How do you mine for petroleum?

Answer 1

Simply speaking, you just drill a hole to the ground thus creating a channel for the petroleum to flow out. Just the way you create a water well. But of course, oil well is much more elaborated than a common water well. One way to better understand is to imagine the earth as layers of soil. Different type of soils (or rocks) have different properties. Some of the properties relate to its ability to reserve hydrocarbons. Sandstone, limestone, and dolomite are known as a good reservoir.

Answer 2

Petroleum is typically extracted from the Earth's surface by drilling wells into underground reservoirs where the oil is stored. Once a well is drilled and reaches the reservoir, the oil is forced up to the surface through a combination of pressure within the reservoir and sometimes artificial lift methods. The extracted oil is then processed to separate it into its various components like gasoline, diesel, and other products.