Interestingly, the first shortage in Titusville's 1859 oil boom was a shortage of barrels in which to store oil. Nowadays, crude oil can be stored in steel barrels but only in very limited quantities.

Now the company, based in Plum, reconditions and recycles 55-gallon steel, plastic and fiber barrels for use in environmental cleanups and other applications in the region. “We’re a small ...