Boom
/bӧӧm/      noun
A period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth.

Bust
/bəst/      noun
A period of economic difficulty or depression.

Prospect
/ˈpräˌspek(t)/    verb
Search for mineral deposits in a place, especially by means of experimental drilling and excavation.

Fortune
/ˈfôrCHən/     noun
A large amount of money or assets; chance or luck as an external, arbitrary force affecting human affairs.

Lucrative
/ˈlo͞okrədiv/     adjective
Producing a great deal of profit.

Tycoon
/tīˈko͞on/     noun
A wealthy, powerful person in business or industry.

Expanse
/ikˈspans/      noun
An area of something, typically land or sea, presenting a wide continuous surface.

Audacious
/ôˈdāSHəs/      adjective
Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.

Tar
/tär/      noun
A dark, thick, flammable liquid distilled from wood or coal, consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons, resins, alcohols, and other compounds.

Pitch
/piCH/      noun
A sticky resinous black or dark brown substance obtained by distilling tar or petroleum.

Oil Derrick
/oil ˈderik/      noun
A wooden or steel structure built over an oil well to provide support for the drilling equipment and a tall mast for raising and lowering the drill pipe and casing.

Oil Field
/ˈoilˌfēld/      noun
An area of land or seabed yielding petroleum, especially in amounts that justify commercial exploitation.

Gusher
/ˈɡəSHər/      noun
an oil well from which oil flows profusely without being pumped.

Oil Baron
/oil ˈberən/     noun
A powerful individual in the oil business.