Dawn of Oil Age

China’s modern oil industry emerged from struggle against foreign geological skepticism and market domination. Hampered by technical limits, funding shortages, and the prevailing “marine-origin” theory that labeled China “oil-poor,” early attempts faltered. Meanwhile, foreign powers actively explored Chinese territory while Standard Oil flooded the market with imported kerosene, creating deep dependency. A pivotal turn came during the Sino-Japanese War, driven by wartime necessity. Led by figures like Weng Wenhao, China pivoted decisively toward self-reliance, intensifying domestic exploration in regions like Gansu and Xinjiang. This era fostered the maturation of indigenous petroleum geology, which challenged foreign theories, and saw the establishment of national institutions like the Chinese Petroleum Corporation in 1946. Thus, the pre-1949 period marks the foundational transition from foreign-dominated dependency to the first steps of a sovereign, scientifically grounded oil industry.