What was the total depth of the first well that Drake drilled that produced oil?

• A. 50 ft
• B. 100 ft
• C. 150 ft
• D. 69.5 ft

Answer: (D)

Drake’s first productive oil well reached about 69.5 feet in depth. This shallow depth is significant because it shows how the early oil discovery occurred relatively close to the surface, marking the birth of the modern petroleum industry when Drake drilled near Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859. The oil was produced at that depth, so 69.5 feet is the correct figure; the other depths listed don’t match the well’s documented productive depth.