Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0218Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is a large collection of oil wells, several buildingds and traincars are between the wells. Above the image "T136 (Star)" is printed, below the image "V26756 A Forest of Derricks in teh Burkburnett Oil Fields, Texas." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company Copyrighted, Underwood & Underwood, Inc. Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
V26756
THE BURKBURNETT OIL FIELD, TEXAS
The oil fields of our country all look very much like this one in northern Texas. In the tall derricks which we see are elevated and dropped back the drilling tools which bore the oil wells directly beneath the derricks. From our viewpoint we can see how large an area is covered by an oil field and how close together the wells are often sunk. Herbert Hoover, when he was Secretary of Commerce, in an attempt to conserve our oil supply, tried to persuade the oil operators not to drill so many wells in such a small area. Each well costs thousands of dollars.
Petroleum is one of the most important natural resources of our country. When refined it yields gasoline, paphtha, benzine, kerosene, oils for lubricating machinery, the paraffin used to cover jelly glasses,and many other valuabel products. Oil has partly replaced coal as an industiral fuel. Many ships now burn oil because it occupies less space in the ship than coal. In many places where coal is scarce, oil is a cheaper fuel. At one time kerosene lamps were in almost uinversal use for illuminating purposes. and they are still widely used in places where electricity or gas are not availabe. The use of great numbers of automobiles requiring gasoline has for years steadily increased the importance of the petroleum industry.
The United States produces more than twice as much petroleum as the rest of the world combined. In 1928 Venezuela was second and Russia third. In the same year, in our country, Texas led all the states, producing nearly 257,000,000 barrels; Oklahoma ranked next, and California third.
Copyright by The Keystone View CompanyCollection
Photograph Collection