Petroleum or crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and a valuable natural resource. Petroleum is found in big oil fields under the ground, off-shore and at coastal locations
The oil field extraction process involves drilling. Oil is transported to refineries to be processed and different petroleum products like diesel, petrol (gasoline), kerosene (jet fuel), waxes, plastics and lubricants are produced.
The word petroleum comes from the Latin “petroleum” which means rock oil. The kind of hydrocarbon found in petroleum is aliphatic hydrocarbons that include many alkanes and other compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon.
Chief petroleum producing countries- Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, other major producers are USA, Russia, Venezuela, and Algeria.
Leading producers in India-Digboi in Assam, Bombay High in Mumbai and the deltas of Krishna and Godavari rivers.