When Colonel Edwin Drake drilled the first successful oil well in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859, many people had no idea of how petroleum would change the world. Drake and his supporters were looking for a source of kerosene to be used for lighting fuel. For most of the 19th century, gasoline was just a byproduct of the production of kerosene, with few trading uses. The remarkable transformation in the mobility of people and goods began only after the beginning of the new century.
The primary market for oil had begun to disappear when Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and created the electrical generation industry. In 1882, Edison threw a switch to start the first commercial electrical generating plant and, by the turn of the age, there were over 18 million light bulbs in use in the U.S. alone.
How Fuel Began to Change The World
The invention of the automobile changed all that. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 8,000 registered vehicles, and by 1920 there were close to 23 million cars. However, it was not clear whether gasoline would be used to fuel the engines. Early models were powered by steam and electricity as well as gasoline, and by the early 1900s most cars were electric. Yet, gasoline-powered engines turned out to be the most practical design because battery-powered engines did not have enough power. With the construction of a network of gasoline filling stations, the infrastructure was put in place to ensure a consistent supply of fuel. Therefore, gasoline-powered automobiles captured the market.
Oil began to provide a critical advantage that changed how nations regarded this natural resource. Previously, oil was seen as a material brought to market by a few entrepreneurs. After WWI, it was regarded as a tactical mineral for which supplies had to be ensured. During the war, Britain had converted their ships from coal-burning to oil-powered to give them increased speed and mobility.
Why are Hydrocarbon Fuels Important?
A major user of hydrocarbon fuels, also known as fossil fuels, is the transportation industry. This includes everything from the cars we use to and from work, UBER rides we take home after a night out with friends, buses that take us from place to place, ferries that transport people and vehicles over short distances of water, and of course the aeroplanes that carry us all over the world.
Electricity – with electricity, almost all things are made possible. We have geysers that heat our water for our showers and baths, refrigerators that we can store our food in to keep it cold and fresh, air conditioners to control the temperature conditions in our homes and offices, computers, laptops, and phones. And all of this was made possible with hydrocarbon fuels. To provide us with the power we take for granted every day, hydrocarbon fuels and commodities like coal are burned in power stations, transforming that heat and stored energy into kinetic energy, which turns huge turbines and generates electricity in order for us to have the luxuries we have today.
Why Choose Our Fuel?
Without even realising it, we use crude oil products every single day – from the petrol or diesel in our cars, to more peculiar items like toilet seats! Limitless World Petroleum is still a cut above the rest. Contact us today!
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