American
Oil & Gas
Historical Society
About Us
Petroleum history provides context for understanding modern energy challenges.
The American Oil & Gas Historical Society (AOGHS) preserves U.S. petroleum history, which provides a critical context for understanding the energy industry. This history, which began in August 1859 with the first commercial U.S. well in Titusville, Pennsylvania, can help us make informed decisions about meeting future energy needs. AOGHS offers education resources, including links to community oil and gas museums, county historical societies, libraries, and others dedicated to material preservation. Please support our effort.
Latest Popular
Articles & Updates
Summer Travels to Oil Museums
It's summertime, and visiting America's many petroleum museums is easy. Summertime brings new visitors to community oil and gas museums, including teachers and students anticipating the return of field trips and K-12 programs as the school year approaches. The...
Kerosene Rocket Fuel
Highly refined propellant began as "coal oil" for lamps. A 19th-century petroleum product made America's 1969 moon landing possible. On July 16, 1969, kerosene rocket fuel powered the first stage of the Saturn V of the Apollo 11 mission. Four days after the Saturn V...
This Week in Petroleum History: July 6 – 12
July 6, 1988 - Piper Alpha North Sea Tragedy - An explosion and fire on Occidental Petroleum's Piper Alpha offshore production platform in the North Sea resulted in the deaths of 167 out of 224 personnel. It remains the most deadly offshore disaster in petroleum history....
Education Centers & Resources
Research Forums
Atlantic Refining Company Publication
A family has preserved its connection to U.S. refining history and is seeking a home for its 1921 company booklet. The grandfather, George Edward Cooper (pictured in the publication), worked for Atlantic Refining Company, which later became ARCO.
Question about Oilfield Storage Tanks
“My family has a farm in western Pennsylvania and once had a small oil pump on the land. I’m trying to learn how the oil was transported from the pump. I know a man came in a truck more than once each week…” — Lauren.
Family donates L.A. Photography
Photos of a father’s years as an employee of the Los Angeles Harbor authority, Valerie Raynor led to the American Oil & Gas Historical Society finding a home for them at a California museum.
History articles & Helpful links
Category Topics
Petroleum Artifacts & Memorabilia
Pages for posting questions, comments, and advice and for researchers, preservationists, and collectors seeking information about the history of artifacts relating to exploration and production technologies, petroleum products, transportation, storage, retail sales, and MORE.
Oil & Gas Families: Personal Stories
Have a family heirloom or other artifacts relating to petroleum history? Many community oil and gas museums can help preserve personal and professional stories…MORE.
Photography & Video Collections
The history of American radio, TV, and film offers portrayals of the U.S. petroleum exploration, production and transportation industries. Many public domain archives provide free access…MORE.
Preserving Old Photographs
The care, handling, and storage of photographs: How to preserve your photographic prints from all eras of photography (and negatives)..MORE.
"Is My Old Oil Stock worth Anything?"
A Q&A forum for sharing details about old and often obscure petroleum stock certificates, many from the early 1900s. Before posting, review our updated business histories of hundreds of old oil and natural gas companies..MORE.
Preserving Audio/Visual Recordings
The Library of Congress offers tips for preserving optical discs, magnetic tape, and other materials with inherent chemical instabilities. Good storage is especially critical to the preservation of these materials….MORE.
History of oil and Gas
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