It's petrel, not petrol, when talking about the colour...

[MirandaGoshawk]

It's spelt wrongly in all the bloody clothes catalogues. Have they not noticed that petrol, if you spill a drop a fiver's worth is clear?

A petrel, OTOH, is a bird. A blue one. Petrel blue. Can we start a campaign?

It was never petrel blue

You were just as wrong in the old days as you are now.

Rusty, not quite as old as you

Maybe it depends on where you live. But I don't really believe that; more about exposure to certain words/phrases in your school or family.

Surely it's just easier to call it teal?

You just want to claim colours are named after birds because you are a Goshawk

Ahem!
www.dulux.co.uk/colour/petrol_blue

I think you're thinking of the wrong colour of blue, that doesn't help.

Petrol blue is sort of dark greeny blue.

(Slightly alarmed by the petrol blue corsets on that link. Why, I ask - why?)

I also believed it was named for the bird.

Spent a lot if time trying to get my art teacher to say 'blue tit' then sniggering delightedly.

In my world, a petrel is a greyish blue bird, exactly the same colour as my son's eyes.

Gutted I might be wrong...

it's petrol blue even in Hungarian (petrol kék).

I've never heard of petrel.

Petrol for boats is taxed at a low rate and so is dyed to deter tax evasion. Like tractor fuel is often dyed red for the same reason. Anthraquinone dyes are used for blue shades as they are soluble in hydrocarbons. I wonder why the catalogues don't call it Anthraquinone Blue instead of Petrol Blue?

This is how I see petrol blue 3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLLLYcT20xs/UCURzwok8uI/AAAAAAAAEqA/zT50IKLPvvI/s640/IMG_7229.JPG

And google Images agrees

My school uniform, back in the 90s was petrol blue (bet you are jealous of that beauty...) Always written as petrol blue, not a bird in sight.

I give you:
petrel blue

Oh blimey...you're right after all

Oh yes.

Naaaa.

I have always thought it was petrol blue but then I grew up in a city and wouldn't know a petrel if it pecked me on the arse!

I prefer teal.

When I was a menswear designer for 10 years, it was always petrol blue

Miranda, now you know better, I hope you have written to that yoga company telling them of their mistaken spelling

Snowy Petrels are white. I've got a petrel white blouse, don't cha know.

Curses on Muphry - Snow Petrel

I'm afraid that I am going to believe the OED.

Try Googling petrel blue.