Why is the Petroleum Industry Important?
The petroleum or crude oil industry is very important to our everyday activities. It makes up 90% of vehicular fuel and is responsible for 40% of total energy used in the United States (Wikipedia, 2005). The petroleum industry provides the world’s most important commodity and makes the world operate. It provides energy necessary for the transportation of people and goods all around the world. The petroleum industry in the state of Kansas is well off. It is the 8th ranked state for crude oil production with about 2.8 million barrels of crude oil a month in 2004 (Wikipedia, 2005). The number one oil producer in the state of Kansas during 2004 was Berexco, Inc. (KGS, 2004). Figure 1. Oil well located near Great Bend, KS. Image taken from: Photos around Great Bend Return to Top Minerals Used in the Petroleum Industry Halite (Salt) Halite, shown in Figure 2, is also known as salt. It is used in drilling fluids and is refined out of crude. Salt is used in drilling fluids and is called Saltwa
