Salt Creek Oil Field

Stockmen knew of pools of oil in the creek bottoms during cattle trailing days, and these seeps led to the discovery of Salt Creek, one of Wyoming’s largest oil fields, measuring nine miles long by five miles wide. In 1883, the first claims were filed in the 22,000 acre Salt Creek Field. The first strike in the field came in 1908 at a depth of 1,050 feet, and many wells remain active. Salt Creek became one of the first unitized oil fields in the United States, with one company operating properties for all owners so more efficient recovery methods could be used. Improved practices there recovered many additional millions of barrels of oil.

Midwest, Wyoming · United States