Sarnia in Lambton County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Ontario’s Oil Refining Industry
Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 11, 2025
1. Ontario’s Oil Refining Industry Marker
Inscription.
Ontario’s Oil Refining Industry. . Stimulated by the discovery of significant oil deposits in Enniskillen Township, Ontario's first commercial refineries were erected in 1857-62 at Sarnia, Oil Springs, "Petrolea" and Hamilton. The industry, developed to produce coal-oil and lubricants, was plagued by explosive fires, market fluctuations and problems of refining. In 1880, to counter growing American competition, several companies joined to form Imperial Oil. In 1898, however, seeking expansion capital, it sold a majority interest to Standard Oil, an American refining company. The following year, Imperial brought its operations here to the lakeside. Although other cities had refineries in operation by 1907, Sarnia's access to higher grade Ohio oil, the new demand for gasoline and from 1942, the location here of major petro-chemical industries established Sarnia as Ontario's principal refining centre.
Stimulated by the discovery of significant oil deposits in Enniskillen Township, Ontario's first commercial refineries were erected in 1857-62 at Sarnia, Oil Springs,
"Petrolea" and Hamilton. The industry, developed to produce coal-oil and lubricants, was plagued by explosive fires, market fluctuations and problems of refining. In 1880, to counter growing American competition, several companies joined to form Imperial Oil. In 1898, however, seeking expansion capital, it sold a majority interest to Standard Oil, an American refining company. The following year, Imperial brought its operations here to the lakeside. Although other cities had refineries in operation by 1907, Sarnia's access to higher grade Ohio oil, the new demand for gasoline and from 1942, the location here of major petro-chemical industries established Sarnia as Ontario's principal refining centre.
82° 24.888′ W. Marker is in Sarnia, Ontario, in Lambton County. It is on Christina Street South 0.1 kilometers north of Clifford Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 602 Christina Street South, Sarnia ON N7T 8A9, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Southwest Ontario Area and in Southwestern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
5. The St. Clair River at Sarnia, looking toward refineries (“Chemical Valley”), 2025
Credits. This page was last revised on May 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 122 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 16, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
