...Gracie King Dr. Morgan Advanced Readings in Energy 15 August 2015 The Prize: Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power The history of the petroleum industry is a long and enduring journey. It was not started by one single individual, but by the actions of a long list of entrepreneurial figures whom all play a part in this oil journey. Oil was first used as a sort of home remedy by the Indians. They called it “Seneca Oil” and it was used to cure headaches, upset stomachs, burns, to heal wounds and the list goes on. George Bissell was a very important individual in the creation of the oil industry. He spotted a bottle of this Pennsylvania rock oil in one of his professor’s classrooms. He became very curious with the rock oil and believed that it could be used as an illuminant because it was flammable. If this rock oil could become the new illuminating oil, Bissell would become an extremely wealthy man and that became his motivation. In 1854, Bissell gathered investors and hired a professor from Yale, Benjamin Silliman, to analyze all the properties of this oil to determine if it could indeed be used as an illuminant and lubricant. Sure enough, the research proved that rock oil was the next big illuminant and Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company was created in 1854. However it was not a breeze to get this oil. Edwin Drake, a retired railway conductor, was tasked to use his salt techniques to find oil. In spring of 1859, Drake’s driller who was called “Uncle Billy” spotted oil...
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