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The fate of Romanian oil between 1857-1948. The Romanian-American Refinery
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Publisher: Editura Universitară
Author: Marius-Daniel Mihu
Edition: I
Pages: 510
Publisher year: 2025
ISBN: 978-606-28-2082-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5682/9786062820824
Product Code:
9786062820824
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Marius Daniel Mihu
Born on 08.08.1969;
Engineer at the Ploiești Petroleum Museum;
Graduated from the “I.L.Caragiale” high school in Ploiești in 1987;
Bachelor (1994), Master “Deposit Engineering”, 1995, Master “Oil and Gas Extraction”, 1996 at the University of Oil and Gas in Ploiești;
PhD in history (2022) at the “Valahia” University in Târgoviște;
Member of the Union of Professional Journalists in Romania (2022).
CRITICAL REFERENCES:
acad. Vasile Tărâţeanu (Cernăuți), acad. Vasile Cimpoi, (Chisinau), prof. Ioan Deaconescu (Craiova), Constantin Barbu (Craiova), Ioan Suciu (Braşov), Nicolae Dumitrescu (Ploieşti), George Călin – Urziceni, "Apollon" Magazine, Răzvan Ducan (Târgu Mureş), Nicolae Băciuț (Târgu Mureş) "Vatra Veche" Magazine.
Born on 08.08.1969;
Engineer at the Ploiești Petroleum Museum;
Graduated from the “I.L.Caragiale” high school in Ploiești in 1987;
Bachelor (1994), Master “Deposit Engineering”, 1995, Master “Oil and Gas Extraction”, 1996 at the University of Oil and Gas in Ploiești;
PhD in history (2022) at the “Valahia” University in Târgoviște;
Member of the Union of Professional Journalists in Romania (2022).
CRITICAL REFERENCES:
acad. Vasile Tărâţeanu (Cernăuți), acad. Vasile Cimpoi, (Chisinau), prof. Ioan Deaconescu (Craiova), Constantin Barbu (Craiova), Ioan Suciu (Braşov), Nicolae Dumitrescu (Ploieşti), George Călin – Urziceni, "Apollon" Magazine, Răzvan Ducan (Târgu Mureş), Nicolae Băciuț (Târgu Mureş) "Vatra Veche" Magazine.
A book of great interest:
The Destiny of Romanian Oil (1857 – 1948)
The Destiny of Romanian Oil (1857 – 1948)
Among the major concerns of Prahova museography in the second half of the 20th century, research into historical sources regarding oil has been a permanent feature. The establishment of the Republican Museum of Oil (1957) stimulated the identification of testimonies – archaeological, artistic, technical – gradually constituting a museum treasure trove on this natural resource.
Research undertaken by Victor Teodorescu, Ion Ștefănescu and academics from the Institute of Oil and Gas revealed the importance of oil for the history of Romania.
In the context of a state policy that positioned oil as a strategic development resource, cultural memory institutions put into public circulation scientific works (syntheses, monographs, collections of documents, studies) and exhibitions of great value. A welcome historical synthesis was the work of the historian from Iași, Gheorghe Buzatu, "A History of Romanian Oil" (1998), to which the present book is now added, from a multi-perspective perspective. We evaluate it both from the perspective of the author's basic profession (petroleum engineer) and from his position as a museographer at the institution in question, which enabled him to bring multiple arguments: documentary - archival and objectual - museographic (artifacts, technical pieces, installations) that directly accompany and complete the statements.
The work was completed, as a doctoral thesis, in an interesting form: a clear introduction to the intended purpose, 4 main chapters, final conclusions, bibliography, glossary of specific terms, appendices (with 87 images), interview with William Fili (2014).
The author chose as a means of emphasizing some elements, considered important, to title each chapter (with subsequences that define the subject) special titles. This formula, sometimes polemical, 'literary', provides added weight to his considerations and provides them with an alert rhythm, and, overall, gives the impression of a script. In any case, they do not bring critical observations to the text. The chosen style aims at the reader's attention, an aspect that should not be neglected, especially since the statements are supported by bibliography and documents.
The work is within the limits of 520 pages, of which 468 belong to its body, and to these are added the annexes. We note that the integration of the illustration into the text (238 photographs, 33 graphs and 14 tables) is welcome, consolidating it or justifying it. To a large extent, the illustration is original or rare, not appearing in other works.
The author states, justifiedly, that “for a long time, oil and gas have occupied the first position in the range of fuels” and justifies his approach, bringing to the fore, through various documentary testimonies (from archaeological ones, to the writings of foreign travelers), which do not lack princely acts (the first in 1440). The moments in which oil became a nationalized good are evaluated, together with the incipient industries in the Principalities. The year 1857 is the one that, through the “Lumina” refinery, announced the debut of the oil industry in the Romanian space. A production of 275 t marks this debut, evolving the exploitation of the resource from pit, bath, well to hecna. The parallelism with the American industry is well chosen and will constantly return to support the presentation of the Romanian-American Company and its activity over a long period (1904 – 1948).
The author's conclusions retain the main directions regarding this national energy treasure until the political reconversion after the Second World War. A future treatment of its situation during socialism may be the subject of a new approach, desired to conclude the evaluation.
Marius Daniel Mihu honorably fulfilled the doctoral requirements, which resulted in this book, which constitutes a substantial contribution to the correct knowledge of some historical realities. His passion for the subject guarantees that he will continue to study the stated issue, tending to be considered among the best connoisseurs and interpreters of it. And again now in the attention of humanity, obviously also of interest to Romanians.
Research undertaken by Victor Teodorescu, Ion Ștefănescu and academics from the Institute of Oil and Gas revealed the importance of oil for the history of Romania.
In the context of a state policy that positioned oil as a strategic development resource, cultural memory institutions put into public circulation scientific works (syntheses, monographs, collections of documents, studies) and exhibitions of great value. A welcome historical synthesis was the work of the historian from Iași, Gheorghe Buzatu, "A History of Romanian Oil" (1998), to which the present book is now added, from a multi-perspective perspective. We evaluate it both from the perspective of the author's basic profession (petroleum engineer) and from his position as a museographer at the institution in question, which enabled him to bring multiple arguments: documentary - archival and objectual - museographic (artifacts, technical pieces, installations) that directly accompany and complete the statements.
The work was completed, as a doctoral thesis, in an interesting form: a clear introduction to the intended purpose, 4 main chapters, final conclusions, bibliography, glossary of specific terms, appendices (with 87 images), interview with William Fili (2014).
The author chose as a means of emphasizing some elements, considered important, to title each chapter (with subsequences that define the subject) special titles. This formula, sometimes polemical, 'literary', provides added weight to his considerations and provides them with an alert rhythm, and, overall, gives the impression of a script. In any case, they do not bring critical observations to the text. The chosen style aims at the reader's attention, an aspect that should not be neglected, especially since the statements are supported by bibliography and documents.
The work is within the limits of 520 pages, of which 468 belong to its body, and to these are added the annexes. We note that the integration of the illustration into the text (238 photographs, 33 graphs and 14 tables) is welcome, consolidating it or justifying it. To a large extent, the illustration is original or rare, not appearing in other works.
The author states, justifiedly, that “for a long time, oil and gas have occupied the first position in the range of fuels” and justifies his approach, bringing to the fore, through various documentary testimonies (from archaeological ones, to the writings of foreign travelers), which do not lack princely acts (the first in 1440). The moments in which oil became a nationalized good are evaluated, together with the incipient industries in the Principalities. The year 1857 is the one that, through the “Lumina” refinery, announced the debut of the oil industry in the Romanian space. A production of 275 t marks this debut, evolving the exploitation of the resource from pit, bath, well to hecna. The parallelism with the American industry is well chosen and will constantly return to support the presentation of the Romanian-American Company and its activity over a long period (1904 – 1948).
The author's conclusions retain the main directions regarding this national energy treasure until the political reconversion after the Second World War. A future treatment of its situation during socialism may be the subject of a new approach, desired to conclude the evaluation.
Marius Daniel Mihu honorably fulfilled the doctoral requirements, which resulted in this book, which constitutes a substantial contribution to the correct knowledge of some historical realities. His passion for the subject guarantees that he will continue to study the stated issue, tending to be considered among the best connoisseurs and interpreters of it. And again now in the attention of humanity, obviously also of interest to Romanians.
Prof. univ. dr. Ioan Opriș
Foreword /5
Introduction /11
Chapter 1: A History of Oil Until 1904/17
1.1. What is Oil? /17
1.2. Brief History /19
1.2.1. From Antiquity to the Romanian Space /19
1.2.2. Foreign Travelers through Wallachia and Moldavia; Testimonies about Oil /22
1.2.3. 15th and 16th Centuries /24
1.2.4. 17th and 18th Centuries /25
1.3. The Beginnings of the Oil Industry, 19th Century /29
1.3.1. World Records /29
1.3.2. Why Us? Why Then? /30
1.3.3. The First Refinery in the World, Since 1857, in Ploieşti /33
1.3.4. The first city in the world to be lit with oil gas was Bucharest, also in 1857/37
1.3.5. Romania was the first country in the world with an officially recorded oil production in international statistics/41
1.4. How oil was extracted before the advent of wells/42
1.4.1. Oil pits/42
1.4.2. Baths/43
1.4.3. Washrooms/43
1.4.4. Wells/44
1.4.5. Horse-drawn hecna/46
1.5. World news/50
1.6. Development, for two main reasons/56
1.7. An increasingly stable Romanian state legislation/58
1.8. Other refineries established/61
1.9. Evolution of the Romanian oil industry/63
1.10. Geology /67
1.11. Transport /71
1.12. At least two new world premieres in the Romanian oil industry/75
1.13. Domestic consumption of products /82
1.14. The Universal Exhibition of 1900 and the First International Congress of Petroleum Engineers /88
1.15. Oil transportation, 1882 – 1907/91
1.16. The “Standard Oil” Company in Romania; the first steps/99
1.17. Conclusions/105
Chapter 2: The “Romanian – American” Refinery/112
2.1. Introduction/112
2.2. Registration at the Ilfov Court; Foundation of the “Romanian – American” Company/113
2.3. A new era in the Romanian oil industry/119
2.4. The Second Petroleum Congress, in Liege /121
2.5. The “Romanian – American” Company, between performance and disappointment/122
2.6. The Third International Petroleum Congress, in Bucharest/127
2.7. Distribution of petroleum products/129
2.8. Total number of refineries in Romania /135
2.9. Outstanding Romanian inventions/139
2.9.1. Dr. Lazar Edeleanu: A new method of refining oil/139
2.9.2. Virgiliu Tacit Valeriu Puşcariu: Eruption Preventer/142
2.10. Mobilization and Oil/148
2.11. Modernization, also based on oil/150
2.12. Romania, the most profitable oil industry in the world/157
2.13. The beginning of the First World War/159
2.14. Interests sheet/164
2.14.1. The winners/166
2.14.2. The losers/176
2.14.3. Conclusion, by total investors /179
2.15. The Paris Peace Treaty ‒ Year 1919 /181
2.16. The Hungarian Campaign and Oil /186
2.17. The Western and North-Western Border Debated at Trianon/188
2.18. Conclusions/192
Chapter 3 – The Interwar Period /202
3.1. At Work/202
3.2. The Great Pipeline of the Great Country/204
3.3. German Occupation/208
3.4. The “Romanian-American” Society between 1917 and 1938 /214
3.4.1. Evolution of Capital, Drilling, Wells and Oil Refining/215
3.4.2. Installations and Trades/223
3.5. Export /226
3.6. Determinants in the Development of the Romanian Oil Industry/234
3.6.1. Cars /234
3.6.2. Road Construction/238
3.6.3. Aviation/239
3.7. A New Strike of Oil Workers /240
3.8. New inventions and discoveries /243
3.8.1. An analysis according to the “Scientific Chronicle” /249
3.9. The 4th International Petroleum Congress /254
3.10. A retro “radiography” of the post-war Romanian oil industry /256
3.11. The Mining Law of 1924 /267
3.12. The effects of progress at the “Romanian-American” Refinery /276
3.13. A “monster fire” at the “Romanian-American” Society /280
3.14. The presence of oil in art /286
3.15. Economy in times of crisis /288
3.16. Export Facilities at the Romanian-American Society/307
3.17. The Little Oil Agreement and the Balkan Agreement/310
3.18. Conclusions/312
Chapter 4. Towards Nationalization/325
4.1. Another Determinant Factor /325
4.2. The “Romanian-American” Society, Development between 1939 and 1947/326
4.3. The Mining Law of 1937/329
4.4. Taxes on Motor Vehicles and Pipelines /331
4.5. Romania’s Exports in 1939/333
4.6. Towards the War of Aggression /339
4.6.1. Synthetically Obtained Fuel/340
4.7. Hitler’s First Peaceful Campaign /350
4.8. Hitler, Analyzed According to His Book, Mein Kampf /356
4.9. A True Story About Romanian Oil /359
4.10. The Borders of Greater Romania Mutilated in the East, West, Southeast /363
4.10.1. A Dictate through Ultimatum, and vice versa /364
4.10.2. Ultimatum /364
4.10.3. Dictate /366
4.10.4. Claims of another fascist state, Bulgaria/367
4.11. List of aggressors and allies with Romanian oil business/371
4.11.1. Hungary /371
4.11.2. Bulgaria/371
4.11.3. Soviet Union/372
4.11.4. Germany /373
4.11.5. Italy /376
4.11.6. England /377
4.11.7. France /379
4.12. In the new world order /381
4.13. The country, also shaken by an earthquake/383
4.14. "Romanianization", by law, at the "Romanian - American" Society /385
4.15. Romania during World War II /393
4.16. The "Romanian - American" Society, during the war years /395
4.17. Legislation during wartime, 1942 - 1943 /403
4.18. The bombing of Romania /405
4.19. Oil, after the war /414
4.20. The "Romanian - American" Society after the war /416
4.21. Romania's first post-war economic agreement /419
4.22. Monetary reform /425
4.23. Nationalization /429
4.34. Conclusions /431
Final conclusions /444
Glossary 465
Abbreviations /467
Bibliography (alphabetical) /468
Appendices /479
Introduction /11
Chapter 1: A History of Oil Until 1904/17
1.1. What is Oil? /17
1.2. Brief History /19
1.2.1. From Antiquity to the Romanian Space /19
1.2.2. Foreign Travelers through Wallachia and Moldavia; Testimonies about Oil /22
1.2.3. 15th and 16th Centuries /24
1.2.4. 17th and 18th Centuries /25
1.3. The Beginnings of the Oil Industry, 19th Century /29
1.3.1. World Records /29
1.3.2. Why Us? Why Then? /30
1.3.3. The First Refinery in the World, Since 1857, in Ploieşti /33
1.3.4. The first city in the world to be lit with oil gas was Bucharest, also in 1857/37
1.3.5. Romania was the first country in the world with an officially recorded oil production in international statistics/41
1.4. How oil was extracted before the advent of wells/42
1.4.1. Oil pits/42
1.4.2. Baths/43
1.4.3. Washrooms/43
1.4.4. Wells/44
1.4.5. Horse-drawn hecna/46
1.5. World news/50
1.6. Development, for two main reasons/56
1.7. An increasingly stable Romanian state legislation/58
1.8. Other refineries established/61
1.9. Evolution of the Romanian oil industry/63
1.10. Geology /67
1.11. Transport /71
1.12. At least two new world premieres in the Romanian oil industry/75
1.13. Domestic consumption of products /82
1.14. The Universal Exhibition of 1900 and the First International Congress of Petroleum Engineers /88
1.15. Oil transportation, 1882 – 1907/91
1.16. The “Standard Oil” Company in Romania; the first steps/99
1.17. Conclusions/105
Chapter 2: The “Romanian – American” Refinery/112
2.1. Introduction/112
2.2. Registration at the Ilfov Court; Foundation of the “Romanian – American” Company/113
2.3. A new era in the Romanian oil industry/119
2.4. The Second Petroleum Congress, in Liege /121
2.5. The “Romanian – American” Company, between performance and disappointment/122
2.6. The Third International Petroleum Congress, in Bucharest/127
2.7. Distribution of petroleum products/129
2.8. Total number of refineries in Romania /135
2.9. Outstanding Romanian inventions/139
2.9.1. Dr. Lazar Edeleanu: A new method of refining oil/139
2.9.2. Virgiliu Tacit Valeriu Puşcariu: Eruption Preventer/142
2.10. Mobilization and Oil/148
2.11. Modernization, also based on oil/150
2.12. Romania, the most profitable oil industry in the world/157
2.13. The beginning of the First World War/159
2.14. Interests sheet/164
2.14.1. The winners/166
2.14.2. The losers/176
2.14.3. Conclusion, by total investors /179
2.15. The Paris Peace Treaty ‒ Year 1919 /181
2.16. The Hungarian Campaign and Oil /186
2.17. The Western and North-Western Border Debated at Trianon/188
2.18. Conclusions/192
Chapter 3 – The Interwar Period /202
3.1. At Work/202
3.2. The Great Pipeline of the Great Country/204
3.3. German Occupation/208
3.4. The “Romanian-American” Society between 1917 and 1938 /214
3.4.1. Evolution of Capital, Drilling, Wells and Oil Refining/215
3.4.2. Installations and Trades/223
3.5. Export /226
3.6. Determinants in the Development of the Romanian Oil Industry/234
3.6.1. Cars /234
3.6.2. Road Construction/238
3.6.3. Aviation/239
3.7. A New Strike of Oil Workers /240
3.8. New inventions and discoveries /243
3.8.1. An analysis according to the “Scientific Chronicle” /249
3.9. The 4th International Petroleum Congress /254
3.10. A retro “radiography” of the post-war Romanian oil industry /256
3.11. The Mining Law of 1924 /267
3.12. The effects of progress at the “Romanian-American” Refinery /276
3.13. A “monster fire” at the “Romanian-American” Society /280
3.14. The presence of oil in art /286
3.15. Economy in times of crisis /288
3.16. Export Facilities at the Romanian-American Society/307
3.17. The Little Oil Agreement and the Balkan Agreement/310
3.18. Conclusions/312
Chapter 4. Towards Nationalization/325
4.1. Another Determinant Factor /325
4.2. The “Romanian-American” Society, Development between 1939 and 1947/326
4.3. The Mining Law of 1937/329
4.4. Taxes on Motor Vehicles and Pipelines /331
4.5. Romania’s Exports in 1939/333
4.6. Towards the War of Aggression /339
4.6.1. Synthetically Obtained Fuel/340
4.7. Hitler’s First Peaceful Campaign /350
4.8. Hitler, Analyzed According to His Book, Mein Kampf /356
4.9. A True Story About Romanian Oil /359
4.10. The Borders of Greater Romania Mutilated in the East, West, Southeast /363
4.10.1. A Dictate through Ultimatum, and vice versa /364
4.10.2. Ultimatum /364
4.10.3. Dictate /366
4.10.4. Claims of another fascist state, Bulgaria/367
4.11. List of aggressors and allies with Romanian oil business/371
4.11.1. Hungary /371
4.11.2. Bulgaria/371
4.11.3. Soviet Union/372
4.11.4. Germany /373
4.11.5. Italy /376
4.11.6. England /377
4.11.7. France /379
4.12. In the new world order /381
4.13. The country, also shaken by an earthquake/383
4.14. "Romanianization", by law, at the "Romanian - American" Society /385
4.15. Romania during World War II /393
4.16. The "Romanian - American" Society, during the war years /395
4.17. Legislation during wartime, 1942 - 1943 /403
4.18. The bombing of Romania /405
4.19. Oil, after the war /414
4.20. The "Romanian - American" Society after the war /416
4.21. Romania's first post-war economic agreement /419
4.22. Monetary reform /425
4.23. Nationalization /429
4.34. Conclusions /431
Final conclusions /444
Glossary 465
Abbreviations /467
Bibliography (alphabetical) /468
Appendices /479
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