Who drilled the first well for Patillo Higgins on Spindletop in 1893?

Who drilled the first well for Patillo Higgins on Spindletop in 1893?

• A. Patillo Higgins
• B. Anthony F. Lucas
• C. John Archbold
• D. Walter B. Sharp

Answer: (D)

The key idea is the person who actually performs the drilling—the driller. On Spindletop, the first well undertaken for Patillo Higgins was drilled by Walter B. Sharp. He was the driller on Higgins’ project, the one physically turning the drill bit and penetrating the rock to reach oil. Higgins organized and funded the venture, Anthony F. Lucas provided the technical leadership and supervised the drilling, and John Archbold was among the investors. None of them did the actual drilling, so Sharp is the correct answer because he handled the hands-on drilling task that started the well.

The key idea is the person who actually performs the drilling—the driller. On Spindletop, the first well undertaken for Patillo Higgins was drilled by Walter B. Sharp. He was the driller on Higgins’ project, the one physically turning the drill bit and penetrating the rock to reach oil. Higgins organized and funded the venture, Anthony F. Lucas provided the technical leadership and supervised the drilling, and John Archbold was among the investors. None of them did the actual drilling, so Sharp is the correct answer because he handled the hands-on drilling task that started the well.