About Us

A portal to the global beginnings of oil extraction, Petrolia Discovery is home to the world’s largest rig and the only historic oil field open to the public.

From the first, hand-dug wells of the 1850s to the great refineries and machine shops which abounded at the turn of the century, Petrolia’s oil history runs deep. Visitors will stroll through this 1860’s oil field in the footsteps of original oil drillers, seeing original oil extraction technology, tools, and unique oil well power distribution system, working now just as they did then.

The gem of Petrolia Discovery is The Fitzgerald Rig, in continuous service since 1903 this marvel of ingenuity and engineering serves as a central power source to operate multiple oil wells connected by the jerker line system.

Visitors will discover the training ground of the first oil engineers who in an age when few people traveled beyond the borders of their own hometown, ventured abroad with the early technology, ingenuity and expertise developed in Petrolia to bring most of the major oilfields of the world into production.

“History really comes alive when you can see it and touch it.”

Jennifer Hollett, Ex. Dir. The Walrus

Visitors to Petrolia Discovery can also, hear, smell and if you’re adventurous even taste history.

Phone: 519-882-0897

Email: petroliadiscovery@outlook.com