Petroleum Act 1862^[1]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to provide for the Safe-keeping of Petroleum.
Citation	25 & 26 Vict. c. 66
Territorial extent	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Dates
Royal assent	29 July 1862
Commencement	1 October 1862
Repealed	1871
Other legislation
Amended by	Petroleum Act 1868
Repealed by	Petroleum Act 1871
Status: Repealed

The Petroleum Act 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. c. 66) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the safe-keeping of petroleum.

Background

The large-scale production of petroleum began in the United States in 1859 from oil wells in Pennsylvania.^[2] Within two years petroleum was being imported into the UK. It was estimated that in the year 1862 about 9 million gallons (40,915 m³) of petroleum oil was imported from the United States.^[3] Concerns about the safe storage of petroleum and some of its flammable products, and the associated risks of fire and explosion, led to the passing of the UK's first^[4] Petroleum Act in 1862.^[5]

Petroleum Act 1862

The Petroleum Act 1862 received royal assent on 29 July 1862. Its preamble reads 'whereas it is expedient to provide for the safe-keeping of petroleum and certain products thereof that are dangerous to life and property, from their properties of giving off inflammable vapours at low temperatures.'

Provisions

The Act comprises 10 sections:^[5]

• Section 1. Definitions: petroleum; borough; harbour; harbour authority. Petroleum and any relevant product were defined as that which gives off inflammable (flammable) vapour at a temperature of less than 100 °F (37.8 °C).
• Section 2. Regulations to be observed by a ship carrying petroleum
• Section 3. Regulations to be observed in storing petroleum. No more than 40 gallons (182 litres) of petroleum shall be stored within 50 yards (46 metres) of a house or a building where goods are stored, without a licence.
• Section 4. Definition of local authority
• Section 5. Mode of granting licences
• Section 6. In case of refusal of licence, the applicant may memorialize the Secretary of State
• Section 7. Forfeiture and penalties in England and Ireland
• Section 8. Recovery of forfeiture and penalties in Scotland
• Section 9. Search for petroleum
• Section 10. Reservation of previous powers with respect to inflammable substances

Aftermath

Following the passage of the Act local authorities placed advertisements in local newspapers to inform keepers of petroleum of the provisions and consequences of the 1862 Act. These included: that no more than 40 gallons may be stored; that none should be kept within 50 yards of a dwelling house or a building used as a store; that sellers of petroleum should hold a license issued by the local authority. For example, the Metropolitan Board of Works placed adverts to this effect in the London Daily News on 9, 16 and 23 October 1862.  Traders also placed advertisements identifying that they had obtained a licence.^[6]

The demand for petroleum continued to grow; the trade was mainly based in London and Liverpool. In 1869 it was estimated that there were 780,000 gallons (3,546 m³) of petroleum stored in London.^[7]

The original Petroleum Act 1862 was found to be defective.^[8] A Parliamentary Committee on Fire Protection was established in 1867, to 'inquire into the existing legislative provisions for the protection of life and property against fires in the United Kingdom, and as to the best means for ascertaining the causes and preventing the frequency of fires'. Evidence given to the committee indicated that the Petroleum Act 1862 was inoperative; one of the committee's four recommendation was that the existing law should be amended to correct this deficiency.^[8] This was enacted through the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1868.^[9]

The Petroleum Act 1862 was repealed by section 17 and schedule 2 of the Petroleum Act 1871.^[10]