Anthony Francis Lucas was an American Croatian-born oil explorer. With Pattillo Higgins he organized the drilling of an oil well near Beaumont, Texas that became known as Spindletop. This led to the widespread exploitation of oil and the start of the petroleum age.

Lucas was born into a Croatian family of shipbuilders and owners in the city of Split, Croatia.

At the age of 20, Lucas completed studies at the Polytechnical Institute in Graz, Austria and became a mechanical engineer. After entering the Austrian Naval Academy, Lučić served in Pula and Rijeka and rose to the rank of second lieutenant.

In 1879, Lucas visited his uncle in Saginaw, Michigan. There he settled and changed his name to Anthony Francis Lucas.

A number of Lucas inventions and scientific or technical knowledge were used in early oil exploration and extraction, with most still being employed. Some are:

• overhead method of mining in salt mines
• surface exploration for underground mineral deposits
• application of steam-driven, hydraulic-rotary drilling rig and of mud in oil well drilling
• construction and application of back pressure valve
• construction of blowout preventers
• designing of well logs
• invention of the Christmas tree oil well

Anton Lučić.pptx

 OŠ "Pavao Belas", Croatia

Lučić.pdf