加拿大早期石油工业发展经历了许许多多的风雨。有些给人极大希望的地方,最终却令人十分沮丧。加拿大阿尔伯塔省的油城便是一个典型。油城本是一个十分荒凉的地方,在19世纪80年代以前,在这里生活的主要是印地安人。油城的不少地方有油苗露出地面,印地安人从石油苗中捞出石油用于治疗人畜外伤,不知道石油的其它用途。随着美国开发石油的热潮,加拿大人也认识到石油的巨大作用,并开始行动起来。那时找石油主要靠找油 Canada’s early oil industry has experienced a lot of ups and downs. Some places that give great hope are ultimately frustrating. Oil City, Alberta, Canada is a classic. The oil city was originally a very bleak place, before the 1880s, mainly Indians living here. In many parts of the oil city there are oily plants that have been exposed to the ground. The Indians took the oil out of the oil plants for the treatment of human and animal trauma and did not know about other uses of oil. As the United States developed its oil boom, Canadians also recognized the great role of oil and began to act. At that time, looking for oil was mainly by looking for oil