Drilling rig in the Kanawhaa Valley of West Virginia. By 1900 the state's oil production exceeded 16 million barrels. By 1911, West Virginia was the nation's leading oil and gasoline producer. By 1917 its natural gas production reached 308,617,101,000 cubic feet per year. In 2005 the state produced 216,890,662 Mcf natural gas and 47,022 barrels of oil.

RELATED KEYWORDS: Mid Atlantic; state; Appalachia; sunset; sunrise; dusk; dawn; morning; evening; roughneck; economy; economics; American; national; supply; inflated; inflation; high; cost; economy; economics; national; supply; demand; shortage; raw; oil; gas; mineral; hydrocarbons; petroleum; prices; fossil; fuels; fuel; energy; earth; resources; exploration; exploring; discover; discovery; discovering; drill; drilling; operations; land; based; completion; job; skill; skilled; labor; men; people; work; occupation; employ; independent; producers; safety; OSHA; environmental; protection; EPA; danger; dangerous; risk; hazards; hazardous; hazard; high; industry; industrial; economy; economies; America; U.S.A.; U.S.; United States; picture; photo; image; stock