On June 24, 2015, Gina James interviewed D.R. Stanley for the "Gas Rush" oral history project in Barnesville, Ohio. D.R. Stanley, whose initials he humorously notes were once believed to stand for "divine right," grew up in the area and graduated from a local Quaker boarding school. Although he once vowed to leave and never return, he eventually came back to the region with his wife, where they bought and developed an abandoned farm over the course of 40 years.

Francie Arnett, a native of St. Clairsville, Ohio, is a woman of Polish descent who has a deep-rooted connection to her heritage and family. Raised in a close-knit family, she has a profound understanding of her siblings' careers, particularly her brother's role in the oil and gas industry. This understanding has significantly shaped her perspective on the industry's impact on her community. Arnett's educational journey and career path have also played a crucial role in her life, further influencing her views on the oil and gas sector.

Greg Arnett was born on April 17, 1953, and raised in Columbus, Ohio, in a neighborhood characterized by small, family-run shops and a strong sense of community. In the 1960s, his family moved to the suburbs of Reynoldsburg, a rapidly developing area transitioning from farmland to suburban housing. After high school, Greg moved to Connecticut with friends, where he lived in a communal setting and worked various jobs. He married Francie in 1972, and they spent a few years in Connecticut before moving back to Ohio to manage a commercial fruit and vegetable farm in Norwalk.