Basilicata is often referred to as the ‘Texas of Italy’ on the basis of the oil wealth of the Val d’Agri and Gorgoglione concessions, representing the most important onshore oil area in Europe. In an area characterised by a high biodiversity and a peculiar agri-food tradition, a consolidated petroleumscape has been established, fuelled by a petroculture deeply rooted in the local social identity. This article aims to outline the dynamics that contribute to the constitution of this petroleumscape, hindering the construction of different development paths. Overcoming the petroleumscape requires new projects that recognise the active role of citizens in defining the production models that shape the territory where they live, in the direction of a conscious and participatory energy transition.