Edwin Drake was hired by an oil company in 1958 to investigate an oil spring in Titusville Pennsylvania, and when he had difficulty reaching the oil he devised an ingenious pipe-and-drill system that allowed him to dig down to the oil without contaminating it. Drake did not get a patent on his invention, however, and people in the local area started following his methods.
Edwin Drake aliajiriwa na kampuni ya mafuta ya mwaka 1958 kuchunguza mafuta spring katika Titusville Pennsylvania, na wakati yeye alikuwa na ugumu kufikia mafuta yeye kushauriana ingenious bomba-na-drill mfumo kwamba kuruhusiwa naye kuchimba chini kwa mafuta bila kuchafua yake. Drake hakuwa na kupata patent juu ya uvumbuzi wake, hata hivyo, na watu katika eneo la mtaa kuanza kufuata njia yake.