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Which 19th-century scientists proposed hypotheses for the inorganic origin of petroleum?

Moonshot's Answer

In the 19th century, several scientists proposed hypotheses for the inorganic origin of petroleum. Key figures include:

  1. Dmitri Mendeleev (1834-1907), who is known for formulating the periodic law and creating the periodic table. Mendeleev proposed the abiogenic hypothesis in 1877, suggesting that petroleum originates from deep within the Earth, independent of biological processes.

  2. Marcellin Berthelot (1827-1907), a French chemist who also supported the abiogenic theory of petroleum formation. Berthelot's work was influential in the development of the inorganic origin hypothesis.

  3. Eugene Coste, who was a zealous advocate for the inorganic origin of petroleum in America. He collected substantial evidence to support this theory.

  4. Louis Joseph Gay-Lussac (1778-1850) and Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) proposed that oil formed as a result of inorganic processes, such as the action of heat and pressure on minerals.

  5. Vladimir Vernadsky and Nikolai Kudryavtsev also contributed to the development of the abiogenic theory in the Soviet Union during the 20th century, although their work was rooted in 19th-century scientific thought.

These scientists' hypotheses were significant in shaping the understanding of petroleum's origins and continue to be a subject of debate in the scientific community. For more detailed information, you can refer to sources such as the SPE Connect article "Origin and Formation of Petroleum" and the AAPG Bulletin article "Inorganic Origin of Petroleum 1".

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