翻譯：crude petroleum is not an equilibrium mixture, and on a geological time scale its composition is slowly changing. S.R.silverman found that heating at 121C for two weeks caused detectable changes, the low-molecular-weight components formed being isotopically lighter so far as the carbon was concerned, than the original.

翻譯：THE OPEC oil cartel is about to turn 40, and the mood in the run-up to the grand heads-of-state party in Venezuela in less than three weeks time is jubilant. Not quite two years ago,oil was $10 a barrel and the cartel was on the brink of collapse. Now the oil price is well above $30 a barrel, and it shows little sign of coming down.

翻譯：Practically every rig uses internal-combustion engines as its prime power source, or its prime mover.

翻譯：The application of physics to the study of rocks (geophysics)is very important in petroleum geology. In its broadest application geophysics makes a major contribution to understanding the earths crust and, especially through the application of modern plate tectonic(板塊構(gòu)造)theory, the genesis and petroleum potential of sedimentary basins. More specially, physical concepts are required to understand folds（褶皺）, faults（斷層）, and diapers（底辟）, and hence their roles in petroleum entrapment.

翻譯：If Colonel Drake, Uncle Billy smith , Anthony Lucas , and the untold thousands of other members of the fraternity of drilling pioneers were alive today , they would no doubt be fascinated and amazed by the proliferation of drilling tools and techniques that have been developed since those primitive days in Pennsylvania and Texas . Undoubltly , they would also be impress by the great numbers of drilling rigs at work today-------over two thousand in the USA alone.

翻譯：Meanahile ,steel pipes that would carry the oil were being developed . These were the first oil pipelines which take the advantage of the fact the oil is a liqnid. The ideas of a pipeline were not new , water has been transported through pipes for handreds of year ,The oil pipeline were not accepted without a struggle, hower.

翻譯：The total quantity of petroleum now thought to exist on Earth is about 14 trillion gallons. In weight that is only one-ninth as much as the total existing quantity of coal and ,at the present moment, petroleum is being used up much more quickly. At the present rate of used, the worlds supply of petroleum may last for only thirty years or so.

翻譯：A major oil company usually initiates the sequence of events that leads to the drilling of oil and gas wells in foreign fields, but independent oil operators pay for most of the wells in the United States. In fact, about 80% of all wells drilled in the U.S. today are financed by independents.

翻譯：The first step in planning a well should be the gathering of all available data on past wells. In this respect it is important to be completely familiar with all sources of information, the availability of the sources, and the information normally associated with each source.

翻譯：A portion of the sample is used to determine the gravity of the oil expressed in AIP unit the lighter the oil, the higher the API gravity .In most cases the price paid for the coude is determined in prat by the API gravity, hence ,the importance of careful gravity determination in each instance.