Petroleum Horizon

     Crude Oil has certainly had a colorful history. Some of its early uses were waterproofing wooden boats and the Roman used it as a weapon, for embalming, and lighting. The Ancient Persians, 10th century Sumatrans and pre-Colombian Indians all believed that crude oil had medicinal benefits. Marco Polo found it used in the Caspian Sea region to treat camels for mange, and the first oil exported from Venezuela in 1539 was intended for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles the fifth.

     Right up until the early 1900's, mineral oil, a by-product of petroleum, was a regular component found in "Snake Oil", the infamous cure-all wonder treatment. It was the less successful uses of petroleum. Until the late 19th century, an oil find was often met with disinterest or dismay. Pioneers who settled the American West dug wells to find water or brine; they were disappointed when they struck oil. Several historical factors changed that. The kerosene lamp, invented 1854, ultimately created the first large-scale demand for petroleum. Kerosene was first made from coal, but by the late 1880's most was derived from crude oil.