In the nineteenth century, the inorganic school of thought argued that unknown processes operating at great depth in the earth produced petroleum, and that its occurrence was associated with volcanic activity.

[3][4] After reading a geology report that associated petroleum deposits with an anticline structure in Ohio, in 1889 Coste selected a site for his first drilling attempt in Essex County, Ontario.

By 1895, his United Gas and Oil Company was delivering hydrocarbons to Ontario communities, and also to American consumers on the Detroit side of the river.

[4] Later in his life, Coste moved west and drilled the locally famous "Old Glory" gas well near Bow Island, Alberta, in 1909.

By 1913, several other towns in southern Alberta also boasted natural gas service from the Canadian Western system and Coste's pioneering enterprise provided fuel to nearly 7,000 customers.