diff --git a/common/buildcraft/BuildCraftEnergy.java b/common/buildcraft/BuildCraftEnergy.java
index 8c9c1025..d478e73f 100644
--- a/common/buildcraft/BuildCraftEnergy.java
+++ b/common/buildcraft/BuildCraftEnergy.java
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ package buildcraft;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+
 import net.minecraft.block.Block;
 import net.minecraft.block.material.Material;
 import net.minecraft.init.Blocks;
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@ import net.minecraft.item.Item;
 import net.minecraft.item.ItemStack;
 import net.minecraft.world.biome.BiomeGenBase;
 import net.minecraftforge.client.event.TextureStitchEvent;
+import net.minecraftforge.common.BiomeDictionary;
 import net.minecraftforge.common.MinecraftForge;
 import net.minecraftforge.common.config.Configuration;
 import net.minecraftforge.fluids.Fluid;
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ import buildcraft.core.InterModComms;
 import buildcraft.core.Version;
 import buildcraft.core.proxy.CoreProxy;
 import buildcraft.core.triggers.BCTrigger;
+import buildcraft.core.utils.BCLog;
 import buildcraft.energy.BlockBuildcraftFluid;
 import buildcraft.energy.BlockEngine;
 import buildcraft.energy.BucketHandler;
@@ -99,14 +103,50 @@ public class BuildCraftEnergy extends BuildCraftMod {
 		int oilOceanBiomeId = BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get("biomes", "biomeOilOcean", DefaultProps.BIOME_OIL_OCEAN).getInt(DefaultProps.BIOME_OIL_OCEAN);
 		canOilBurn = BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "burnOil", true, "Can oil burn?").getBoolean(true);
 		oilWellScalar = BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "oilWellGenerationRate", 1.0, "Probability of oil well generation").getDouble(1.0);
-		for(String id : BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "oilBiomeIDs", BiomeGenBase.desert.biomeID +","+BiomeGenBase.taiga.biomeID, "ID's of biomes that should have increased oil generation rates.").getString().trim().split(",")){
-			if(id.length() > 0) oilBiomeIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(id));
+		for (String id : BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "oilBiomeIDs", BiomeDictionary.Type.DESERT.toString() +","+BiomeGenBase.taiga.biomeID, "IDs or Biome Types (e.g. DESERT,OCEAN) of biomes that should have increased oil generation rates.").getString().trim().split(",")){
+			if(id.length() > 0){ 
+				try{oilBiomeIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(id));}
+				catch(NumberFormatException ex){ //not an int so try and parse it as a biome type
+					try{
+						for (BiomeGenBase b : BiomeDictionary.getBiomesForType(BiomeDictionary.Type.valueOf(id.toUpperCase()))){
+							oilBiomeIDs.add(b.biomeID);
+						}
+					}
+					catch (Exception e){
+						BCLog.logger.log(Level.WARNING,"config.oilBiomeIDs: Could not find biome type: " + id + " ; Skipping!");
+					}
+				}
+			}
 		}
-		for(String id : BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "excessiveOilBiomeIDs", "", "ID's of biomes that should have GREATLY increased oil generation rates.").getString().trim().split(",")) {
-			if(id.length() > 0) excessiveOilBiomeIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(id));
+		for(String id : BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "excessiveOilBiomeIDs", "", "IDs or Biome Types (e.g. DESERT,OCEAN) of biomes that should have GREATLY increased oil generation rates.").getString().trim().split(",")) {
+			if(id.length() > 0){ 
+				try{excessiveOilBiomeIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(id));}
+				catch(NumberFormatException ex){ //not an int so try and parse it as a biome type
+					try{
+						for (BiomeGenBase b : BiomeDictionary.getBiomesForType(BiomeDictionary.Type.valueOf(id.toUpperCase()))){
+							excessiveOilBiomeIDs.add(b.biomeID);
+						}
+					}
+					catch (Exception e){
+						BCLog.logger.log(Level.WARNING,"config.excessiveOilBiomeIDs: Could not find biome type: " + id + " ; Skipping!");
+					}
+				}
+			}
 		}
-		for(String id : BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "excludeOilBiomeIDs", BiomeGenBase.sky.biomeID +","+BiomeGenBase.hell.biomeID, "ID's of biomes that are excluded from generating oil.").getString().trim().split(",")){
-			if(id.length() > 0) excludeOilBiomeIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(id));
+		for(String id : BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "excludeOilBiomeIDs", BiomeGenBase.sky.biomeID +","+BiomeGenBase.hell.biomeID, "IDs or Biome Types (e.g. DESERT,OCEAN) of biomes that are excluded from generating oil.").getString().trim().split(",")){
+			if(id.length() > 0){ 
+				try{excludeOilBiomeIDs.add(Integer.parseInt(id));}
+				catch(NumberFormatException ex){ //not an int so try and parse it as a biome type
+					try{
+						for (BiomeGenBase b : BiomeDictionary.getBiomesForType(BiomeDictionary.Type.valueOf(id.toUpperCase()))){
+							excludeOilBiomeIDs.add(b.biomeID);
+						}
+					}
+					catch (Exception e){
+						BCLog.logger.log(Level.WARNING,"config.excludeOilBiomeIDs: Could not find biome type: " + id + " ; Skipping!");
+					}
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
 		double fuelOilMultiplier = BuildCraftCore.mainConfiguration.get(Configuration.CATEGORY_GENERAL, "fuel.oil.combustion", 1.0F, "adjust energy value of Oil in Combustion Engines").getDouble(1.0F);