Oil Drilling

The world economy depends a lot on oil drilling. It’s been around for a long time. Despite the wishes of many alternative energy proponents, it will likely be around for a long time in the future.

oil drilling

The first known oil drilling took place in Chinese oil wells in 347 AD. Bits on the tips of long bamboo rods could reach as far as 800 feet beneath the Earth’s surface. The resulting oil was used to evaporate salt water, brine, to produce plain salt. By the 10th century bamboo pipelines brought oil to salt springs. Many writings from the time talk about heating and lighting homes with natural gas.

oil drilling continued in the middle east and in Asia. Petroleum was burning water to the Japanese. The streets of Baghdad were paved with tar in the 8th century. The Persians lit their homes with kerosene lamps. It all depended on oil.

Marco Polo saw oil drilling in his travels in Azerbaijan. In 1264 he claimed to witness hundreds of oil laden vessels leaving the bay. He described abundant fountains of oil.

Percussive oil drilling was the early technique. Everything was driven into the ground by raw, blunt force. That was later replaced by rotary drilling which could reach much deeper reservoirs. One Russian hole, in Kola, made it to 38,000 feet under the Earth.

oil well drilling

This oil drilling Kola project has become a legend. According to the story scientists decided to take a closer look at a cavern about 9 miles under the surface. They lowered a microphone into the cavity. It recorded the screams of the damned coming from the 2000 degree heat . It never really happened, although they did find some geologic anomalies.

This legend of finding hell while oil drilling has become famous. Tabloids showed photos. People posted the audio online. A Christian network called TBN breathlessly described that hell had been proven . Everyone who ran the story knew it was false – but it sold newspapers.

offshore oil drilling

Everyone knows about oil drilling in the modern world. Wells produce millions of barrels each day, but the devil never gets a cut.

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