TheTrenton Gas Field is located in east centralIndiana and the most western portion of west centralOhio. The field was discovered in 1876, but the size and magnitude of the field was not known until the 1880s. The field was the largest natural gas discovery up to that time, with an area of 5,120 square miles (13,300 km2), somewhat smaller in area than the state ofConnecticut, containing over 1 trillion cubic feet (28×10^9 m3) of natural gas. The field also contained the first giant oil reserve discovered in the United States, with an estimated 1 billion barrels (160×10^6 m3) of oil. The discovery led to theIndiana Gas Boom.[1][2]
Almost all of the natural gas was removed from the field by 1910, but only about 10% of the oil had been removed at that point. The lack of pressure caused by the removal of the gas led to a complete stoppage of oil production, even though an estimated 900 million barrels (140,000,000 m3) of oil remained in the field.[3] Beginning in the late 20th century, oil production resumed at a slow pace after advances inartificial lift technology.
Oil and gas production from this field led theStandard Oil Company to establishrefinery operations in Indiana. The firm's production and refinery interests led, in turn, to Standard's Indiana interests being grouped together after the1911 breakup of the firm due to antitrust action, leading to the formation of theStandard Oil Company of Indiana.
