Lesson 4 Connection Video

I'm going to guess that at some point in the next day or so, you will climb into a car to go somewhere. It might be to a store down the street or on a cross-country journey. You probably won't be too preoccupied with whether or not you will be able to find gas because we live in a society with seemingly a gas station on every corner.

It wasn't always this way.

Until the automobile became widespread, there wasn't a real need for oil to be so readily available. It was used mainly for heating and running machinery, and it was delivered in a different way.

The period covered in Lesson 4, just after World War I, was the age of gasoline. Automobiles had been growing in popularity, and it seemed like everyone wanted to go somewhere by car.

As you may recall, in the early days of the oil industry, gasoline was an annoying byproduct of the refining process, which was focused on heating and lighting. Contrast that with today, when gasoline is probably the most desired and in-demand product of the crude oil refining process.

There were other things brewing in the oil industry during the postwar period as well. Companies were adapting and adjusting to prepare for and protect against future conflicts and crises.

They had to, because as the country was recovering from World War I, the Great Depression arrived.

This brings us to a life lesson from Lesson 4: nothing lasts forever, so be prepared for change.

A time of abundance gave way to a time of hardship. The economy was collapsing, and people went from planning cross-country car-trip vacations to struggling to find food and shelter.

Another theme from this period and another important life lesson is that not everyone thinks and operates the same way.

In the United States, the private-sector free-market philosophy dominated the oil industry. As oil companies became multinational organizations, they attempted to carry that business model abroad. However, other countries had different ideas.

We are somewhat fortunate today that the industry's formative years have passed. There was great uncertainty during that period, along with conflict, betrayal, and danger, as countries and oil companies tried to find ways to work together while also securing their share of the benefits.

At the same time, there was a great deal of excitement here in the United States.

In previous lessons, we saw that Pennsylvania played a key role in the U.S. oil market. However, things were changing. Major discoveries in Texas, Oklahoma, and California shifted the center of the U.S. oil industry to other regions. These locations grew in importance and influence.

For example, let's fast-forward a few decades.

By the time I was preparing for graduate school in 1980 and considering a career in the oil industry, the advice was to head south. Many schools in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana offered degree programs in petroleum geology and petroleum engineering. The southern states were home to many oil companies, and job opportunities were plentiful.

I will share more in future lessons about how my career experiences relate to what you will be reading. For now, let's continue our journey.