During the great oil boom from 1901 to 1921, Tampico became one of the most important oil ports in the world. Dozens of foreign companies established operations in the region to exploit the oil fields of the Huasteca and export crude oil.
The Main Oil Companies
- Mexican Petroleum Company — United States, founded by Edward L. Doheny.
- Huasteca Petroleum Company — United States.
- Compañía Mexicana de Petróleo El Águila (Mexican Eagle Oil Company) — British-owned, founded by Weetman Pearson.
- Waters-Pierce Oil Company — United States.
- Standard Oil — United States.
- Magnolia Petroleum Company — United States.
- Texas Company (Texaco) — United States.
- National Petroleum Company — United States.
- Compañía Británica Holandés El Águila
Where Were the Main Oil Fields?
Tamaulipas
- Ébano
- Pánuco
- Topila
- Altamira
Veracruz
- Cerro Azul
- Juan Casiano
- Potrero del Llano
- Tuxpan
- Naranjos
- Chinampa
San Luis Potosí
The Ébano region extended into the Huasteca area of San Luis Potosí, where exploration and small oil fields also existed near Tamuín and Ébano.
How Was the Oil Transported to Tampico?
Several transportation systems were used:
- Pipelines, which carried crude oil directly from the oil fields to refineries and storage terminals in Tampico.
- Railroads, using tank cars.
- Lighters and barges, which traveled along the Pánuco and Tamesí Rivers to the port docks.
From the terminals, the oil was loaded onto tankers for export, primarily to the United States and Europe.
An Anecdote
The Casiano No. 7 oil well, discovered in 1910 near Cerro Azul by the Huasteca Petroleum Company, produced approximately 100,000 barrels per day when it began operations. Its extraordinary output accelerated the construction of new pipelines, storage tanks, and port facilities in Tampico.
Within just a few years, the port was filled with oil tankers from many different countries and became known as the “World Oil Capital,” attracting engineers, workers, and entrepreneurs from around the globe.
It was a period of tremendous prosperity for Tampico. Elegant buildings, hotels, banks, social clubs, and residential neighborhoods were built, completely transforming the city and making it one of the most important economic centers in Mexico.
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Source; mexicodailypost
