Xi'an Petroleum University, referred to as "west oil", is located in the ancient city of Xi'an, a famous city in the world history. The school began in the Northwest Petroleum Industry College in 1951, in order to meet the demand for talent in the development of the oil industry. In 1958, the Xi'an Petroleum Institute was established by the State Council. In 1969, the College changed its factory because of the "Cultural Revolution". In 1980, the Xi'an Petroleum Institute resumed reconstruction. In 2000, the school was transferred from the China Petroleum and Natural Gas Corporation to the central and local universities and colleges and universities in charge of Shaanxi. In 2003, the school was renamed the Xi'an Petroleum University. In 2009, the people's Government of Shaanxi province and China's three major oil companies (China Petroleum and natural gas group, China Petrochemical Corp, China National Offshore Oil Corporation) built the Xi'an Petroleum University. In 2011, the school was listed as a high level university construction institution in Shaanxi Province during the "12th Five-Year" period.

There are more than 1600 faculty members, including more than 1000 full-time teachers, more than 3500 doctoral students, more than 1.7 undergraduate students and nearly 500 foreign students, and more than 10000 students continue to be educated.