THE MODERN PETROLEUM INDUSTRY began during the late 19th century, although small quantities of petroleum were obtained as early as the 14th century. In Pennsylvania, Edwin Drake drilled the first oil well in 1859, striking oil at a depth of 21 m. Drake's oil well was generally accepted as the start of the petroleum industry. Kerosine or lamp oil was the object of the early refining industry. Kerosine or lamp oil was the object of the early refining industry. The simple distillation process was conducted to obtain as much lamp oil as possible from the Pennsylvannia crude oil.