ABSTRACT
The history of the petroleum industry dates to the period before the Christian era when mostly oil and gas shows at or near the ground surface were found. This chapter discusses broadly the following: era of surface oil and gas shows, onshore oil and gas industry and offshore oil and gas industry including the genesis of offshore development. The migration of oil or gas within the source rock is known as primary migration. It is difficult to explain the mechanism of primary migration as it happens within the nonporous and impermeable medium. The migration of oil or gas within the source rock is known as primary migration. The modern history of petroleum began in the nineteenth century. Petroleum is a naturally occurring yellow to black colour liquid stored in rocks in the subsurface condition and consists of mainly carbon and hydrogen.
