--> ABSTRACT: History and Petroleum Geology of Kentucky's First Oil Well, by Russell G. Shepherd; #91041 (2010)

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History and Petroleum Geology of Kentucky's First Oil Well

Russell G. Shepherd

The first commercial oil well in Kentucky was drilled in 1818 by cable tool by Marcus Huling on a 757-acre lease from Martin Beatty, on the South Fork of the Cumberland River in McCreary County. Drilling and production details were reported in the fall of 1818 in the newspaper Argus of Western America, and in subsequent letters now in Kentucky archives. The well was drilled to 200 ft, and the Big Lime pay had an IP of 100 BOPD. Oil from the well was sold to consumers in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia, and 2,000 gallons were exported to Europe. Analysis of recent geologic and structure maps indicates that, in contrast to previous interpretations, the production is stratigraphically controlled. Today oil can be sampled from an oil well at the site, now in the Big So th Fork National River recreation area. Employing formal definitions, the Beatty well may become generally recognized as the first oil well in North America, even though it was originally drilled for salt.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91041©1987 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, October 7-10, 1987.