Carthaginian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Ottoman, Italian, and Allied military control after the Second World War. There was little organised scientific activity before the annexation of Libya by Italy in 1911, although a number of expeditions, some with scientific interests, passed through Libya in the 19th century. The main objective of these expeditions, mostly organised by the London-based African Association, was to explore the region southwards from Murzuq to Timbuktu, determine the course of the Niger River and assess the commercial potential of the area. The earliest of these expeditions was undertaken by Friedrich Hornemann who travelled with a camel caravan from Egypt into Libya passing through the oases of Siwa and Awjilah, and then across the Haruj al Aswad to Murzuq, and subsequently to Tripoli.

The intention of this book is to provide a detailed synthesis of the available information published on the petroleum geology of the Persian Gulf. Despite the intensive petroleum exploration which has taken place in the Persian Gulf over the past seventy years, relatively little has been published in the petroleum geology literature. One of the main reasons for this is that many of the studies are undertaken either for or by oil companies, who, for competitive reasons, impose restrictions on publication to maintain confidentiality. This information will aid in estimating oil and gas reserves as well as improving field development technology. Much work remains to be done regarding the geology of the Persian Gull. The need for a book on the geology of the Persian Gulf is therefore clear, and it is hoped that it will continue to provide a useful reference manual and resource of ideas for students as well as professionals. <...>

Petroleum geology is not a well-defined academic subject. It includes many different aspects of the Earth sciences which are used in petroleum exploration and production. Nearly all types of insight can in some cases be useful in petroleum exploration, but there are some disciplines that are most relevant. Since petroleum is formed and hosted in sedimentary rocks, sedimentology is critical. Palaeontology is important for dating rocks and carbonate reservoirs may consist mostly of fossils. Structural geology and basin analysis are also vital for reconstructing the migration and trapping of petroleum. Geochemistry and petroleum chemistry are also important. <...>

For several years while teaching iri academia or in the industry we have recognized a need for a comprehensive and relatively advanced textbook iri petroleum production engineering. Currently available texts and monographs failed to provide sufficient scope and depth to be suitable for engineering education. We wanted to develop a petroleum engineering textbook at the level of analogous publications in other engineering disciplines, intended to offer terminal exposure to senior undergraduates or an introduction to graduate students.