Oil and Naphtha in the Ottoman Empire (Osmanlı’da Neft ve Petrol) is a research work authored by Volkan Ş. Ediger documents the historical processes related to the discovery, licensing, and operation of oil and naphtha resources within the territories of the Ottoman Empire. The first edition was published in 2005 by the METU Development Foundation, with a new printing released in May 2022 by Dergâh Publications as part of its History Series, number 102.
Content and Thematic Structure
The work’s chapters address the historical evolution of naphtha in the Ottoman Empire through a chronological structure. The first section covers the period from antiquity to the pre-Tanzimat era; the second, the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II; the third, the late Constitutional Monarchy; the fourth, the post-Constitutional Monarchy period leading up to World War I; and the fifth, World War I and the Turkish War of Independence. Each section provides information on oil licenses, the reciprocal relationships between foreign companies and the Ottoman administrative structure, geological survey reports, and geographical distribution, all based on archival documents. Supported by maps, summaries of technical reports, correspondence, and data tables, the book offers a historical analysis of the Ottoman Empire’s energy resources intertwined with international dynamics.
Narrative Style and Literary Features
In the work, documents are not directly reproduced. Instead, their contents are summarized and presented within their historical context. The narrative maintains an academic level of clarity, yet it is structured to be accessible to a broad readership by avoiding unnecessary technical details. Maps and documents add visual depth, while the prefaces include analyses of the publication history of the three editions and key events in energy history within both domestic and international contexts.
Author's Background and Significance of the Work
Volkan Ş. Ediger (b. 1953) is a scholar trained in geology, geochemistry, and palynology who has specialized in energy resources and policy throughout his academic career. He has served as an official consultant in this field in Türkiye and worked as a professor at METU. This work received the Sedat Simavi Social Sciences Award and is one of the most comprehensive document-based works on the history of energy in the Ottoman Empire. By presenting the traces of energy geopolitical history in the Ottoman and early Republican contexts based on documents, the work functions as an interdisciplinary resource.
Publication Details
The edition published by Dergâh Yayınları is part of the History Series 102. The cover design was created by Ayşe Nurgül Kabasakal, and the page layout was done by Ayten Balaç. The printing was carried out by Ana Basın Yayın Gıda İnş. Tic. A.Ş. in Istanbul. The first edition was published by METU in 2005, with the Dergâh edition released in May 2022.
