sentences:  The modern history of petroleum began in the 19th century with the refining of paraffin from crude oil.The Scottish chemist James Young in 1847 noticed a natural petroleum seepage in the Riddings colliery at Alfreton, Derbyshire from which he distilled a light thin oil suitable for use as lamp oil, at the same time obtaining a thicker oil suitable for lubricating machinery.The new oils were successful, but the supply of oil from the coal mine soon began to fail (eventually being exhausted in 1851).