The art of distillation and the dawn of the hydrocarbon society

Saltzman, Martin D.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/126152 Copy

Description

Title

The art of distillation and the dawn of the hydrocarbon society

Author(s)

Saltzman, Martin D.

Issue Date

1999-09-15

Keyword(s)

• History
• Chemistry
• History Distn Petroleum Industry

Abstract

The beginning of the petroleum industry in the US and the important role played by the process of distn. are discussed. The roots of the oil industry can be traced back to the fourth century B.C. in the Middle East. However, the com. prodn. of petroleum products started from the enterprise of Francis B. Brewer, George M. Bissell, Jonathan G. Eveleth, Dixi Crosby and Benjamin Silliman, Jr. Bissell, Eveleth and Brewer established the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Co. in Sept. 1854 in view of the potential of rock oil from Brewer's property as illuminant. The Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company of New York was reincorporated in Connecticut on June 25, 1855, with offices in New Haven and Benjamin Silliman as president. Silliman was the one who performed fractional distn. expts. on the the crude oil revealing that several useful products can be derived from it.

Publisher

Division of the History of Chemistry

ISSN

1053-4385

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

article

Language

eng

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/126152

DOI

https://doi.org/10.70359/bhc1999n24p053

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 1999 Division of the History of Chemistry

Owning Collections