Brief Review of Petroleum Geology Theory Development

Petroleum geology theories are based on the practice of petroleum exploration and production and have been developed and improved by early geologists systematically sorting out first-hand data, introducing explanations and summarizing ideas. Therefore, they have been impressed with geological intelligence from the beginning and they comprise as highly a comprehensive discipline as other geological disciplines. Such comprehensiveness is characterized by multidisciplinary integration and cross inspirations among various subjects. By a brief overview of petroleum exploration history of the last 150 years, we can easily identify three major phases of its evolution.