What is "creekology"

Creekology is a petroleum prospecting method which appeared in the 19th century in US south gas-oil states. In its simplest form, it was the search for above-ground indications of oil, such as natural seeps. Creekologists also placed wells on singular points of a territory in accordance with landscape features. The placing of wells often occurred near, or on, linear objects - erosion relief forms (valleys, creeks, etc.) - giving rise to the term creekology. The success rates of some creekologists in the 19th century were very high - 80-90% of their wells gave production and more recent petroleum firms can only dream about such results.