A multi-disciplinary study of petroleum and its role in global carbon cycles: its chemical composition, distribution (rock types, sedimentology and heterogeneity of reservoir rocks, subsurface conditions, overpressures), theories of petroleum generation, migration, trapping and accumulation.  Aspects of the petroleum industry are reviewed, including exploration and development of conventional and unconventional resources (including oil sands and shale gas); development economics; Canadian and global petroleum resources and declining reserves.  The environmental impact of the petroleum industry (groundwater, surface, and atmospheric pollution, and global warming), mitigation (carbon capture and storage/conversion), and alternative energy options are discussed.