PETROLEUM is produced on a commercial scale in some 25 countries. Since first recorded commercial production, beginning in Rumania in 1857 and in the United States in 1859, the earth has been tapped for this liquid mineral to the extent of over 33,000,000,000bbl. (of 42 U.S. gal.), with the United States yield ing over 22,000,00o,000bbl. of the total, or nearly 64%.
The acceleration of world petroleum production has been dic tated by the peculiarly essential place petroleum products and de rivatives have come to occupy in the pattern of an increasingly industrialized, mechanized, and motorized age. In 1900 a produc tion of less than 15o,00o,000bbl. took care of the world's needs; in 1919, after the World War which greatly expanded industrial and transportation oil-consuming agencies, production had risen to 555,000,000bbl., and the motor car was still in its swaddling clothes ! Within seven years world production had doubled (over ,000,000,000bbl. in 1926), and within another eleven years it
had doubled again (over 2,000,00o,000bbl. in 1937).
The end is far from being in sight as there is a certainty of greater demand for gasoline, lubricants, and burning oils in the continuing expansion of aviation and the motor car in many coun tries, of rail and marine motorization, and of industrial, farm, and home mechanization. While the year 1938 saw a slight decrease in world petroleum production, from 2,041,715,000bbl. in 1937, to 1,978,34o,000bbl., this was wholly accounted for by United States production reflecting unfavourable national economic con ditions. Taking the long view, the trend of world petroleum pro duction is still definitely upward.
Table I gives world production of petroleum by countries for 1938, and the total, 1857-1938.