Today, we're diving into an exciting chapter of American history, the discovery of petroleum,

also known as oil.

Have you ever wondered how this valuable resource was first found?

Let's find out together. Hi, I'm Georgiana, and I'm back with a new

episode. I'm here to help you speak English fluently. If you want to help me, share the

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Before we start, get the transcript.

Visit speakenglishpodcast.com slash podcast.

Okay, let's start.

Petroleum, often simply called oil, is a thick black liquid, found deep underground.

People use oil to make gasoline and many other products, such as plastic and cosmetics.

How is oil discovered in the USA?

Edwin L. Drake drilled the first successful oil well in the United States in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania.

Before this, people knew about oil because it sometimes leaked out of the ground

naturally. Drake's Well was the first time people dug deep into the earth on purpose to get oil.

Why did people start looking for oil?

In the mid-1800s, whale oil was used to light lamps, but it was very expensive,

and whales were becoming harder to find.

So people needed a new source of fuel for light.

When they discovered that oil could be turned into kerosene, which also could light lamps,

many became interested in finding oil.

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