Abstract:

Petroleum is a sensitive factor which affects the international economy and politics but is also affected by them,and the world petroleum production is the comprehensive reflection of mutual relationship and sensitive factor.The processes of world petroleum production in the twentieth century can be classified into following two stages and five periods:1.Before 1980,the producton of world petroleum increased at higher speed on the whole.According to the increasing speed,two periods can be roughly divided:(a)Before 1970,with the exception of the period of Second World War,the production of world petroleum had been doubled every ten years.(b)In 1970～1979,the increasing production set a new record in 1979 although the speed of increasing declined.2.Since 1980,three different periods with unique characteristics can be identified according to two major risings and fallings of the world petroleum production.(a)During 1980～1989,the petroleum production,with "V-shape"and great increasing,changed frequently.(b)Between 1990 and 1995,the petroleum production,with"u-shape",increased at the lower speed.(c)In 1996～1998,petroleum production increased at the higher speed and hit an all time high.The world petroleum production is closely related to the two petroleum crises,lran lrag war and gulf crisis,the disintegration of former USSR,and the rise and fall of petroleum price,and also related to the global economy,political struggle,supply and demand of petroleum,the war and political situation among the major countries of petroleum production.

Key words: world, petroleum production, petroleum price, economy, politics, petroleum crises, petroleum history