oil well

noun

: a well from which petroleum is obtained

Examples of oil well in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web San Diego County cities are grappling with California's net zero emissions pledge, but none face a challenge like Long Beach: a $300 million budget hit over 10 years as local oil wells are phased out. Andrew Keatts, Axios, 18 Sep. 2024 Oklahoma’s oil industry pays into a voluntary fund to clean up oil wells, but many drillers opt out. Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 6 Aug. 2024 The researchers examined active and inactive oil wells because some inactive wells continue to leak methane and other harmful or combustible emissions, González said. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2024 Last Friday and Saturday, the South turned off the spigot, shutting down 900 oil wells. Andrew Natsios, Foreign Affairs, 1 Feb. 2012 See all Example Sentences for oil well 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oil well.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oil well was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near oil well

Cite this Entry

“Oil well.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oil%20well. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

oil well

noun
: a well from which petroleum is obtained

More from Merriam-Webster on oil well

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