Petroleum

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"Petro" redirects here. For other uses, see Petro (disambiguation).

For other uses, see Petroleum (disambiguation).

Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas

Petroleum (L. petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit. "rock oil") or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights, and other organic compounds, that is found in geologic formations beneath the earth's surface.

The term "petroleum" was first used in the treatise De Natura Fossilium, published in 1546 by the German mineralogist Georg Bauer, also known as Georgius Agricola.