HISTORY AND TERMINOLOGY OF CRUDE OIL 3
the industry is so confusing that the ensuing issues and the issues
involved in oil pricing and oil product pricing are a mystery. In
addition, many economists are unable to explain the economics of
oil and oil product pricing without recourse to higher mathematics.
The result is the development of complex equations that are often
difficult to understand, and, for the technical person in industry,
appear to bear little relationship to what he understands in terms
of oil properties.
Thus, it is appropriate to commence this book with a description
of the historical uses of crude oil and crude oil terminology, leading
the reader to a better understanding of the terminology of crude oil
and the means by which it is described.
1.1 Historical Perspectives
Petroleum is the most important raw material used in modern society insofar as it provides not only raw materials for fuel manufacture and energy, but also starting materials for plastics and other
products.
The word petroleum, derived from the Latin petra and oleum, literally means rock oil and refers to hydrocarbons that occur widely in
the sedimentary rocks in the form of gases, liquids, semisolids, or solids. From a chemical standpoint, petroleum is an extremely complex
mixture of hydrocarbon compounds, usually with minor amounts
of nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-containing compounds, as well as
varying amounts of metal-containing compounds (Speight, 2007).
The fuels that are derived from petroleum supply more than half
of the world's total supply of energy. Gasoline, kerosene, and diesel
oil provide fuel for automobiles, tractors, trucks, aircraft, and ships.
Fuel oil and natural gas are used to heat homes and commercial
buildings, as well as to generate electricity. Petroleum products are
the basic materials used for the manufacture of synthetic fibers for
clothing and in plastics, paints, fertilizers, insecticides, soaps, and
synthetic rubber. The uses of petroleum as a source of raw material
in manufacturing are central to the functioning of modern industry.
Petroleum is a carbon-based resource, so the geochemical carbon
cycle is also of interest to fossil fuel usage in terms of petroleum formation, use, and the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Thus,
the more efficient use of petroleum is of paramount importance.
Petroleum technology, in one form or another, will be with us until
the industry is so confusing that the ensuing issues and the issues
involved in oil pricing and oil product pricing are a mystery. In
addition, many economists are unable to explain the economics of
oil and oil product pricing without recourse to higher mathematics.
The result is the development of complex equations that are often
difficult to understand, and, for the technical person in industry,
appear to bear little relationship to what he understands in terms
of oil properties.
Thus, it is appropriate to commence this book with a description
of the historical uses of crude oil and crude oil terminology, leading
the reader to a better understanding of the terminology of crude oil
and the means by which it is described.
1.1 Historical Perspectives
Petroleum is the most important raw material used in modern society insofar as it provides not only raw materials for fuel manufacture and energy, but also starting materials for plastics and other
products.
The word petroleum, derived from the Latin petra and oleum, literally means rock oil and refers to hydrocarbons that occur widely in
the sedimentary rocks in the form of gases, liquids, semisolids, or solids. From a chemical standpoint, petroleum is an extremely complex
mixture of hydrocarbon compounds, usually with minor amounts
of nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-containing compounds, as well as
varying amounts of metal-containing compounds (Speight, 2007).
The fuels that are derived from petroleum supply more than half
of the world's total supply of energy. Gasoline, kerosene, and diesel
oil provide fuel for automobiles, tractors, trucks, aircraft, and ships.
Fuel oil and natural gas are used to heat homes and commercial
buildings, as well as to generate electricity. Petroleum products are
the basic materials used for the manufacture of synthetic fibers for
clothing and in plastics, paints, fertilizers, insecticides, soaps, and
synthetic rubber. The uses of petroleum as a source of raw material
in manufacturing are central to the functioning of modern industry.
Petroleum is a carbon-based resource, so the geochemical carbon
cycle is also of interest to fossil fuel usage in terms of petroleum formation, use, and the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Thus,
the more efficient use of petroleum is of paramount importance.
Petroleum technology, in one form or another, will be with us until