oil patch

noun

, Slang.

1. an area in which oil is produced.
2. the petroleum industry.

Word History and Origins

Origin of oil patch¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Kern County, home to the state’s largest oil patch, has long been friendly to energy companies.

From Los Angeles Times

Longview is a small city in the east Texas oil patch; presumably its chamber was recruited because the plaintiffs figured that its presence would give them standing to sue in the federal district court in Tyler, which has two judges, both appointed by Donald Trump, including Barker.

From Los Angeles Times

Unfortunately, in 1983 Seafirst would be a casualty of Oil Patch banking failures, and the largest bank in the Northwest would be acquired by Bank of America.

From Seattle Times

McIsaac, whose husband works in the oil industry, said that the smoke this year, combined with a major wildfire in 2016, have made more people in town concerned about climate change, even if many residents get their paychecks from the nearby oil patch.

From Washington Times

On the surface, this looks like another depressing deal in the Oil Patch that will only add to global warming, along with the other environmental damage from fracking — Pioneer’s specialty.

From Seattle Times