Petroleum production in Oklahoma began before the state achieved statehood, with its dominance initially centered in a town 45 miles north of Tulsa. The first commercial oil well in Oklahoma was located in Bartlesville, where residents George Keeler and William Johnstone acquired a lease to drill on land in Indian Territory allotted to William Johnstone's daughter, Nellie. According to GDELT, an explosive charge brought a geyser of oil to the surface at the Nellie Johnstone Number one well in 1897, ushering in a new age for Oklahoma that caused boom towns to erupt across the state.

Tulsa was once known as the oil capital of the world, a status built upon the industry's early expansion. The source frames the history as Oklahoma 'fueling America' and looks back at the history of the state's petroleum sector. Oklahoma is home to the oil pipeline crossroads of the world, according to Z94.com, and has an oil and gas legacy that includes a history of moving oil by horses before rail systems were built.

The early era of drilling involved significant risk and persistence. The source describes the population influx as 'boom towns erupting' and notes many failed ('came up dry'). Frank Phillips drilled several times before successfully striking oil, according to GDELT. The source refers to Oklahoma as a 'fly-over state' with an 'incredibly storied past' and uses emotive language ('black gold', 'gush') to describe the oil discovery.