9
History and Terminology
sensation in the eyes was too much for the French sailors, and the English prevailed with the
capture of much booty (i.e., plunder) (Powicke, 1962).
The combustion properties of bitumen (and its fractions) were known in Biblical times. There is
the reference to these properties (Isaiah, 34:9) when it is stated that
And the stream thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land
thereof shall become burning pitch.
It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from generation to
generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and for ever.
One might surmise that the effects of the burning bitumen and sulfur (brimstone) were longlasting and quite devastating.
Approximately 2000 years ago, Arabian scientists developed methods for the distillation of
petroleum, which were introduced into Europe by way of Spain. This represents another documented use of the volatile derivatives of petroleum, which led to a continued interest in petroleum
and its derivatives as medicinal materials and materials for warfare, in addition to the usual construction materials.
The Baku region of northern Persia was also reported (by Marco Polo in 1271 to 1273) as having an established commercial petroleum industry. It is believed that the prime interest was in
the kerosene fraction that was then known for its use as an illuminant. By inference, it has to be
concluded that the distillation, and perhaps the thermal decomposition, of petroleum were established technologies. If not, Polo’s diaries might well have contained a description of the stills or
the reactors.
In addition, bitumen was investigated in Europe during the Middle Ages (Bauer, 1546, 1556),
and the separation and properties of bituminous products were thoroughly described. Other investigations continued, leading to a good understanding of the sources and use of this material even
before the birth of the modern petroleum industry (Forbes, 1958a,b).
There are also records of the use of petroleum spirit, probably a higher boiling fraction of or than
naphtha that closely resembled the modern-day liquid paraffin, for medicinal purposes. In fact, the
so-called liquid paraffin has continued to be prescribed up to modern times. The naphtha of that
time was obtained from shallow wells or by the destructive distillation of asphalt.
Parenthetically, the destructive distillation operation may be likened to modern coking operations (Chapter 18) in which the overall objective is to convert the feedstock into distillates for use as
fuels. This particular interest in petroleum and its derivatives continued with an increasing interest
in nafta (naphtha) because of its aforementioned use as an illuminant and as a supplement to asphaltic incendiaries for use in warfare.
To continue such references is beyond the scope of this book, although they do give a flavor of
the developing interest in petroleum. However, it is sufficient to note that there are many other references to the occurrence and use of bitumen or petroleum derivatives up to the beginning of the
modern petroleum industry (Mallowan and Rose, 1935; Nellensteyn and Brand, 1936; Mallowan,
1954; Marschner et al., 1978).
In summary, the use of petroleum and related materials has been observed for almost 6000 years.
During this time, the use of petroleum has progressed from the relatively simple use of asphalt from
Mesopotamian seepage sites to the present-day refining operations that yield a wide variety of products (Chapter 26) and petrochemicals (Chapter 27).
1.2 MODERN PERSPECTIVES
The modern petroleum industry began in the later years of the 1850s with the discovery, in 1857,
and subsequent commercialization of petroleum in Pennsylvania in 1859 (Bell, 1945). The modern refining era can be said to have commenced in 1862 with the first appearance of petroleum
History and Terminology
sensation in the eyes was too much for the French sailors, and the English prevailed with the
capture of much booty (i.e., plunder) (Powicke, 1962).
The combustion properties of bitumen (and its fractions) were known in Biblical times. There is
the reference to these properties (Isaiah, 34:9) when it is stated that
And the stream thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land
thereof shall become burning pitch.
It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from generation to
generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and for ever.
One might surmise that the effects of the burning bitumen and sulfur (brimstone) were longlasting and quite devastating.
Approximately 2000 years ago, Arabian scientists developed methods for the distillation of
petroleum, which were introduced into Europe by way of Spain. This represents another documented use of the volatile derivatives of petroleum, which led to a continued interest in petroleum
and its derivatives as medicinal materials and materials for warfare, in addition to the usual construction materials.
The Baku region of northern Persia was also reported (by Marco Polo in 1271 to 1273) as having an established commercial petroleum industry. It is believed that the prime interest was in
the kerosene fraction that was then known for its use as an illuminant. By inference, it has to be
concluded that the distillation, and perhaps the thermal decomposition, of petroleum were established technologies. If not, Polo’s diaries might well have contained a description of the stills or
the reactors.
In addition, bitumen was investigated in Europe during the Middle Ages (Bauer, 1546, 1556),
and the separation and properties of bituminous products were thoroughly described. Other investigations continued, leading to a good understanding of the sources and use of this material even
before the birth of the modern petroleum industry (Forbes, 1958a,b).
There are also records of the use of petroleum spirit, probably a higher boiling fraction of or than
naphtha that closely resembled the modern-day liquid paraffin, for medicinal purposes. In fact, the
so-called liquid paraffin has continued to be prescribed up to modern times. The naphtha of that
time was obtained from shallow wells or by the destructive distillation of asphalt.
Parenthetically, the destructive distillation operation may be likened to modern coking operations (Chapter 18) in which the overall objective is to convert the feedstock into distillates for use as
fuels. This particular interest in petroleum and its derivatives continued with an increasing interest
in nafta (naphtha) because of its aforementioned use as an illuminant and as a supplement to asphaltic incendiaries for use in warfare.
To continue such references is beyond the scope of this book, although they do give a flavor of
the developing interest in petroleum. However, it is sufficient to note that there are many other references to the occurrence and use of bitumen or petroleum derivatives up to the beginning of the
modern petroleum industry (Mallowan and Rose, 1935; Nellensteyn and Brand, 1936; Mallowan,
1954; Marschner et al., 1978).
In summary, the use of petroleum and related materials has been observed for almost 6000 years.
During this time, the use of petroleum has progressed from the relatively simple use of asphalt from
Mesopotamian seepage sites to the present-day refining operations that yield a wide variety of products (Chapter 26) and petrochemicals (Chapter 27).
1.2 MODERN PERSPECTIVES
The modern petroleum industry began in the later years of the 1850s with the discovery, in 1857,
and subsequent commercialization of petroleum in Pennsylvania in 1859 (Bell, 1945). The modern refining era can be said to have commenced in 1862 with the first appearance of petroleum