In the modern age, the location of oil fields with proven oil reserves is a key underlying factor in many geopolitical conflicts.[1]
The term "oilfield" is also used as a shorthand to refer to the entire petroleum industry. However, it is more accurate to divide the oil industry into three sectors: upstream (crude production from wells and separation of water from oil), midstream (pipeline and tanker transport of crude) and downstream (refining and marketing of refined products From