苗栗出磺坑

Chuhuangkeng

November 16th, 2024

An extensive cultural landscape along a hillside in central Miaoli County, Chuhuangkeng (出磺坑) is recognized as the site of the first modern oil well in East Asia and one of the oldest still-productive oil-drilling sites in the world. Natural gas continues to be extracted here by CPC Corporation. The park preserves numerous historical structures including offices, workshops, dormitories, and industrial equipment that document Taiwan’s petroleum industry development.

Oil Machinery Around Chuhuangkeng (苗栗出磺坑)

The site’s oil history dates back to 1817 when a Hakka immigrant surnamed Wu (吳) first observed crude oil seeping into the nearby Houlong River (後龍溪). Commercial exploitation began in 1861 through a partnership between a local Hakka resident and John Dodd, a British merchant based in Tamsui. Oil production expanded significantly during the Japanese colonial period (1895–1945), with the first successful modern well drilled in 1903. The Taiwan Oil Field Exhibition Hall (台灣油礦陳列館), established in 1981, houses two floors of exhibits documenting this history, including photographs, maps, and models of drilling equipment.