Washington oil field

[2][3] Its clean pebbly sandstone stretches from Washington County into north central West Virginia and produces oil and gas at depths greater than 1,700 feet (520 m).

[5] Other short-lived exploratory efforts were subsequently undertaken at Prosperity, Lone Pine, and South Strabane Township.

[5] In March, 1882, the Morgan Oil Company drilled a well at Alexander V. McGugin's farm in Mount Pleasant Township.

[5] The second well attempt, reaching a depth of 2,247 feet (685 m), hit a large pocket of natural gas.

[5] The success of this well initiated the beginning and development of the great oil and gas fields in southwestern Pennsylvania.

[6] In 1884, Citizens Natural Gas Company drilled a well 2,191 feet (668 m) deep on the Gantz mill property, near the Chestnut Street station of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

[2] In the mid 2000s, Washington County would become central to the rebirth of the resource extraction industry, with the development of the hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale.