How it formed Crude oil is found in the Earth’s crust. Millions of years ago, the remains of plants and animals fell to the bottom of the sea. Their remains were covered in mud, and eventually the mud transformed into rock. The heat and the pressure from the rocks, as they crushed the remains of the dead organisms, turned the remains into crude oil. Neither air nor oxygen can be present when creating crude oil. Methods of extraction The main method of oil extraction is drilling. Once geologists find crude oil, using instruments such as gravimeters and magnetometers, the drilling crew uses an oil rig to drill a long hole into the earth. A steel pipe is placed into the hole to maintain its structure. To allow oil to pass, holes are made in the base of the oil well, and a Christmas tree, a multi-valved structure, is placed at the top to manage oil pressure and flow.
Harm to ecosystems / environments There are several ways that crude oil can harm the environment. When petroleum is burned as fuel, it releases carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Sulfur dioxide is also emitted into the air which causes acid rain to fall. Acid rain harms plants and animals, and causes respiratory and heart problems in humans. Particulate matter can cause asthma, chronic bronchitis emphysema or lung cancer in humans as it makes the environment blurry and dim around cities and scenic areas. Oil spills that occur in rivers or oceans can harm wildlife. The poisonous chemicals from oil spills injures animals internally as they inhale or ingest the oil. It also injures them physically as the oil coats their fur or feathers, preventing these animals from maintaining their body temperature.
Pollutants released during extraction and burning Pollutants released during extraction and burning of crude oil include carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter (PM), lead and various air toxics such as benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
Countries that have the greatest crude oil reserves 1. Venezuela 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Canada 4. Iran 5. Iraq
Crude oil disaster On April 22, 2010, an oil well in the Gulf of Mexico blew out, and caused BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig to explode, killing 11 people. An estimated 206 million gallons of oil was released throughout the Gulf. 572 miles of the Gulf’s shore was covered in oil, killing and injuring hundreds of birds and marine organisms. Today, recovery teams continue to clean up one of the largest marine oil spills in history.
The process of creating energy from crude oil Oil refineries are used to convert crude oil into products such as motor gasoline, ultra-low sulfur distillate fuel, jet fuel, plastic, kerosene, etc. Oil can also be used for electricity. One way that oil is converted into electricity is through conventional steam which burns oil to heat water. The hot water creates steam, producing electricity.