Scurry County's Billionth Barrel of Oil

Petroleum discoveries in this county began in 1923, with recovery of oil in the San Andres Formation--eventually penetrated by over 2,000 shallow wells. In late 1948, rigs drilling deeper than 6,000 feet tapped the Canyon Reef Geological Formation. Four exploratory wells--Sun Oil Company's Schattel; Magnolia's Winston; Standard Oil Company of Texas Brown; Lion Oil Company's C. T. McLaughlin--and other extensive drilling defined a gigantic field covering 85,000 acres and containing oil reserves estimated to total at least four billion barrels. The local economy and growth rate improved greatly. Many farmers and ranchers who had fought years of drouth and adversity paid off debts, modernized their homes, and continued to live on their land. On Oct. 8, 1973, twenty-five years after the Canyon Reef discovery, Scurry County produced from that formation its billionth barrel of oil, and in a week of festivities paid tribute to the petroleum industry. The celebrated billionth barrel of oil came from the well near this marker. By 1973, Scurry County was producing 3.2 per cent of all the oil recovered annually in the United States. (1975)

Scurry County's Billionth Barrel of Oil is a historical marker in Snyder, Scurry County, dedicated in 1975. It is one of 60 historical markers documented in Scurry County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 63 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.7937, -100.9591 near Snyder. The nearest cataloged historic site is Home County of Famous Frontiersman J. Wright Mooar (historical marker), about 3.7 miles away. Others within a short drive include Von Roeder Cotton Breeding Farms, The Block 97 Controversy, and Snyder Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5415004621. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.