by Bruce Wells | Oct 25, 2025 | Petroleum Pioneers
Since 1955, the Chief Roughneck Award has recognized individuals “whose accomplishments and character represented the highest ideals of the U.S. oil and natural gas industry.” The annual recognition ceremony of independent producers — wildcatters — includes a statuette that originated as an advertising character of a tubular goods manufacturer.
(more…)
by Bruce Wells | Oct 20, 2025 | This Week in Petroleum History
Shortages of equipment and drilling delays during World War I revealed the petroleum industry’s struggle with a lack of uniformity of pipe sizes, threads, and couplings. Founded in 1919, the American Petroleum Institute (API) gathered industry experts to come up with industry-wide standards to promote equipment compatibility. “After bringing these experts together to agree upon design and requirements, the first standard, Specifications for Steel and Iron Pipe for Oil Country Tubular Goods, was published on October 20, 1924,” notes API, which has since published more than 800 standards and guidelines. (more…)
