Why Was Searching For Oil So Dangerous? | Oil & Gas Pioneers

This is the story of oil and gas exploration in the Caribbean and the role played by Trinidad and Tobago in the world's quest for "black gold." European adventurers such as Walter Raleigh, arrived in the Caribbean in the late 16th century, discovering tar pits in Trinidad and Tobago, hinting at the presence of oil deposits. In the late 19th century, Captain Walter Darwent and later Randolph Rust led expeditions to find oil in Trinidad's jungles, facing numerous challenges such as disease, wildlife, and difficult terrain. But by the early 20th century, significant advancements in drilling technology, led by figures like Arthur Beeby Thompson, facilitated the successful sinking of oil wells, attracting significant investment and attention from global powers, but what does this mean for Trinidad's economy and who is really benefitting?