Salt Creek Oil Field - Definition and Overview

The Salt Creek Oil Field, located in Natrona County, approximately 40 mi (64 km) north of Casper, was at one time in the early 20th century the largest light crude oil field in the world. It was historically one of the most important petroleum deposits in Wyoming.

The field was discovered in the 1880s. The first white person to acquire land in the region was Stephen W. Downey in 1883, shortly after the discovery of the oil seep at Jackass Springs. . In 1889 the discovery well was drilled in the Shannon pool. In 1895, the landowner of Shannon pool built an oil refinery in Casper to process the oil.

The main well in the Salt Creek Field was drilled in October 1908 at the Dutch no. 1 location. The well initially produced 150 bbl per day. In subsequent years, the field was extensively developed and the field became famous for its many gushers. A pipeline to the Casper refinery was built in 1911. The reputation of Salt Creek as the largest light oil field was surpassed in the 1920s by the nearby Teapot Dome field, the source of scandal during the Warren G. Harding administration.