ABSTRACT
As already noted (Chapter 1), petroleum and its derivatives have been used for millennia
(Abraham, 1945; Forbes, 1958a,b, 1959; James and Thorpe, 1994) and petroleum is perhaps
the most important raw material consumed in modern society. It provides not only raw
materials for the ubiquitous plastics and other products, but also fuel for energy, industry,
heating, and transportation. Thus, the use of petroleum and the development of related
technology is not such a modern subject as we are inclined to believe. However, the petroleum
industry is essentially a twentieth-century industry but to understand the evolution of the
industry, it is essential to have a brief understanding of the first uses of petroleum.
