Samuel Kier was born on July 19, 1813 in Pennsylvania, United States. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in industry and business, following in the footsteps of his father, a successful entrepreneur in the coal and iron industry. ⚒️
In the 1840s, while working in his family's salt mines, Kier encountered a dark, viscose substance contaminating salt wells: oil. Instead of throwing it away, he decided to investigate its possible uses. 🧪
Kier started distilling oil at his home and managed to produce a clear, shiny liquid he called “carbon oil,” which we now know as kerosene. In 1851, he established the first oil refinery in the United States in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to produce kerosene in commercial quantities. This innovation was crucial for lighting before the invention of the electric bulb. 🏭
Samuel Kier also created a more efficient and safer kerosene lamp, which increased demand for his product. His pioneering work in oil distillation and kerosene production laid the foundation for the development of the modern oil industry. 🌍
Kier was not only an innovator but also a visionary entrepreneur. His contribution to oil distillation and the creation of derivatives made a lasting impact on the energy industry. Although gasoline was later developed as a byproduct of petroleum, Kier's advances in oil refining were critical to its development. 🌠
Credits: Felipe Ascencio 📸 Illustrativa