Where was the first major oil discovery in Alaska?

• A. North Slope
• B. Cook Inlet
• C. Prudhoe Bay
• D. Kenai Peninsula

Answer: (D)

The first major oil discovery in Alaska happened on the Kenai Peninsula, at the Swanson River field, in 1957. This milestone showed that Alaska could yield substantial oil beyond the earlier, smaller finds and opened the door for further exploration across the state. The North Slope’s Prudhoe Bay later became famous as a huge discovery in 1968, but it came after the Kenai find. Cook Inlet had activity as well, yet it was the Kenai Peninsula discovery that marks the earliest major milestone in Alaska’s oil history, making it the key location in this question. The Kenai region also sits within the traditional lands of Dena’ina communities, connecting the oil era to broader Alaska Native histories and changes in the region.