Final answer:
The Spindletop Gusher was celebrated as the dawn of the modern petroleum industry and symbolized economic and technological progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spindletop gusher was exciting because it marked the birth of the modern petroleum industry. On January 10, 1901, in Beaumont, Texas, the Lucas Gusher at Spindletop struck oil, heralding an era of energy prosperity. This event symbolized the potential of oil and its impact on industry and transport, accelerating economic growth and innovation.
The gusher's dramatic eruption of oil, spewing tens of meters into the air, epitomized the newfound wealth and technological advancement of the time. Unlike the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, which highlighted the risks of oil drilling, Spindletop represented a milestone inefficient energy extraction with an impressive EROEI (energy returned on energy invested).