Petroleum (Production) Act 1918 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to make provision with respect to the searching and boring for and getting Petroleum, and for purposes connected therewith. |
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| Citation | 8 & 9 Geo. 5. c. 52 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 21 November 1918 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 |
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Status: Repealed
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The Petroleum (Production) Act 1918 was an important law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created to control how people looked for and took out petroleum (which is also known as oil) from deep underground. This law helped the government manage Britain's oil resources.
Contents
Why Was This Act Needed?
In the early 1900s, Britain got most of its oil from places like the Middle East and America. When World War I started, it became harder to get oil from these faraway places. At the same time, the war greatly increased the need for oil. It was used for ships, planes, and vehicles.
The British government wanted to find its own oil sources within the UK. However, they wanted to avoid uncontrolled drilling, often called 'wildcat' drilling. This kind of drilling happened a lot in the USA. It meant anyone could drill anywhere, which could be messy and wasteful. So, a new law was needed to control the oil industry. This law made sure that only the government, or people licensed by the government, could search for or produce oil.
What Did the Petroleum Act of 1918 Do?
The Petroleum (Production) Act 1918 became law on 21 November 1918. Its full name was 'An Act to make provision with respect to the searching and boring for and getting Petroleum, and for purposes connected therewith'. This means it was a law about finding, drilling for, and getting oil, and other things related to that.
Main Rules of the Act
The Act had seven main sections, each with specific rules:
- Section 1 said that only the government (the Crown) or people with their permission could look for or get oil.
- Section 2 gave special powers to the Minister of Munitions. This minister was in charge of making weapons and supplies during the war.
- Section 3 allowed officials to check plans of mines. This was to make sure oil exploration was done safely and properly.
- Section 4 required records to be kept of all the oil found. This helped the government track how much oil was being produced.
- Section 5 explained what certain words in the Act meant, like "petroleum."
- Section 6 included some special exceptions or 'savings' to the rules.
- Section 7 gave the Act its short name, the "Petroleum (Production) Act 1918."
What Happened After the Act?
After the 1918 Act was passed, not many oil exploration licenses were given out. Between 1918 and 1934, only seven licenses were issued. By 1934, only three of these were still active.
The 1918 Act was later replaced by a new law called the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934. The 1934 Act went even further. It stated that all oil and natural gas found in Great Britain belonged to the Crown (the government).
See also
- Petroleum Act
