The history of the formation and development of one of the oldest Russian departments that has trained engineers and researchers in the area of the chemical processing of fossil fuels (crude oil, coal, shales, and hydrocarbon gases), the Department of the Technology of Petrochemical and the Coal Chemical Industry, founded in 1871, is presented. The names of such celebrated engineering technologists and scientists as A.A. Letnii, V.M. Rudnev, A.A. Kurbatov, S.I. Gulishambarov, M.M. Tikhvinskii, L.F. Fokin, A.F. Dobryanskii, and others are connected with the department's history. The significant role of the branch of the department in the training of engineers is pointed out.