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The Volcano oil field was discovered in 1860, and from 1865 to 1870 drilling was very active, producing from the Salt sand at a depth of about 360 feet. The heavy lubricants produced led to the development of West Virginia's first oil pipeline, from Volcano to Parkersburg, in 1879.

West Virginia is one of several states that is home to the Marcellus Shale (also known as The Marcellus Formation). The Marcellus Shale is a geologic formation of sedimentary (shale) rock that contains natural gas, and is one of the largest onshore natural gas fields in North America..

Virginia has no appreciable crude oil reserves and only a very small amount of crude oil production, all of which is from wells in two counties in the far southwestern corner of the state. There are no operating petroleum refineries in Virginia, and no major crude oil pipelines cross the state.

West Virginia's first oil field began producing just before the Civil War, and peak production of 16 million barrels per year was reached in 1900. Although the state's annual crude oil production in the 21st century is much less than 1% of the nation's total, production has been rapidly increasing since 2012.

West Virginia's first oil field began producing just before the Civil War, and peak production of 16 million barrels per year was reached in 1900. Although the state's annual crude oil production in the 21st century is much less than 1% of the nation's total, production has been rapidly increasing since 2012.

By the middle of the 20th century West Virginians struggled with unreclaimed strip mines, acid drainage from deep mines, fire-scarred forests, and leaking oil and gas wells and pipelines. Sound environmental practices were slow in coming. Cutover forests suffered wildfires, which led to erosion and flooding.