World Energy Timeline
Based on The Quest:
by Daniel Yergin
This timeline of the history of world energy is based on The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, published in a new edition by Penguin in autumn 2012. The book depicts how our energy world has developed, how it works today, and the opportunities and challenges for the future. The book is organized in six sections: The New World of Oil, Securing the Supply, The Electric Age, Carbon and Climate, New Energies, and Road to the Future. This timeline integrates the narrative and brings together major milestones documented in each section.
12th Century
-Clergyman known as Herbert builds windmill in England, declaring “The free benefit of the wind ought not to be denied to any man.”
1712
-Thomas Newcomen invents first mechanical steam engine
1769
-Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot invents first self-propelled vehicle
1770s
-Horace Bénédict de Saussure conducts “hot box” experiment in Swiss Alps , establishing existence of the “atmosphere”
1775
-James Watt patents improvements on steam engine, initiating “Age of Steam”
1804
-World population hits 1 billion
1824
-Sadi Carnot publishes paper “Reflections on the Mottive Power of Fire,” explains steam engine
1830
-First commercial coal powered steam locomotive in U.S.
1837
-Swiss scientist Louis Agassiz proposes existence of prehistoric “ice age”
1838
-S.S. Great Western initiates regularly scheduled transatlantic service
1859
-”Colonel” Edwin Drake drills what is generally accepted as first oil well at Titusville, in northwest Pennsylvania
-British scientist John Tyndall publically demonstrates greenhouse effect at Royal Institution, London
1861-65
-American Civil War
1867
-Nikolaus Otto’s engine wins gold medal at Paris Exposition
1870
-John D. Rockefeller forms Standard Oil Company
1872
-Butter and Cheese Exchange founded in New York, prefiguring futures market
1873
-Baku oil—in present day Azerbaijan—opened to development, and Nobel family enters Russian oil business
1876
-Modern internal combustion engine introduced as “Otto cycle”
1881
-Joseph Swan’s incandescent light bulbs illuminate the Savoy theater in London
-Lord Kelvin predicts exhaustion of coal resources—“so little of it is left”—and calls for its replacement by wind power
1882
-Thomas Edison “throws the switch,” lighting up part of Lower Manhattan, demonstrating commercial electric generation
-Standard Oil Trust formed
1887
-H.L. Williams pioneers off-shore drilling at Summerland near Santa Barbara California
1892
-Butter and Cheese Exchange renamed New York Mercantile Exchange
-Samuel Insull, Edison’s secretary, becomes president of Chicago Edison
1893
-Chicago World’s Fair showcases electricity
1896
-Henry Ford builds his first car; Thomas Edison advises Ford to continue pursuit of “hydrocarbon” fuel vehicle
1901
-Huge oil discovery in Spindletop, Texas
1902
-Willis Carrier comes up with idea of air conditioning, standing on a railway platform in Pittsburgh
1903
-Wright Brother’s first flight
1904-05
-Japan defeats Russia
1905
-Albert Einstein writes five papers while working in Swiss patent office, including one on “photovoltaic effect” or solar energy
1906
-President Theodore Roosevelt eliminates alcohol tax, making ethanol viable fuel choice
1908
-Ford releases Model T car
-Discovery of oil in Persia leads to formation of Anglo-Persian (later BP)
1911
-The U.S. Supreme Court orders breakup of the Standard Oil Trust
-First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill calls for converting British fleet from coal to oil power
-Willis Carrier produces “Magna Carta” of air conditioning industry
1912
-Discovery of Cushing, Oklahoma, oil field
1914-18
-World War I and mechanization of battlefield
1917
-Bolshevik Revolution topples Czarist Russian Empire
1919
-18th Amendment to U.S. Constitution is adopted, banning alcohol sales—including ethanol as auto fuel
1920s
-95% of homes in Chicago wired for electricity
1922
- Jacobs brothers produce windmills based on airplane propellers for generating electricity on farms and ranches
-Barroso well blow-out signals start of Venezuela’s oil age
1925
-Professor Karl Clark makes breakthrough on Canadian oil sands
1927
-World population hits 2 billion
1929
-Stock market collapse heralds Great Depression
1930
- Federal Power Commission (FPC) founded
1931
-Oil prices collapse to 10 cents a barrel
1932
-Samuel Insull’s electric power empire collapses in U.S.
-Franklin Roosevelt elected President of United States
1933
-FDR launches New Deal
-21st Amendment repeals Prohibition, allowing ethanol back into gasoline stations
1938
-Discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
-Guy Callendar delivers paper linking carbon dioxide and climate change to general disbelief at the Royal Meteorological Society in London
1939
-World War II begins with German invasion of Poland
1941
-Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
1944
-Criticality of weather prediction demonstrated by uncertainty about timing of D-Day invasion of Normandy
1945
-World War II ends with defeat of Germany and Japan
1946
-First commercial “frac” job at Hugoton gas field, Kansas
-Admiral Hyman Rickover tapped to head U.S. nuclear submarine program
1947
-First off-shore “out of sight” oil well in Gulf of Mexico
1948
-John Von Neumann’s computer at Princeton goes into use in Numerical Meteorology Project to help predict weather
-Arie Haagen-Smit discovers that source of smog in South California is incomplete combustion of gasoline in car engines, not backyard incinerators
1949
-Communist victory in Chinese civil war
1950-53
- Korean War
1952
-”Killer Fog” hits London, killing thousands
1954
-Actor Ronald Reagan tapped as face of GE’s “Live Better Electrically” campaign
- USS Nautilus, first nuclear submarine, commissioned
-First tiny nuclear reactor for electric power opened in Obninsk in Soviet Union
-Soviet Union tests first hydrogen bomb
-Bell Labs scientist unveil first silicon solar cell; New York Times declares, “Vast Power of the Sun Is Tapped by Battery Using Sand Ingredient”
1956
-M. King Hubbert presents his theory of “peak oil”
1957
-First U. S. nuclear plant, at Shippingport, Pennsylvania, goes into operation
-Roger Revelle and Hans Suess publish article on “Question of an Increase in Atmospheric CO2 During the Past Decades,” landmark in climate analysis
-First shipment of LNG, dispatched from Louisiana, arrives in Britain aboard Methane Pioneer
-Toyota’s first import, the Toyopet, introduced to U.S. markets
- Soviet Union successfully launches Sputnik, first artificial earth satellite, initiating space race
1957-58
-International Geophysical Year (IGY) engages cross- disciplinary network of several thousand scientists from more than 70 countries
1958
-In response to Sputnik, U.S. launches Vanguard satellite, with solar cells aboard
-Charles David Keeling, with IGY funding, begins measuring atmospheric levels of CO2 at Mauna Loa, Hawaii
-Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs launched in United States
1959
-Discovery of giant Daqing oil field – “Great Celebration” – in northeast China, initiating modern Chinese oil industry
-Atmospheric CO2 hit 316 parts per million
-World population hits 3 billion
-Giant Groningen natural gas field found in Netherlands
1960
-OPEC founded in Baghdad
-First U.S. weather satellite launched
1965
-Samotlar, world’s second largest oil field, discovered in West Siberia, Soviet Union
1967
-Syukuro Manabe and Richard Wetherald hypothesize that doubling of carbon dioxide would increase global temperatures three or four degrees
-California Governor Ronald Reagan creates California Air Resources Board (CARB), appoints Arie Haagen-Smit chairman
-Six Day War between Israel and Arab neighbors; attempted Arab oil embargo fails owing to global oversupply
-Great Canadian Oil Sands project launched
1968
-Richard Nixon elected President of United States
-Oil discovered on Alaskan North Slope
1969
- U.S. puts first man on moon
-First oil struck in North Sea
-Oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara
1970
-Atmospheric CO2 hit 325 parts per million
-First Earth Day organized by Denis Hayes
-Nixon creates Environmental Protection Agency
1971
-Tehran and Tripoli agreements begin era of oil price hikes
1972
-Club of Rome study The Limits of Growth on “the predicament of mankind” predicts age of permanent shortages
1973
-Solarex, founded in Rockville Maryland, produces commercial solar panels
- Yom Kippur or October War between Israel and coalition of Arab states
-Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) embargoes oil shipments in response to United States’ decision to resupply Israel during October War. Oil prices quadruple
-Gas line lines form across U.S.
-Richard Nixon calls for “Energy Independence”
-Japan’s “Sunshine Project” launched to reduce dependence on foreign oil
1974
-France embraces nuclear power generation
-India tests atomic bomb, becomes 6th nuclear power
-International Energy Agency founded
-Nixon resigns
-First ever solar energy bill signed into law by President Gerald Ford
1975
-World population hits 4 billion
-Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE), first U.S. fuel efficiency standards, requires auto companies to double fleet fuel efficiency by 1985
-Researchers contemplate using fungi responsible for “jungle rot” to produce fuel
1976
-Jimmy Carter elected President of United States
-President Carlos Andrés Pérez nationalizes Venezuelan oil industry
1977
-Carter delivers “moral equivalent of war” speech on energy and establishes Department of Energy
-Federal Power Commission rechristened Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
1978
-Natural gas use in new electric generation banned in United States.
-Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) passed by U.S. Congress, promoting renewable development
1979
-Shah of Iran overthrown; second oil crisis hits amid Iranian revolution; Ayotollah Ruhollah Khomeini becomes Supreme Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran
-3,000 tractors encircle U.S.Capitol ; “tractorcade” calls for national commitment to ethanol – Deng Xiaoping begins Chinese economic reforms, partly financed by Chinese oil exports
-Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident ends new nuclear power development in US
-JASON study declares “incontrovertible evidence that the atmosphere is indeed changing and that we ourselves contribute to that change”
-Cater installs solar water-heater on the roof of White House
1980-88
-Iran–Iraq War
1980
-Renewables account for about 8 percent of total U.S. energy supply
-Saudi Government acquires 100 percent participation interest in Aramco
-Ronald Reagan elected President of United States
-10,000 American gas stations selling gasohol
1981
- Council on Environmental Quality Report climate change report released
1982
-Refiners start phasing out lead from gasoline
-George P. Mitchell starts developing hydraulic fracturing technology for shale gas
-NYMEX starts trading on oil futures
1983
- British Antarctic Survey discovers “hole in the ozone”
1985
-China’s petroleum exports reach 400,000 barrels per day
-Fire at Tengiz oil field in Soviet Kazakhstan blazes for 2 months
-96 percent of U.S. wind investment in California
1986
-Oil prices collapse owing to declining demand, efficiency gains, switching to coal, and growth in “non-OPEC” supplies
-Major nuclear accident at Chernobyl in Soviet Ukraine
-Carter’s solar water heater springs leak during Reagan administration, removed from White House roof
1987
-Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
-World population hits 5 Billion
-”Acid rain” becomes international issue
1988
-First Chinese wind farm connected to grid
-Senator Tim Wirth convenes highly publicized hearing on climate change during “Hot Summer of 1988”—scientist James Hansen as star witness
-Margaret Thatcher delivers first speech by leader of major nation on global warming, at Fishmonger’s Hall
-George H. W. Bush elected President of United States
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established under United Nations auspices
-Soviet oil production reaches peak
1989
-Fall of Berlin Wall signifies end of Soviet control over Eastern Europe
-Exxon Valdez tanker accident off Alaska
-Atmospheric CO2 hit 354 parts per million
1990
-Iraq invades Kuwait, setting off “Gulf Crisis”
-IPCC First Assessment Report on climate change
-California Air Resources Board introduces first zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandates
-George H.W. Bush signs Clean Air Amendments into law
-Feed-in Act, last law passed by Weil (then in parliament) jumpstarts renewable—Germany
1991
-Soviet Union collapses, replaced by 15 independent nations
-Gulf War; US-led coalition drives Iraq from Kuwait
-Hugo Chávez arrested after failed coup against President Carlos Andrés Pérez
1992
-Russian President Boris Yeltsin sets privatization of Russian oil industry in Decree 1403—including formation of Lukoil, Yukos, and Surgut
-Brazil’s Petrobras breaks deep sea barrier, placing Marlim platform in 2,562 feet of water
-United Nations Conference on Environment and Development(UNCED)—the Rio Summit—calls for “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere”
-Bill Clinton elected President of United States
1993
-China becomes net importer of petroleum
-Kazakhstan and Chevron sign deal for huge Tengiz oil field
-U.S. Congress approves North America Free Trade Agreement
1994
- “Deal of the Century” signed in Baku for international companies to invest in Azerbaijan’s Caspian off-shore
-Toyota engineers introduce idea of “hybrid” drive train
1995
-Marrakech Agreement establishes World Trade Organization
-Crown Prince Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar overthrows his father, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad, telling him not to return from vacation
-IPCC Second Assessment Report
-As part of “Loans for Shares” Mikhail Khodorkovsky wins control of Russian oil major Yukos
1996
-GM releases ill-fated EV 1 electric vehicle
1997
-Asian financial crisis begins with collapse of Thai Bhat
-OPEC leaders agree at Jakarta meeting to increase oil output as demand falls owing to crisis—giving rise to term “Jakarta Syndrome”
-Qatar’s first shipment if LNG reaches Japan
-Signing of Kyoto Protocol linked to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
-International companies sign deal with Kazakh government leading to discovery of Kashogan field in North Caspian Sea
1998
-Oil collapses to $10/barrel range
-BP and Amoco merge, opening era of “supermajor”
-Mitchell Energy makes breakthrough in hydraulic fracturing technology with innovation of light sand hydraulic fracturing
-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system introduced to promote “green” buildings
-“The pipeline that never was,” originating in Turkmenistan and going through Afghanistan and Pakistan, is called off after terrorist attacks in East Africa
-Exxon and Mobil announce merger
-Hugo Chávez elected president of Venezuela
1999
-Euro introduced, replacing national currencies in EU
-World population hits 6 Billion
-Total and Elf merge
-Vladimir Putin becomes Russian prime minister
-“Early oil” pipelines operating out of Azerbaijan
2000
-Toyota Prius hybrid goes on sale in U.S.
-Vladimir Putin becomes president of Russia
-George W. Bush elected President of United States
2000-01
-Rolling brown outs during California electric power crisis
2001
-First oil from Tengiz field passes through Caspian Pipeline
-Term “BRICs” (Brazil, Russia, India, China) coined, signifying growing weight of emerging market nations and rise of commodity prices
-9/11—Al Qaeda attacks World Trade Center and Pentagon
-In response to 9/11, U.S. troops invade Afghanistan, Al Qaeda sanctuary, and topple Taliban rulers
-IPCC Third Assessment Report
-Chevron and Texaco merge
-Conoco and Phillips announce merger
-WTO launches Doha Development Round with goal of lowering trade barriers
-Enron files for bankruptcy
2002
-GE acquires Enron’s wind energy assets out of bankruptcy
-Devon Energy merges with Mitchell Energy – also merging technologies of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling
-Strikes and political conflict disrupt Venezuelan oil output
-Canada’s oil reserves upgraded to world’s largest in world due to technological advances in oil sands production
2003
-“The Boys”—violent gangs—attack production sites in Nigerian Delta
-U.S., Britain and other allies invade Iraq, topple Saddam Hussein
-More than 50 million people in northeastern United States and
Canada blacked out after branch falls on Ohio power line
-Russian oil major TNK merges with BP, splitting ownership of newly formed TNK-BP 50/50
-Demand shock from emerging market economic growth hits world oil market, initiating price increase
2004
-U.S. effectively mandates ethanol in gasoline by banning MTBE
2005
-Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Gulf states, killing thousands and disrupting oil and natural gas production, refining, transportation and electric power throughout region
-US hits “peak demand” for oil
-Carbon trading begins in European Union
2006
-President Bush calls for end to “addiction to oil” in State of the Union speech
- Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) steps up attacks in Nigeria
-Tullow drills Uganda’s first oil well
-Petrobras makes first pre-salt discovery off-shore of Brazil
-First UN sanctions aimed at Iranian nuclear program
2007
-George W. Bush signs new auto fuel efficiency standards
-Qatar leapfrogs over Indonesia and Malaysia to become world’s leading supplier of LNG
-IPCC Fourth Assessment Report
-US Supreme Court rules that CO2 is pollutant that “endangers public health and welfare”
-Recession begins in the United States, leading to global downturn
2008
-Vladimir Putin becomes Prime Minister of Russia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev becomes president
-Oil hits $147.27/barrel
-Lehman Brothers investment bank fails, creating global financial panic as downturn spreads
-First bailout for U.S. automotive industry
-Barack Obama elected president of United States
-Oil falls to $32/barrel
2009
-Obama Administration does second bailout of U.S. automotive industry
- Waxman-Markey bill, aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 83 percent by 2050, passes House but dies in U.S. Senate
-Iraq oil industry reaches pre-war output levels
-ARPA-E goes into operation in US Department of Energy to promote advanced energy research and development
-New car sales in China eclipse U.S. numbers
2010
- Deep Water Horizon drill explodes as result of blowout on the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to the largest accidental marine oil spill in history
-Tesla Motors—using lithium-ion batteries for its electric Roadster—does initial public offering on the NASDAQ
- Stuxnet virus causes Iranian uranium centrifuges to spin out of control
-Nissan’s all electric Leaf goes to market
2011
-Japanese tsunami and meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant create regional disaster, leads to retreat from nuclear power in Japan
-German government announces phase-out of nuclear power by 2022
-“Arab Spring” uprisings throughout Middle East and North Africa; Egypt’s Mubarek and Libya’s Ghaddaffi toppled
-China overtakes United States as top energy consumer
-Congress allows tax credits on ethanol to expire
-Renewables account for about 9 percent of total U.S. energy supply
-First Boeing 787 Dreamliner—more fuel-efficient airplane—is delivered
2012
-New oil sanctions on Iran imposed in effort halt its nuclear weapons program; Israel warns Iran approaching “zone of immunity” in its nuclear fuel program
-Rosneft and ExxonMobil sign deal to partner on Arctic exploration
-World population hits 7 Billion
- North Dakota overtakes Alaska as second largest oil-producing state in the U.S., , signifying rapid growth of “tight oil” production ; U.S. oil production 25 percent higher than 2008
-Shale gas reaches about 40 percent of total U.S. gas production
-Massive electric blackout in northern India leaves more than 600 million without electricity
-Wind provides 4 percent of US electric generation
-Euro crisis throws Europe into recession
-Canada provides 28 percent of US oil imports
-“Energy Independence” becomes subject of serious discussion in United States
-Rosneft to acquire TNK-BP, becoming the largest publicly-traded oil company in the world
-Super Storm Sandy knocks out electric power and fuel supplies in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut