=OH "Ohio Quick Facts"], U.S. Department of Energy, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Toledo is home to facilities operated by [[PBF Energy]] and [[BP]], totaling over 300,000 BPD capacity. The BP facility is undergoing a $400 million renovation and is expected to receive nearly exclusive supplies from a $2.5 billion [[Oilsands#Canada|oilsands]] project in [[Alberta, Canada|Alberta]] by 2011.<ref>[http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Husky+ready+Sunrise+oilsands+project/2464971/story.html "Husky, BP ready for $2.5B Sunrise oilsands project"], ''Calgary Herald'', Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref> Toledo is also a target destination for supplies coming from the [[Bakken Formation|Bakken Oil Fields]].<ref>[http://www.kne.com/business/products_pipelines/Cochin/NOTICE_OF_OPEN_SEASON.pdf "Notice of Open Season"], Kinder Morgan, Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref>

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 Ohio was one of the original modern-energy states in the world starting in the 19th century and has a storied history. The first discovery of oil from a drilled well and first offshore [[Oil_platform#History|oil rig]] occurred in Ohio in 1814 in [[Noble County, Ohio|Noble County]], and 1891 at [[Grand Lake St. Marys]].<ref>[http://burchfieldcraig.org/FamLib/FamBus/OilGasGeneral/OhioOilandGasIndustryOverview-OOGA.pdf "Ohio Crude and Natural Gas Producing Industry"], Burchfield Craig, retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio was the country's lead producer of oil between 1895 and 1903, until technology allowed further developments throughout the nation.<ref>[http://www.energybulletin.net/node/7376 "Ohio was once oil king, but production peaked in 1896"], Energy Bulletin, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Since that first well drilled in 1814 by Silas Thora and Robert McKee in Noble County, the state has drilled 273,000 wells, ranking it fourth nationally behind Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania historically.<ref>[http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/11/21/state-a-natural-for-growth-in-oil-natural-gas-wells.html?sid=101 "State a natural for growth in oil, natural-gas wells"], ''Columbus Dispatch''. November 21, 2010.</ref> At peak production, the state produced {{convert|24000000|oilbbl}} of oil in 1896. Oil development in this era also helped create  the world's first billionaire, [[John D. Rockefeller]], as a result. [[Standard Oil]] was first headquartered in Cleveland, beginning in 1870. The state has produced {{convert|1120000000|oilbbl}} since 1860. Offshore oil drilling in [[Lake Erie]] first occurred in 1913, and the lake is home to oil reserves.
-[[Natural gas]] was discovered in [[Clinton County, Ohio|Clinton County]] in 1887. In 2008, the state produced 85 billion cubic feet of natural gas, which nearly 100% of the production stayed in the state, enough to heat 1 million homes.<ref name=OOG /> The [[Rockies Express Pipeline]] was recently completed, connecting the eastern part of Ohio with natural gas production facilities in Colorado. 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves are estimated to be in Ohio's portion of Lake Erie alone.<ref>[http://www.aapg.org/explorer/2001/09sep/lakes.cfm "Canada Producing; U.S. Isn't"], American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio was a world leader in oil production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
+[[Natural gas]] was discovered in [[Clinton County, Ohio|Clinton County]] in 1887. In 2008, the state produced 85 billion cubic feet of natural gas, which nearly 100% of the production stayed in the state, enough to heat 1 million homes.<ref name=OOG />  Ohio became a world leader in oil production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
 The Ohio oil and natural gas industries employ 14,400 citizens, resulting in $730 million in wages. The industries paid $202 million in royalties to landowners, and $84 million in free energy.<ref name=OOG>[http://www.oogeep.org/industryinformation/statistics.html "Industry Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> The state's oil and natural gas industry continues to grow, having topped the $1 billion mark in market value production for four consecutive years, including $1.35 billion in 2008. This has only been accomplished five times in state history.<ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2008%20ODNR%20DMRM%20Annual%20Report(1).pdf "Summary of Ohio Oil and Gas Activities 2008"], Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Management, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> <ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2009%20Energy%20and%20Economics%20Benefits%20Brochure.pdf "Ohio Energy Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Education Program, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio has the second largest oil refining capacity in the Midwest.<ref>[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=OH "Ohio Quick Facts"], U.S. Department of Energy, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Toledo is home to facilities operated by [[PBF Energy]] and [[BP]], totaling over 300,000 BPD capacity. The BP facility is undergoing a $400 million renovation and is expected to receive nearly exclusive supplies from a $2.5 billion [[Oilsands#Canada|oilsands]] project in [[Alberta, Canada|Alberta]] by 2011.<ref>[http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Husky+ready+Sunrise+oilsands+project/2464971/story.html "Husky, BP ready for $2.5B Sunrise oilsands project"], ''Calgary Herald'', Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref> Toledo is also a target destination for supplies coming from the [[Bakken Formation|Bakken Oil Fields]].<ref>[http://www.kne.com/business/products_pipelines/Cochin/NOTICE_OF_OPEN_SEASON.pdf "Notice of Open Season"], Kinder Morgan, Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref>

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 [[Natural gas]] was discovered in [[Clinton County, Ohio|Clinton County]] in 1887. In 2008, the state produced 85 billion cubic feet of natural gas, which nearly 100% of the production stayed in the state, enough to heat 1 million homes.<ref name=OOG /> The [[Rockies Express Pipeline]] was recently completed, connecting the eastern part of Ohio with natural gas production facilities in Colorado. 1.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves are estimated to be in Ohio's portion of Lake Erie alone.<ref>[http://www.aapg.org/explorer/2001/09sep/lakes.cfm "Canada Producing; U.S. Isn't"], American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio was a world leader in oil production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
-The Ohio oil and natural gas industries employ 14,400 citizens, resulting in $730 million in wages. The industries paid $202 million in royalties to landowners, and $84 million in free energy.<ref name=OOG>[http://www.oogeep.org/industryinformation/statistics.html "Industry Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> The state's oil and natural gas industry continues to grow, having topped the $1 billion mark in market value production for four consecutive years, including $1.35 billion in 2008. This has only been accomplished five times in state history.<ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2008%20ODNR%20DMRM%20Annual%20Report(1).pdf "Summary of Ohio Oil and Gas Activities 2008"], Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Management, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2009%20Energy%20and%20Economics%20Benefits%20Brochure.pdf "Ohio Energy Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Education Program, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio has the second largest oil refining capacity in the Midwest.<ref>[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=OH "Ohio Quick Facts"], U.S. Department of Energy, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Toledo is home to facilities operated by [[PBF Energy]] and [[BP]], totaling over 300,000 BPD capacity. The BP facility is undergoing a $400 million renovation and is expected to receive nearly exclusive supplies from a $2.5 billion [[Oilsands#Canada|oilsands]] project in [[Alberta, Canada|Alberta]] by 2011.<ref>[http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Husky+ready+Sunrise+oilsands+project/2464971/story.html "Husky, BP ready for $2.5B Sunrise oilsands project"], ''Calgary Herald'', Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref> Toledo is also a target destination for supplies coming from the [[Bakken Formation|Bakken Oil Fields]].<ref>[http://www.kne.com/business/products_pipelines/Cochin/NOTICE_OF_OPEN_SEASON.pdf "Notice of Open Season"], Kinder Morgan, Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref>
+The Ohio oil and natural gas industries employ 14,400 citizens, resulting in $730 million in wages. The industries paid $202 million in royalties to landowners, and $84 million in free energy.<ref name=OOG>[http://www.oogeep.org/industryinformation/statistics.html "Industry Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> The state's oil and natural gas industry continues to grow, having topped the $1 billion mark in market value production for four consecutive years, including $1.35 billion in 2008. This has only been accomplished five times in state history.<ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2008%20ODNR%20DMRM%20Annual%20Report(1).pdf "Summary of Ohio Oil and Gas Activities 2008"], Ohio Division of Mineral Resources Management, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> <ref>[http://www.oogeep.org/downloads/file/Publications/2009%20Energy%20and%20Economics%20Benefits%20Brochure.pdf "Ohio Energy Facts"], Ohio Oil and Gas Education Program, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio has the second largest oil refining capacity in the Midwest.<ref>[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=OH "Ohio Quick Facts"], U.S. Department of Energy, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Toledo is home to facilities operated by [[PBF Energy]] and [[BP]], totaling over 300,000 BPD capacity. The BP facility is undergoing a $400 million renovation and is expected to receive nearly exclusive supplies from a $2.5 billion [[Oilsands#Canada|oilsands]] project in [[Alberta, Canada|Alberta]] by 2011.<ref>[http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Husky+ready+Sunrise+oilsands+project/2464971/story.html "Husky, BP ready for $2.5B Sunrise oilsands project"], ''Calgary Herald'', Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref> Toledo is also a target destination for supplies coming from the [[Bakken Formation|Bakken Oil Fields]].<ref>[http://www.kne.com/business/products_pipelines/Cochin/NOTICE_OF_OPEN_SEASON.pdf "Notice of Open Season"], Kinder Morgan, Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.</ref>
 ==The Ohio Oil Rush==

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 ==Early History==
-In late 1859, blacksmith William Jeffrey drilled the first well in Ohio specifically intended to produce petroleum. This well is located in Mecca Township, Trumbull County, northeast of Warren.[1][2] In 1860, similar activity occurred in Macksburg.
+In late 1859, blacksmith William Jeffrey drilled the first well in Ohio specifically intended to produce petroleum. This well is located in Mecca Township, Trumbull County, northeast of Warren. In 1860, similar activity occurred in Macksburg.
 Ohio was one of the original modern-energy states in the world starting in the 19th century and has a storied history. The first discovery of oil from a drilled well and first offshore [[Oil_platform#History|oil rig]] occurred in Ohio in 1814 in [[Noble County, Ohio|Noble County]], and 1891 at [[Grand Lake St. Marys]].<ref>[http://burchfieldcraig.org/FamLib/FamBus/OilGasGeneral/OhioOilandGasIndustryOverview-OOGA.pdf "Ohio Crude and Natural Gas Producing Industry"], Burchfield Craig, retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Ohio was the country's lead producer of oil between 1895 and 1903, until technology allowed further developments throughout the nation.<ref>[http://www.energybulletin.net/node/7376 "Ohio was once oil king, but production peaked in 1896"], Energy Bulletin, Retrieved 19 Nov 2009.</ref> Since that first well drilled in 1814 by Silas Thora and Robert McKee in Noble County, the state has drilled 273,000 wells, ranking it fourth nationally behind Texas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania historically.<ref>[http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/11/21/state-a-natural-for-growth-in-oil-natural-gas-wells.html?sid=101 "State a natural for growth in oil, natural-gas wells"], ''Columbus Dispatch''. November 21, 2010.</ref> At peak production, the state produced {{convert|24000000|oilbbl}} of oil in 1896. Oil development in this era also helped create  the world's first billionaire, [[John D. Rockefeller]], as a result. [[Standard Oil]] was first headquartered in Cleveland, beginning in 1870. The state has produced {{convert|1120000000|oilbbl}} since 1860. Offshore oil drilling in [[Lake Erie]] first occurred in 1913, and the lake is home to oil reserves.

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 See Main Article: [[Ohio Environmental Protection Agency]]
-The '''Ohio Environmental Protection Agency''' ('''Ohio EPA''') is the administrative department of the [[government of Ohio|Ohio state government]]<ref>[[Ohio Revised Code|Ohio Rev. Code]] § 121.01 ''et seq.''</ref> responsible for protecting the environment and [[public health]] by ensuring compliance with [[environmental law]]s. Those laws and related rules outline [[Ohio]] EPA's authority and what things the Agency can consider when making decisions about regulated activities. Ohio EPA was created on Oct. 23, 1972. It combined environmental programs that previously had been scattered throughout several state departments. The director of Ohio EPA is appointed by the governor and serves as a cabinet member. Ohio EPA establishes and enforces standards for air, water, waste management and cleanup of sites contaminated with hazardous substances. The Agency also provides financial assistance to businesses and communities; environmental education programs for businesses and the public; and [[pollution]] prevention assistance to help businesses minimize their waste at the source.
+The '''Ohio Environmental Protection Agency''' ('''Ohio EPA''') is the administrative department of the [[government of Ohio|Ohio state government]]  responsible for protecting the environment and [[public health]] by ensuring compliance with [[environmental law]]s. Those laws and related rules outline [[Ohio]] EPA's authority and what things the Agency can consider when making decisions about regulated activities. Ohio EPA was created on Oct. 23, 1972. It combined environmental programs that previously had been scattered throughout several state departments. The director of Ohio EPA is appointed by the governor and serves as a cabinet member. Ohio EPA establishes and enforces standards for air, water, waste management and cleanup of sites contaminated with hazardous substances. The Agency also provides financial assistance to businesses and communities; environmental education programs for businesses and the public; and [[pollution]] prevention assistance to help businesses minimize their waste at the source.
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 Ohio EPA’s Central Office is located in [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]]. Five district offices manage the Agency's programs at the local level. They are located in [[Bowling Green, Ohio|Bowling Green]], [[Twinsburg, Ohio|Twinsburg]], [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], Columbus and [[Logan County, Ohio|Logan]].
 =References=
 {{reflist|30em}}

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 In 1883, Ohio ranked fifth among oil-producing states, behind Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, and California; its total production of 47,000 barrels of oil that year was less than one percent of the nation's oil output. But Ohio production climbed rapidly, and in 1895 Ohio became America's leading oil-producing state. Ohio oil production peaked in 1896 at 24 million barrels, but Ohio continued as the leading oil state until 1902, when that title was taken by Oklahoma.<ref>G.R. Hopkins and A.B Coons, "Crude petroleum and petroleum products, in ''Statistical Appendix to the Minerals Yearbook, 1932-33'', US Bureau of Mines, 1934, p.306.</ref>
-In northwest Ohio, the production of oil was relatively new. The lack of knowledge about the field of industry led to poor management. In turn, it led to much waste during production, resulting in the end of the period's “oil boom.”<ref name="Spencer 2008"/> Although production significantly dropped with reservoir pressure, oil and gas production continued in Ohio.  More than 220,000 wells have been drilled in 67 of Ohio's 88 counties, with 60,000 operating as of 2000.<ref name="MAPPG1" />  These wells have produced more than 1 billion barrels of oil and 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.  Much of the [[Geology_of_the_Appalachians#Coal.2C_oil.2C_and_gas_production|gas production]] has occurred in the sandstone formations of eastern Ohio.
+In northwest Ohio, the production of oil was relatively new. The lack of knowledge about the field of industry led to poor management. In turn, it led to much waste during production, resulting in the end of the period's “oil boom.”<ref name="Spencer 2008"/> Although production significantly dropped with reservoir pressure, oil and gas production continued in Ohio.  More than 220,000 wells have been drilled in 67 of Ohio's 88 counties, with 60,000 operating as of 2000.  These wells have produced more than 1 billion barrels of oil and 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.  Much of the [[Geology_of_the_Appalachians#Coal.2C_oil.2C_and_gas_production|gas production]] has occurred in the sandstone formations of eastern Ohio.
 ==Great Shale Gas Rush==

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 ==The Ohio Oil Rush==
 Oil production climbed year after year, especially after major oil and gas reserves were found in [[Wood County, Ohio|Wood County]] in [[northwest Ohio]] in the 1880s.  From Toledo to Lima and into Indiana, the [[Farnsworth Metropark#Bowling_Green_Fault|Bowling Green Fault]] fractured the Trenton Formation limestone, in which hydrocarbons were trapped by overlying rock.  In 1891, the likely first overwater drilling operations in the world occurred in [[Grand Lake St. Marys State Park|Grand Lake]]
-<ref>Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey.Sep  2007 [http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/10/grandlakestmarytn.pdf Historic Oil and Gas Wells in and Adjacent to Grand Lake St. Marys ]</ref> where more than 100 wells were drilled in less than 10 years.  Between 1895 and 1903, Ohio was the leading producer of crude oil in the country and thereafter was surpassed by Texas and Oklahoma. The Trenton limetone produced more than 380 million barrels of oil and 2 trillion cubic feet of gas, peaking in 1896 at 23.9 million barrels of oil.<ref name="MAPPG1" /><ref>http://www.energybulletin.net/node/7376</ref>  Large scale production of oil continued into the 1930s.  Due to inefficient early drilling techniques, the oil fields rapidly lost pressure.
+<ref>Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey.Sep  2007 [http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/10/grandlakestmarytn.pdf Historic Oil and Gas Wells in and Adjacent to Grand Lake St. Marys ]</ref> where more than 100 wells were drilled in less than 10 years.  Between 1895 and 1903, Ohio was the leading producer of crude oil in the country and thereafter was surpassed by Texas and Oklahoma. The Trenton limetone produced more than 380 million barrels of oil and 2 trillion cubic feet of gas, peaking in 1896 at 23.9 million barrels of oil.<ref>http://www.energybulletin.net/node/7376</ref>  Large scale production of oil continued into the 1930s.  Due to inefficient early drilling techniques, the oil fields rapidly lost pressure.
 During this period, many towns in Ohio experienced rapid boom-to-bust cycles.  The usefulness of natural gas was not discovered until the 1880s. Up until then, it was considered a “nuisance.” Findlay was “the gas capital of Ohio in late 1885.”<ref name="Spencer 2008">Spencer, Jeff and Mark Camp. Ohio Oil and Gas. South Carolina: Arcadia, 2008. Print.</ref> For example, in [[Findlay, Ohio|Findlay]], the first commercial natural gas well began producing in 1884. In 1886, the productive Karg Well (over 10,000,000 cubic feet/day) and other wells resulted in so much gas being flared that Findlay was known as the "City of Light" and free fuel and light attracted many industries, including glass.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Robert C. |title=History of Hancock County, Ohio |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=dA7VAAAAMAAJ |accessdate=7 May 2012 |year=1886 |publisher=Warner, Beers & Co. |location=Chicago |page=641 |quote=The first feature that strikes an observer is the great supply of gas, as evidenced by its tremendous pressure. It comes not with a flow as ordinarily understood, but in force like a mighty rushing wind. The gas from the great Karg well leaps and roars from its mouth night and day—a semi-volcanic pyramid of flame. The company has so far been unable to utilize the flow from this well, and, therefore, as a matter of safety allow the millions of feet of escaping gas to burn from an iron pipe extending from the mouth of the well to the bank of the river. Thousands of visitors have been attracted to Findlay during the past year to view her wonderful gas wells[. Quoting from a Toledo newspaper:] 'Five or six miles before reaching Findlay a brilliant light is seen in the heavens, and a mile or two further on discloses to the vision a great cloud of fire. This was the great Karg well.'}}</ref>  By 1888, Findlay was one of the largest glass production centers. The gas was assumed to be "inexhaustible".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Robert C. |title=History of Hancock County, Ohio |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=dA7VAAAAMAAJ |accessdate=7 May 2012 |year=1886 |publisher=Warner, Beers & Co. |location=Chicago |pages=639–640 |quote="It will thus be seen that Findlay possesses what now appears to be an inexhaustible supply of natural gas. *** Scientific and unscientific opinion appears to be about settled down to the belief that the supply of natural gas is produced by continual generation, and though wells may give out, and local supplies may fail here and there, like the great natural product of spring water, it will keep flowing from the earth forever."}}</ref> By 1890, gas output began to decline.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=29180 |title=The Ohio Oil Co - Marathon Oil Co / Gas Boom Era |first=William |last=Fischer |date=27 Mar 2010 |work=The Historical Marker Database |publisher=www.hmdb.org}}</ref>