Oil and gas appearing in water wells in this vicinity in 1908 led the Texas Company, later Texaco, Inc., to begin leasing large tracts of land in June 1909. After a surface geological survey, contractor F.J. Winston erected a wooden derrick with cable tools and a steam engine on a prospective location on the Jim Cottle Ranch, and drilling began on September 23, 1909. Frequent and sometimes lengthy equipment breakdowns delayed progress, but on November 9, 1910, after 13 months of drilling, Cottle No. 1 struck natural gas at a depth of 2660 feet. The discovery opened the Moran Field and became the first commercial gas well completed in this vast West Texas area. In the spring of 1911, gas was piped to Moran for residential and business use, and by 1913 Albany, Cisco, and Abilene were supplied with natural gas for the first time. By October 1913, with five producing gas wells, the Moran Field was recognized as one of Texas's most important sources of fossil fuels, and although Cottle No. 1 was plugged years ago, the field continues to be an economic mainstay in the area.