When petroleum crude oil is extracted from oil wells, raw natural gas is released as well. Large quantities of the gases are flared as waste or unusable gas. The flaring of associated gas most often happen at the top of a vertical flare stack. The released gases are burnt as they exit the flare stacks to lower the emissions.
In the 1960's it sometimes happened that the flames burning away the waste gas fumes blew out. The mechanical equipment they used to relight the gas did not always work, and they had to find a way to get it to burn again.
After some creative thinking the oilmen came up with a solution. They kept a bow and arrow handy and when the flame died, they would shoot a flaming arrow through the gas fumes.
