Why is oil such an important resource in the region ( Middle East) Essay

Why is crude such an important resource in the region ( Middle East) - render ExampleThe first step is to explore an area for the existence of anoint. Once oil has been located, the commercial viability of the well, as it is commonly referred to, has to be ascertained. This depends on the quantity of oil that is available for extraction. Another factor is the quality of oil. Quality is determined by the percentage of sulphur and asphalt found in oil. On the basis of this content, oil is classified into three types. The best quality is known as light crude. This type of oil will be a golden brown in colour it will flow to a greater extent easily and has low sulphur and asphalt content. Heavy crude, on the other hand will be thicker and spicy in colour and its sulphur and asphalt content will be high. The third category, known as medium crude, has characteristics that fall between light and massive crude. So the best quality oil is light crude, followed by medium, with heavy crude having the poorest quality. Crude oil is a mixture of many substances, mainly compounds of degree centigrade and hydrogen, together with varying proportions of sulphur. 1 The awareness of oil and its use has been in vogue even 2000 years ago. Its uses were limited mainly to cooking and lighting since engine room was primitive in those days. Since drilling methods were not in existence at that time, only that oil which naturally came up to the surface due to pressure could be used. Commercial drilling using crude techniques started in the United States about 200 years ago. The pressure of oil was such that the pioneers in this field lots found it difficult to stop the oil gushing out form the wells. But as time passed and modern drilling methods came into to being, exploration has become more efficient and less wasteful.From the beginning of the 20th century, oil was explored and extracted from many regions of the worlds. A majority of the oil companies operating were privately o wned. These companies were able to