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Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario

Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil.

Energy Portal

Petroleum (from Latin petra – rock and Greek oleum – oil) or crude oil is a naturally occurring liquid found in formations in the Earth consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons (mostly alkanes) of various lengths. In its naturally occurring form, it may contain other nonmetallic elements such as sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.^[1] It is usually black or dark brown (although it may be yellowish or even greenish) but varies greatly in appearance, depending on its composition. Image File history File links Padlock. ... Oil Well with horsehead pump near Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. ... Oil Well with horsehead pump near Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. ... A colourful nodding donkey in the United States A nodding donkey or pump jack is the overground drive for a submersible pump in a borehole. ... Sarnia is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada (population 70,876 in 2001). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ignacy_Lukasiewicz. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ignacy_Lukasiewicz. ... Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz (1822 - 1882) was a Polish pharmacist and inventor of the first method of distilling kerosene from seep oil. ... Image File history File links Portal. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... The rocky side of a mountain creek near Orosí, Costa Rica. ... Adjectives: Terrestrial, Terran, Telluric, Tellurian, Earthly Atmosphere Surface pressure: 101. ... Hydrocarbons are refined at oil refineries and processed at chemical plants A hydrocarbon is a chemical compound that consists only of the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... An alkane is an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Atomic mass 15. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 14. ...

Petroleum is used mostly, by volume, for producing fuel oil and petrol (gasoline), both important "primary energy" sources. ^[2] 84% (37 of 42 gallons in a typical barrel) of the hydrocarbons present in petroleum is converted into energy-rich fuels, including petrol, diesel, jet, heating, and other fuel oils, and liquefied petroleum gas;^[3] Due to its incredible energy density and relative abundance, it has become the world's most important source of energy since the mid-1950s. Petroleum is also the raw material for many chemical products, including solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, and plastics; the 16% not used for energy production is converted into these other materials. Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. ... Gasoline, as it is known in North America, or petrol, in many Commonwealth countries (sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Primary energy is energy contained in raw fuels and any other forms of energy received by a system as input to the system. ... The gallon (abbreviation: gal) is a unit of volume. ... Energy density is the amount of energy stored in a given system or region of space per unit volume or per unit mass, depending on the context. ... // Recovering from World War II and its aftermath, the economic miracle emerged in West Germany and Italy. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... For other uses, see Solvent (disambiguation). ... spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (British English fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... A cropduster spreading pesticide. ... Household items made out of plastic. ...

Petroleum is found in porous rock formations in the upper strata of some areas of the Earth's crust. Known reserves of petroleum are typically estimated at around 1.2 trillion barrels^[4] with at least one estimate as high as 3.74 trillion barrels.^[5] Consumption is currently around 84 million barrels per day, or 31 billion barrels per year. Because of pumping difficulties, usable oil reserves are only about 1/3 of total reserves. At current consumption levels, world oil supply would be gone in about 32 years, around 2039. However, this ignores any additions to known reserves, changes in demand, etc. As the supply of petroleum becomes more scarce, consumers and governments may look to energy development such as solar power, wind power, ethanol, photovoltaic, nuclear power, hydrogen (which combusts according to 2 H₂(g) + O₂(g) → 2 H₂O(l) + 572 kJ), or oil from oil shale, and tar sands. Petroleum forms naturally within the earth too slowly to be sustainable for human use. Used in geology, building science and hydrogeology, the porosity of a porous medium (such as rock or sediment) is the proportion of the non-solid volume to the total volume of material, and is defined by the ratio: where Vp is the non-solid volume (pores and liquid) and Vm... Rock formations as used in this article refers to isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. ... Strata is a comic science fiction novel by Terry Pratchett. ... Adjectives: Terrestrial, Terran, Telluric, Tellurian, Earthly Atmosphere Surface pressure: 101. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ... Peak Oil Depletion Scenarios Graph which depicts cumulative published depletion studies by ASPO and other depletion analysts. ... // Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide sustainable, accessible energy resources through knowledge, skills, and constructions. ... Solar power describes a number of methods of harnessing energy from the light of the sun. ... Wind farm in Neuenkirchen, Dithmarschen, Germany. ... Information on pump, California. ... A solar cell, a form of photovoltaic cell, is a device that uses the photoelectric effect to generate electricity from light, thus generating solar power (energy). ... A nuclear power station. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ...

Formation

Chemistry

Octane, a hydrocarbon found in petroleum, lines are single bonds, black spheres are carbon, white spheres are hydrogen

The chemical structure of petroleum is composed of hydrocarbon chains of different lengths. These different hydrocarbon chemicals are separated by distillation at an oil refinery to produce gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, and other hydrocarbons. The general formula for these alkanes is C_nH_2n+2. For example 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane, widely used in gasoline, has a chemical formula of C₈H₁₈ which reacts with oxygen exothermically:^[6] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1240x491, 82 KB) 3D-model of an octane molecule. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1240x491, 82 KB) 3D-model of an octane molecule. ... R-phrases , , , , S-phrases , , , , , , , Flash point 13 °C Autoignition temperature 220 °C Explosive limits 1. ... Hydrocarbons are refined at oil refineries and processed at chemical plants A hydrocarbon is a chemical compound that consists only of the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... Covalently bonded hydrogen and carbon in a molecule of methane. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... Hydrocarbons are refined at oil refineries and processed at chemical plants A hydrocarbon is a chemical compound that consists only of the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... Laboratory distillation set-up using, without a fractionating column 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed... An alkane in organic chemistry is a type of hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds (they are saturated). ... R-phrases , , , , S-phrases , , , , , , , Flash point 4. ... Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... In thermodynamics, the word exothermic describes a process or reaction that releases energy in the form of heat. ...

C₈H₁₈(aq) + 12.5O₂(g) → 8CO₂(g) + 9H₂O(g) + heat

Incomplete combustion of petroleum or gasoline results in emission of poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide. For example: Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas. ... R-phrases , , , , S-phrases , , , Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ...

C₈H₁₈(aq) + 12.5O₂(g) + N₂(g) → 6CO₂(g) + 2CO(g) + 2NO(g) + 9H₂O(g) + heat

Formation of petroleum occurs in a variety of mostly endothermic reactions in high temperature and/or pressure. For example, a kerogen may break down into hydrocarbons of different lengths:^[7] In thermodynamics, the word endothermic describes a process or reaction that absorbs energy in the form of heat. ... Kerogens are chemical compounds that make up a portion of the organic matter in sedimentary rocks. ... In chemistry, a hydrocarbon is a cleaning solution consisting only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ...

CH_1.45(s) + heat → .663CH_1.6(aq) + .076CH₂(aq) + .04CH_2.6(g) + .006CH₄(g) + .012CH_2.6(s) + .018CH_4.0(s) + .185CH_.25(s)

Biogenic theory

Most geologists view crude oil and natural gas as the product of compression and heating of ancient organic materials over geological time. According to this theory, oil is formed from the preserved remains of prehistoric zooplankton and algae which have been settled to the sea bottom in large quantities under anoxic conditions. Terrestrial plants, on the other hand, tend to form coal. Over geological time this organic matter, mixed with mud, is buried under heavy layers of sediment. The resulting high levels of heat and pressure cause the remains to metamorphose, first into a waxy material known as kerogen which is found in various oil shales around the world, and then with more heat into liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in a process known as catagenesis. Because most hydrocarbons are lighter than rock or water, these sometimes migrate upward through adjacent rock layers until they become trapped beneath impermeable rocks, within porous rocks called reservoirs. Concentration of hydrocarbons in a trap forms an oil field, from which the liquid can be extracted by drilling and pumping. Geologists often refer to an "oil window" which is the temperature range that oil forms in—below the minimum temperature oil remains trapped in the form of kerogen, and above the maximum temperature the oil is converted to natural gas through the process of thermal cracking. Though this happens at different depths in different locations around the world, a 'typical' depth for the oil window might be 4–6 km. Note that even if oil is formed at extreme depths, it may be trapped at much shallower depths, even if it is not formed there (the Athabasca Oil Sands is one example). Three conditions must be present for oil reservoirs to form: first, a source rock rich in organic material buried deep enough for subterranean heat to cook it into oil; second, a porous and permeable reservoir rock for it to accumulate in; and last a cap rock (seal) that prevents it from escaping to the surface. World geologic provinces Oceanic crust  0-20 Ma  20-65 Ma  >65 Ma Geologic provinces  Shield  Platform  Orogen  Basin  Large igneous province  Extended crust Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason))[1] is the science and study of the solid matter of the earth, its composition, structure... Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... In geology, diagenesis refers to all the chemical, physical, and biological changes undergone by a sediment after its initial deposition and during and after its lithification, exclusive of surface alteration (weathering). ... Benzene is the simplest of the arenes, a family of organic compounds An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon and hydrogen; therefore, carbides, carbonates, carbon oxides and elementary carbon are not organic (see below for more on the definition controversy... // For other uses, see time scale. ... The word theory has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Prehistoric man. ... Photomontage of plankton organisms Plankton is the aggregate community of weakly swimming but mostly drifting small organisms that inhabit the water column of the ocean, seas, and bodies of freshwater. ... A seaweed (Laurencia) up close: the branches are multicellular and only about 1 mm thick. ... Anoxic sea water refers to water depleted of oxygen. ... A terrestrial plant is one that grows on land. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... // For other uses, see time scale. ... Benzene is the simplest of the arenes, a family of organic compounds An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon and hydrogen; therefore, carbides, carbonates, carbon oxides and elementary carbon are not organic (see below for more on the definition controversy... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In computer gaming, a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon or Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games and social chat rooms. ... In physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is defined as energy in transit. ... The use of water pressure - the Captain Cook Memorial Jet in Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra. ... Metamorphism can be defined as the mineralogical, chemical and crystallographic changes in a solid-state rock, i. ... Kerogens are chemical compounds that make up a portion of the organic matter in sedimentary rocks. ... Oil shale is a general term applied to a group of fine black to dark brown shales rich enough in bituminous material (called kerogen) to yield petroleum upon distillation. ... Catagenesis is a term used in petroleum geology to describe the cracking process which results in the conversion of organic kerogens into hydrocarbons. ... // In physics, buoyancy is the upward force on an object produced by the surrounding fluid (i. ... An oil reservoir, petroleum system or petroleum reservoir is often thought of as being an underground lake of oil, but it is actually composed of hydrocarbons contained in porous rock formations. ... Drilling rig in a small oil field Near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 An oil field is an area with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum (oil) from below ground. ... A lower quality cordless power drill. ... An electrically driven pump (electropump) for waterworks near the Hengsteysee, Germany. ... Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... The process of heating under pressure the longer-chained byproducts from crude oil which has had hydrocarbons with chains in the gasoline range (6 to 10 carbons) distilled from them so that the longer chains will break into more desirable shorter chains ultimately yielding a higher proportion of gasoline in... The Athabasca Oil Sands in Alberta, Canada. ... A pore, in general, is some form of opening, usually very small. ... In the earth sciences, permeability (commonly symbolized as κ, or k) is a measure of the ability of a material (typically, a rock or unconsolidated material) to transmit fluids. ...

If an oil well were to run dry and be capped, it would likely fill back to its original supply eventually. There is considerable question about how long this would take. Some formations appear to have a regeneration time of decades. Majority opinion is that oil is being formed at less than 1% of the current consumption rate.^{[citation needed]}

The vast majority of oil that has been produced by the earth has long ago escaped to the surface and been biodegraded by oil-eating bacteria. Oil companies are looking for the small fraction that has been trapped by this rare combination of circumstances. Oil sands are reservoirs of partially biodegraded oil still in the process of escaping, but contain so much migrating oil that, although most of it has escaped, vast amounts are still present - more than can be found in conventional oil reservoirs. On the other hand, oil shales are source rocks that have never been buried deep enough to convert their trapped kerogen into oil. "Oil is a reneweable resource." Quoted from the scientist, Nandu Krishnan. Biodegradation is the decomposition of organic material by microorganisms. ... Open pit mining Tar sands, also referred to as oil sand or bituminous sand, is a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen. ... Oil shale is a general term applied to a group of rocks rich enough in organic material (called kerogen) to yield petroleum upon distillation. ...

The reactions that produce oil and natural gas are often modeled as first order breakdown reactions, where kerogen is broken down to oil and natural gas by a set of parallel reactions, and oil eventually breaks down to natural gas by another set of reactions. The first set was originally patented in 1694 under British Crown Patent No. 330 covering,

"a way to extract and make great quantityes of pitch, tarr, and oyle out of a sort of stone."

The latter set is regularly used in petrochemical plants and oil refineries. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of petroleum (hydrocarbon) origin. ... View of the Shell/Valero Martinez oil refinery An oil refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into useful petroleum products. ...

Abiogenic theory

Main article: Abiogenic petroleum origin

The idea of abiogenic petroleum origin was championed in the Western world by astronomer Thomas Gold based on thoughts from Russia, mainly on studies of Nikolai Kudryavtsev. The idea proposes that hydrocarbons of purely geological origin exist in the planet. Hydrocarbons are less dense than aqueous pore fluids, and are proposed to migrate upward through deep fracture networks. Thermophilic, rock-dwelling microbial life-forms are proposed to be in part responsible for the biomarkers found in petroleum. The hypothesis of abiogenic petroleum origin holds that most petroleum was formed from deep carbon deposits, perhaps deposits dating to the accretion of the Earth. ... The hypothesis of abiogenic petroleum origin holds that most petroleum was formed from deep carbon deposits, perhaps deposits dating to the accretion of the Earth. ... The term Western World or the West can have multiple meanings depending on its context. ... Thomas Gold (May 22, 1920 – June 22, 2004) was an Austrian astrophysicist, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, and a member of the US National Academy of Sciences. ... Nikolai Alexandrovich Kudryavtsev Russian: (Opochka, October 21, 1893 - Leningrad, December 12, 1971) was a Russian petroleum geologist. ... For the astrological concept, see Planets in astrology. ... An extremophile is an organism, usually unicellular, which thrives in or requires extreme conditions that would exceed optimal conditions for growth and reproduction in the majority of mesophilic terrestrial organisms. ... A cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria magnified 10,000 times. ... Biomarker is an occasionally used synonym for biosignature, which is a term used in astrobiology to indicate a measurable phenomenon that indicates the presence of life. ...

This theory is a minority opinion, especially amongst geologists; no oil companies are currently known to explore for oil based on this theory.

Classification

See also: Benchmark (crude oil)

The oil industry classifies "crude" by the location of its origin (e.g., "West Texas Intermediate, WTI" or "Brent") and often by its relative weight or viscosity ("light", "intermediate" or "heavy"); refiners may also refer to it as "sweet," which means it contains relatively little sulfur, or as "sour," which means it contains substantial amounts of sulfur and requires more refining in order to meet current product specifications. Each crude oil has unique molecular characteristics which are understood by the use of crude oil assay analysis in petroleum laboratories. [1] Crude oil price Benchamrks were first introduced in the mid 1980s. ... The Oil industry brings to market what is currently considered the lifeblood of nearly all other industry, if not industrialized civilization itself. ... API Gravity is a specific gravity scale developed by the American Petroleum Institute (API) for measuring the relative density of various petroleum liquids. ... The pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland. ... Light crude oil as opposed to heavy crude oil contains a low content of wax. ... Heavy crude oil is the type of crude oil which is characterised by the presence of high amount of wax in it, as compared to light crude oil which contains a lesser amount of wax. ... Sweet crude oil is crude oil containing small amounts of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... Sour crude oil contains the impurities hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide,or mercaptans. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Barrels from an area in which the crude oil's molecular characteristics have been determined and the oil has been classified are used as pricing references throughout the world. These references are known as Crude oil benchmarks and are listed; The barrel is the name of several units of measurement. ... [1] Crude oil price Benchamrks were first introduced in the mid 1980s. ...

• Brent Crude, comprising 15 oils from fields in the Brent and Ninian systems in the East Shetland Basin of the North Sea. The oil is landed at Sullom Voe terminal in the Shetlands. Oil production from Europe, Africa and Middle Eastern oil flowing West tends to be priced off the price of this oil, which forms a benchmark.
• West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for North American oil.
• Dubai, used as benchmark for Middle East oil flowing to the Asia-Pacific region.
• Tapis (from Malaysia, used as a reference for light Far East oil)
• Minas (from Indonesia, used as a reference for heavy Far East oil)
• The OPEC Reference Basket, a weighted average of oil blends from various OPEC countries.

Brent Crude is one of the major classifications of oil consisting of Brent Crude, Brent Sweet Light Crude, Oseberg and Forties. ... The Brent oilfield is one of the most productive parts of Scotlands offshore oil assets, although now in steady decline. ... == Headline text == Ninian refers to a variety of different people and locations: Saint Ninian (c. ... The East Shetland Basin is a major oil-producing area of the North Sea between Scotland and Norway. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland, and an oil terminal sited on its shore. ... See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... A benchmark is a point of reference for a measurement. ... West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is a type of crude oil used as a benchmark in oil pricing and the underlying commodity of New York Mercantile Exchanges oil futures. ... Dubai Crude is an oil price benchmark. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ... The OPEC Reference Basket (ORB), also referred to as the OPEC Basket is a weighted average of prices for petroleum blends produced by OPEC countries. ... Logo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international organization made up of Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. ...

Means of production

Extraction

Main article: Extraction of Petroleum

The most common method of obtaining petroleum is extracting it from oil wells found in oil fields. After the well has been located, various methods are used to recover the petroleum. Primary recovery methods are used to extract oil that is brought to the surface by underground pressure, and can generally recover about 20% of the oil present. After the oil pressure has depleted to the point that the oil is no longer brought to the surface, secondary recovery methods draw another 5 to 10% of the oil in the well to the surface. Finally, when secondary oil recovery methods are no longer viable, tertiary recovery methods reduce the viscosity of the oil in order to bring more to the surface. The Extraction of Petroleum is the process by which usable petroleum is extracted and removed from the earth. ... An oil well is a term for any perforation through the Earths surface designed to find and release both petroleum oil and gas hydrocarbons. ... Drilling rig in a small oil field Near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 An oil field is an area with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum (oil) from below ground. ... The pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland. ...

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international organization made up of Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. Since 1965 its international headquarters have been in Vienna, Austria. It is considered to be a cartel by many observers.

Alternative methods

As oil prices continue to escalate, other alternatives to producing oil have been gaining importance. The best known such methods involve extracting oil from sources such as oil shale or tar sands. These resources are known to exist in large quantities; however, extracting the oil at low cost without negatively impacting the environment remains a challenge. This article contains speculation and may try to argue its points. ... Oil shale is a general term applied to a group of rocks rich enough in organic material (called kerogen) to yield petroleum upon distillation. ... Athabasca Oil Sands Oil sands, also referred to as tar sands or bituminous sands, are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen. ...

It is also possible to transform natural gas or coal into oil (or, more precisely, the various hydrocarbons found in oil). The best-known such method is the Fischer-Tropsch process. It was a concept pioneered in Nazi Germany when imports of petroleum were restricted due to war and Germany found a method to extract oil from coal. It was known as Ersatz ("substitute" in German), and accounted for nearly half the total oil used in WWII by Germany. However, the process was used only as a last resort as naturally occurring oil was much cheaper. As crude oil prices increase, the cost of coal to oil conversion becomes comparatively cheaper. The method involves converting high ash coal into synthetic oil in a multi-stage process. Ideally, a ton of coal produces nearly 200 liters (1.25 bbl, 52 US gallons) of crude, with by-products ranging from tar to rare chemicals. Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... // The Fischer-Tropsch process is a catalyzed chemical reaction in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen are converted into liquid hydrocarbons of various forms. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Combatants Allied Powers: United Kingdom France Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Axis Powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Charles de Gaulle Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33... Synthetic oil is oil consisting of chemical compounds which were not originally present in crude oil (petroleum) but were artificially made (synthesized) from other compounds. ... The word ton or tonne is derived from the Old English tunne, and ultimately from the Old French tonne, and referred originally to a large cask with a capacity of 252 wine gallons, which holds approximately 2100 pounds of water. ... The liter (spelled liter in American English and litre in Commonwealth English) is a unit of volume. ... A by-product is a secondary or incidental product deriving from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction, and is not the primary product or service being produced. ... The abundance of a chemical element measures how common the element is, or how much of the element there is. ...

Currently, two companies have commercialised their Fischer-Tropsch technology. Shell in Bintulu, Malaysia, uses natural gas as a feedstock, and produces primarily low-sulfur diesel fuels.^[8] Sasol^[9] in South Africa uses coal as a feedstock, and produces a variety of synthetic petroleum products. Bintulu is a coastal town, and the capital of the Bintulu District (7,220. ... Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... A feedstock is a petrochemical used as a raw material to be fed into a machine or processing plant. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine. ... Sasol (originally South African Steenkolen en Olie) is a South African company involved in mining, energy, chemicals and synfuels. ...

The process is today used in South Africa to produce most of the country's diesel fuel from coal by the company Sasol. The process was used in South Africa to meet its energy needs during its isolation under Apartheid. This process has received renewed attention in the quest to produce low sulfur diesel fuel in order to minimize the environmental impact from the use of diesel engines. Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine. ... Sasol (originally South African Steenkolen en Olie) is a South African company involved in mining, energy, chemicals and synfuels. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine. ... In politics and other non-technical contexts, nature or (the) (natural) environment often refers to that part of the natural world that people deem important or valuable, for any reason — economic, aesthetic, philosophical, hedonistic, sentimental, etc. ... An engine is something that produces some effect from a given input. ...

An alternative method of converting coal into petroleum is the Karrick process, which was pioneered in the 1930s in the United States. It uses high temperatures in the absence of ambient air, to distill the short-chain hydrocarbons of petroleum out of coal. Karrick Process, from U.S. Patent #1,958,918. ... The 1930s (years from 1930-1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Distillation is a means of separating liquids through differences in their boiling points. ...

More recently explored is thermal depolymerization (TDP), a process for the reduction of complex organic materials into light crude oil. Using pressure and heat, long chain polymers of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon decompose into short-chain petroleum hydrocarbons. This mimics the natural geological processes thought to be involved in the production of fossil fuels. In theory, TDP can convert any organic waste into petroleum. Thermal depolymerization (TDP) is a process for the reduction of complex organic materials (usually waste products of various sorts, often known as biomass) into light crude oil. ... Organic material or organic matter is informally used to denote a material that originated as a living organism; most such materials contain carbon and are capable of decay. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and elaion – oil or Latin oleum – oil ) or crude oil is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... Polymer is a term used to describe large molecules consisting of repeating structural units, or monomers, connected by covalent chemical bonds. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Atomic mass 15. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... In chemistry, a hydrocarbon is a cleaning solution consisting only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... World geologic provinces Oceanic crust  0-20 Ma  20-65 Ma  >65 Ma Geologic provinces  Shield  Platform  Orogen  Basin  Large igneous province  Extended crust Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason))[1] is the science and study of the solid matter of the earth, its composition, structure... Coal rail cars in Ashtabula, Ohio Fossil Fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal, fuel oil or natural gas, formed from the remains of dead plants and animals. ...

History

Petroleum, in some form or other, is not a substance new in the world's history. More than four thousand years ago, according to Herodotus and confirmed by Diodorus Siculus, asphalt was employed in the construction of the walls and towers of Babylon; there were oil pits near Ardericca (near Babylon), and a pitch spring on Zacynthus.^[10] Great quantities of it were found on the banks of the river Issus, one of the tributaries of the Euphrates. Ancient Persian tablets indicate the medicinal and lighting uses of petroleum in the upper levels of their society. Bust of Herodotus Herodotus of Halicarnassus (in Greek, , Herodotos Halikarnasseus) was a Dorian Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484 BC–ca. ... Diodorus Siculus (c. ... Base layer of asphalt concrete in a road under construction. ... Babylon was an ancient city in Mesopotamia (modern Al Hillah, Iraq), the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Baghdad. ... Zakýnthos (Ζάκυνθος, also known as Zante), the third largest of the Ionian Islands, covers an area of 410 square kilometers and its coastline is roughly 123 kilometers in length. ... Issus, a river in Cilicia, Asia Minor, where Alexander the Great defeated Darius in 333 B.C. This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia Categories: | ... Surfer Rosa The Euphrates (Greek: EuphrátÄ“s; Akkadian: Pu-rat-tu; Hebrew: פְּרָת PÄ•rāth; Syriac: Prâth; Arabic: الفرات Al-Furāt; Turkish: Fırat; Kurdish: فرهات, Firhat, Ferhat) is the westernmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia (the other being the Tigris). ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the old Persian homeland, and at times extending into central and mid-east Asia. ...

The first oil wells were drilled in China in the 4th century or earlier.^{[citation needed]} They had depths of up to 243 meters and were drilled using bits attached to bamboo poles.^{[citation needed]} The oil was burned to evaporate brine and produce salt. By the 10th century, extensive bamboo pipelines connected oil wells with salt springs. The ancient records of China and Japan are said to contain many allusions to the use of natural gas for lighting and heating. Petroleum was known as burning water in Japan in the 7th century.^[10] An oil well is a term for any perforation through the Earths surface designed to find and release both petroleum oil and gas hydrocarbons. ... Drill bits are cutting tools used to create cylindrical holes. ... Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ... Brine is water saturated or nearly saturated with salt. ... This articles section called Other facts does not cite its references or sources. ... Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ...

In the 8th century, the streets of the newly constructed Baghdad were paved with tar, derived from easily accessible petroleum from natural fields in the region. In the 9th century, oil fields were exploited in the area around modern Baku, Azerbaijan, to produce naphtha. These fields were described by the geographer Masudi in the 10th century, and by Marco Polo in the 13th century, who described the output of those wells as hundreds of shiploads. (See also: Timeline of Islamic science and technology.) A city-centre street in Frankfurt, Germany A residential street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA A street is a public thoroughfare in the built environment. ... Baghdad (Arabic ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Tar is a viscous black liquid derived from the destructive distillation of organic matter. ... Municipality: Baku Area: 1000 km² Altitude: -28 m Population: 2,074,300 census 2003 Population density: 1280 persons/km² Postal Code: +99450 Area code: 012 Municipality code: BA Latitude: 41° 01 52 N Longitude: 21° 20 25 E Weather types: 9 of 11 Mayor: Hajibala Abutalybov The Baku region. ... Naphtha is a group of various volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixtures used primarily as feedstocks in refineries for the reforming process and in the petrochemical industry for the production of olefins in steam crackers. ... A geographer is a crazy psycho whose area of study is geocrap, the pseudoscientific study of Earths physical environment and human habitat and the study of boring students to death. ... Abd al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn Masudi (d. ... Marco Polo (September 15, 1254 – January 8, 1324) was a Venetian trader and explorer who, together with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China (which was then called Cathay) and visited the Great Khan of the Mongol... // All year dates are given in the Gregorian calendar except where noted. ...

The earliest mention of American petroleum occurs in Sir Walter Raleigh's account of the Trinidad Pitch Lake in 1595; whilst thirty-seven years later, the account of a visit of a Franciscan, Joseph de la Roche d'Allion, to the oil springs of New York was published in Sagard's Histoire du Canada. A Russian traveller, Peter Kalm, in his work on America, published in 1748, showed on a map the oil springs of Pennsylvania.^[10] Alternatively, Professor Walter Raleigh was a scholar and author circa 1900. ... Look up Trinidad in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Pitch Lake The Pitch Lake is a lake of natural asphalt located at La Brea in southwest Trinidad. ...

The modern history of petroleum began in 1846, with the discovery of the process of refining kerosene from coal by Atlantic Canada's Abraham Pineo Gesner. The first modern oil well was drilled in 1848 by Russian engineer F.N. Semyonov, on the Apsheron Peninsula north-east of Baku. Poland's Ignacy Łukasiewicz discovered a means of refining kerosene from the more readily available "rock oil" ("petr-oleum") in 1852 and the first rock oil mine was built in Bóbrka, near Krosno in southern Poland in the following year. These discoveries rapidly spread around the world, and Meerzoeff built the first Russian refinery in the mature oil fields at Baku in 1861. At that time Baku produced about 90% of the world's oil. The battle of Stalingrad was fought over Baku (now the capital of the Azerbaijan Republic). To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that RP-1 be merged into this article or section. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... The four Canadian Atlantic provinces. ... Abraham Pineo Gesner, born May 2, 1797 in Cornwallis Township, Nova Scotia, Canada – died April 29, 1864 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was a physician and geologist who became one of the primary founders of the petroleum industry . ... Apsheron (Abseron Yasaqligi) is a peninsula and a Rayon in eastern Caucasus in the historical region of Arran. ... Municipality: Baku Area: 1000 km² Altitude: -28 m Population: 2,074,300 census 2003 Population density: 1280 persons/km² Postal Code: +99450 Area code: 012 Municipality code: BA Latitude: 41° 01 52 N Longitude: 21° 20 25 E Weather types: 9 of 11 Mayor: Hajibala Abutalybov The Baku region. ... Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz (1822 - 1882) was a Polish pharmacist and inventor of the first method of distilling kerosene from seep oil. ... Coat of Arms Krosno (in full The Royal Free City of Krosno, Polish: Królewskie Wolne Miasto Krosno) is a town in south-eastern Poland with 48. ... View of Shell Oil Refinery in Martinez, California. ... Municipality: Baku Area: 1000 km² Altitude: -28 m Population: 2,074,300 census 2003 Population density: 1280 persons/km² Postal Code: +99450 Area code: 012 Municipality code: BA Latitude: 41° 01 52 N Longitude: 21° 20 25 E Weather types: 9 of 11 Mayor: Hajibala Abutalybov The Baku region. ... Combatants Germany Italy Romania Hungary Croatia Soviet Union Commanders Friedrich Paulus # Erich von Manstein Hermann Hoth Vasiliy Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilyevskiy Georgy Zhukov Semyon Timoshenko Strength German Sixth Army German Fourth Panzer Army Romanian Third Army Romanian Fourth Army Hungarian Second Army Italian Eighth Army Unknown number of Germans Unknown number...

Oil field in California, 1938.

The first commercial oil well drilled in North America was in Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada in 1858, dug by James Miller Williams. The American petroleum industry began with Edwin Drake's drilling of a 69-foot-deep oil well in 1859, on Oil Creek near Titusville, Pennsylvania, for the Seneca Oil Company (originally yielding 25 barrels a day, by the end of the year output was at the rate of 15 barrels).^[10] The industry grew slowly in the 1800s, driven by the demand for kerosene and oil lamps. It became a major national concern in the early part of the 20th century; the introduction of the internal combustion engine provided a demand that has largely sustained the industry to this day. Early "local" finds like those in Pennsylvania and Ontario were quickly exhausted, leading to "oil booms" in Texas, Oklahoma, and California. Oilfields, California, 1938 Photographer: Dorothea Lange Public domain image from Library of Congress This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (de facto) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 106 24... Edwin L. Drake Edwin Laurentine Drake (1819-1880), also known as Colonel Drake, was an American oil driller, popularly credited with being the first to drill for oil. ... Oil Creek is a river that flows through both Pennsylvania and New York. ... Titusville is a city located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. ... It has been suggested that RP-1 be merged into this article or section. ... Antique bronze oil lamp with Christian symbol (replica) An oil lamp is a device used for lighting or for preserving a flame that is fueled by animal, vegetable or mineral oil. ... One of the most influential doctrines in history is that all humans are divided into groups called nations. ... The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the burning of a fuel occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (de facto) Flower White Trillium Tree Eastern White Pine Bird Common Loon Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 106 24... Official language(s) None See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Early production of crude petroleum in the United States:^[10]

• 1859: 2,000 barrels
• 1869: 4,215,000 barrels
• 1879: 19,914,146 barrels
• 1889: 35,163,513 barrels
• 1899: 57,084,428 barrels
• 1906: 126,493,936 barrels

By 1910, significant oil fields had been discovered in Canada (specifically, in the province of Alberta), the Dutch East Indies (1885, in Sumatra), Iran (1908, in Masjed Soleiman), Peru, Venezuela, and Mexico, and were being developed at an industrial level. Motto: Fortis et liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English (see below) Flower   Wild rose Tree Lodgepole Pine Bird Great Horned Owl Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ed Stelmach (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 28 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total... The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, (Dutch: Nederlands-Indië) was the name of the colonies set up by the Dutch East India Company, which came under administration of the Netherlands during the 19th century (see Indonesia). ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 km²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... Masjed Soleyman (also Masjid Soleiman and Masjid-al-Salaman) (مسجد سلیمان in Persian) is a town in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, Iran. ...

Even until the mid-1950s, coal was still the world's foremost fuel, but oil quickly took over. Following the 1973 energy crisis and the 1979 energy crisis, there was significant media coverage of oil supply levels. This brought to light the concern that oil is a limited resource that will eventually run out, at least as an economically viable energy source. At the time, the most common and popular predictions were always quite dire, and when they did not come true, many dismissed all such discussion. The future of petroleum as a fuel remains somewhat controversial. USA Today news (2004) reports that there are 40 years of petroleum left in the ground. Some would argue that because the total amount of petroleum is finite, the dire predictions of the 1970s have merely been postponed. Others argue that technology will continue to allow for the production of cheap hydrocarbons and that the earth has vast sources of unconventional petroleum reserves in the form of tar sands, bitumen fields and oil shale that will allow for petroleum use to continue in the future, with both the Canadian tar sands and United States shale oil deposits representing potential reserves matching existing liquid petroleum deposits worldwide. // Recovering from World War II and its aftermath, the economic miracle emerged in West Germany and Italy. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... (Redirected from 1973 energy crisis) United States, drivers of vehicles with odd numbered license plates were allowed to purchase gasoline only on odd-numbered days of the month, while drivers with even-numbers were limited to even-numbered days. ... Line at a gas station, June 15, 1979. ... USA Today is a national American newspaper published by the Gannett Corporation. ... Athabasca Oil Sands Oil sands, also referred to as tar sands or bituminous sands, are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen. ... Oil shale is a general term applied to a group of rocks rich enough in organic material (called kerogen) to yield petroleum upon distillation. ...

Today, about 90% of vehicular fuel needs are met by oil. Petroleum also makes up 40% of total energy consumption in the United States, but is responsible for only 2% of electricity generation. Petroleum's worth as a portable, dense energy source powering the vast majority of vehicles and as the base of many industrial chemicals makes it one of the world's most important commodities. Access to it was a major factor in several military conflicts, including World War I, World War II and the Persian Gulf War. The top three oil producing countries are Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States. About 80% of the world's readily accessible reserves are located in the Middle East, with 62.5% coming from the Arab 5: Saudi Arabia (12.5%), UAE, Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait. However, with today's oil prices, Venezuela has larger reserves than Saudi Arabia due to nonconventional crude reserves derived from bitumen. Commodity is a term with distinct meanings in both business and in Marxian political economy. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... Combatants Allied Powers: United Kingdom France Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Axis Powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Charles de Gaulle Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... UAE redirects here; for other uses of that term, see UAE (disambiguation) The United Arab Emirates is an oil-rich country situated in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia, comprising seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. ... Bitumen Bitumen is a mixture of organic liquids that are highly viscous, black, sticky, entirely soluble in carbon disulfide, and composed primarily of highly condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. ...

Uses

The chemical structure of petroleum is composed of hydrocarbon chains of different lengths. Because of this, petroleum may be taken to oil refineries and the hydrocarbon chemicals separated by distillation and treated by other chemical processes, to be used for a variety of purposes. See Petroleum products. Hydrocarbons are refined at oil refineries and processed at chemical plants A hydrocarbon is a chemical compound that consists only of the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). ... View of Shell Oil Refinery in Martinez, California. ... Laboratory distillation set-up using, without a fractionating column 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed... sulfur sucks--207. ... Petroleum products are useful materials derived from crude oil (petroleum) as it is processed in oil refineries. ...

Fuels

• Ethane and other short-chain alkanes which are used as fuel
• Diesel fuel
• Fuel oils
• Gasoline
• Jet fuel
• Kerosene
• Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)

Ethane is a chemical compound with chemical formula C2H6. ... An alkane in organic chemistry is a type of hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds (they are saturated). ... Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine. ... Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. ... Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in jet-engined aircraft. ... It has been suggested that RP-1 be merged into this article or section. ... Liquified petroleum gas (also called liquefied petroleum gas, liquid petroleum gas, LPG, LP gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing fluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. ...

Other derivatives

Certain types of resultant hydrocarbons may be mixed with other non-hydrocarbons, to create other end products:

• Alkenes (olefins) which can be manufactured into plastics or other compounds
• Lubricants (produces light machine oils, motor oils, and greases, adding viscosity stabilizers as required).
• Wax, used in the packaging of frozen foods, among others.
• Sulfur or Sulfuric acid. These are a useful industrial materials. Sulfuric acid is usually prepared as the acid precursor oleum, a byproduct of sulfur removal from fuels.
• Bulk tar.
• Asphalt
• Petroleum coke, used in speciality carbon products or as solid fuel.
• Paraffin wax
• Aromatic petrochemicals to be used as precursors in other chemical production.

An alkene is one of the three classes of unsaturated hydrocarbons that contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond and have the general molecular formula of CnH2n (the other two being alkynes and arenes). ... The term plastics covers a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or fibers. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lubrication. ... Motor oil is a type of liquid oil used for lubrication by various kinds internal combustion engines. ... Look up grease in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland. ... Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees (beeswax) and used by them in constructing their honeycombs. ... Frozen food is food preserved under the process of freezing. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ... Oleum refers to a solution of sulfur trioxide in sulfuric acid or sometimes more specifically to pyrosulfuric acid, disulfuric acid. ... Hydrodesulfurization is one means of lowering the sulfur content of liquids from oil/coal. ... Tar is a viscous black liquid derived from the destructive distillation of organic matter. ... Base layer of asphalt concrete in a road under construction. ... Petroleum coke (often abbreviated pet coke) is a carbonaceous solid derived from oil refinery cracking processes. ... Paraffin is a common name for a group of high molecular weight alkane hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is greater than about 20. ... In chemistry, an aromatic molecule is one in which electrons are free to cycle around circular arrangements of atoms, which are alternately singly and doubly bonded to one another. ... Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of petroleum (hydrocarbon) origin. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ...

Alternatives to petroleum fuels (gasoline and diesel)

Main article: Energy development

The term alternative propulsion or "alternative methods of propulsion" includes both: // Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide sustainable, accessible energy resources through knowledge, skills, and constructions. ...

• alternative fuels used in standard or modified internal combustion engines (i.e. combustion hydrogen).
• propulsion systems not based on internal combustion, such as those based on electricity (for example, electric or hybrid vehicles), compressed air, or fuel cells (i.e. hydrogen fuel cells).

Nowadays, cars can be classified between the next main groups: Alternative fuel, also known as non-conventional fuels, is any material or substance that can be used as a fuel, other than fossil fuels, or conventional fuels of petroleum (oil), coal, propane, and natural gas. ... The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the burning of a fuel occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ... A trolley bus, powered by a pair of overhead wires. ... For the common automotive term of hybrid vehichle see: Petroleum electric hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle (HV) is a vehicle that uses two distinct power sources such as: An on-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and a fueled power source for vehicle propulsion Human powered bicycle with battery assist... The air car is a car being developed and manufactured by Moteur Développement International (MDI), founded by the French inventor Guy Nègre. ... A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i. ...

• Parapetro cars, this is, only can use petroleum, biodiesel and biobutanol (instead of gasoline).
• Hybrid vehicle, that uses petroleum and other source, generally, electricity.
• Petrofree car, that can not use petroleum, like 100 % electric cars, hydrogen vehicles...

See also: renewable energy, greenhouse gas, Global warming, climate change, and bivalent

Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources (such as vegetable oils), which can be used in unmodified diesel-engined vehicles. ... Butanol (butyl alcohol) is a higher alcohol with a 4 carbon atom structure and a general formula of C4H10O. There are 4 different isomeric structures for butanol (refer to box). ... Gasoline, also called petrol, is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... For the common automotive term of hybrid vehichle see: Petroleum electric hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle (HV) is a vehicle that uses two distinct power sources such as: An on-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and a fueled power source for vehicle propulsion Human powered bicycle with battery assist... An electric vehicle is a vehicle that is propelled by electric motors. ... Sequel, a fuel cell powered vehicle from General Motors A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle, such as an automobile or aircraft, which uses hydrogen as its primary source of power for locomotion. ... Renewable energy (Non-Conventional Energy) is defined as energy derived from resources that are regenerative or for all practical purposes can not be depleted. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400,000 years Climate change refers to the variation in the Earths global climate or in regional climates over time. ... Bivalent (chemistry): two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule An atom which can form two covalent bonds with other molecules (such as oxygen) is said to be bivalent, posessing a valency of 2. ...

Consumption statistics

2004 U.S. government predictions for oil production other than in OPEC and the former Soviet Union Image File history File links Download high resolution version (861x467, 214 KB)Hubbert peak graph from public domain document Strategic Significance of America s Oil Shale Resource Volume I Assessment of Strategic Issues at http://www. ... Logo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international organization made up of Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. ...

World energy consumption, 1970-2025. Source: International Energy Outlook 2004. (Source: Energy Information Administration: International Energy Outlook 2004, http://www. ...

World energy consumption, 1980-2030. Source: International Energy Outlook 2006. Image File history File links EIA_IEO2006. ...

Environmental effects

Global fossil carbon emissions, an indicator of consumption, for 1800-2000. Total is black. Oil is in blue.

The presence of oil has significant social and environmental impacts, from accidents and routine activities such as seismic exploration, drilling, and generation of polluting wastes. Oil extraction is costly and sometimes environmentally damaging, although Dr. John Hunt of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution pointed out in a 1981 paper that over 70% of the reserves in the world are associated with visible macroseepages, and many oil fields are found due to natural leaks. Offshore exploration and extraction of oil disturbs the surrounding marine environment. But at the same time, offshore oil platforms also form micro-habitats for marine creatures. Extraction may involve dredging, which stirs up the seabed, killing the sea plants that marine creatures need to survive. Crude oil and refined fuel spills from tanker ship accidents have damaged ecosystems in Alaska, the Galapagos Islands, Spain, and many other places. Description Global annual fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions, in million metric tons of carbon, as reported by the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center [1]. Original data: Marland, G., T.A. Boden, and R. J. Andres. ... Description Global annual fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions, in million metric tons of carbon, as reported by the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center [1]. Original data: Marland, G., T.A. Boden, and R. J. Andres. ... Young people interacting within an ethnically diverse society. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Seismology (from the Greek seismos = earthquake and logos = word) is the scientific study of earthquakes and the movement of waves through the Earth. ... Pollution is the release of environmental contaminants. ... John M. Hunt (1918 – 2005) was a geologist, chemist, and oceanographer. ... The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is devoted to scientific research and science- and engineering-education leading to MS and PhD degrees in oceanography and related fields. ... Dredging is the process by which either new waterways are created or existing waterways are deepened. ... The seabed is the bottom of the ocean. ... Look up kill in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. ... An ecosystem, a contraction of ecological and system, refers to the collection of biotic and abiotic components and processes that comprise, and govern the behavior of some defined subset of the biosphere. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... NASA Satellite photo of the Galápagos archipelago. ...

Burning oil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. Per energy unit, oil produces less CO₂ than coal, but more than natural gas. However, oil's unique role as a transportation fuel makes reducing its CO₂ emissions a particularly thorny problem; amelioration strategies such as carbon sequestering are generally geared for large power plants, not individual vehicles. Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005. ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... A power station (also power plant) is a facility for the generation of electric power. ...

Renewable energy alternatives do exist, but given current technology, alternatives are uneconomical. Solar, wind, geothermal, and other renewable electricity sources cannot directly replace high energy density liquid petroleum for transportation use; instead automobiles and other equipment must be altered to allow using electricity (in batteries) or hydrogen (via fuel cells or internal combustion) which can be produced from renewable sources. Other options include using biomass-origin liquid fuels (ethanol, biodiesel). Any combination of solutions to replace petroleum as a liquid transportation fuel will be a very large undertaking. Renewable energy (sources) or RES includes all sources of energy that are captured from on-going natural processes, such as solar power, wind power, water flow in streams (hydro power), biomass, biodiesel and geothermal heat flows. ... Look up solar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wind is the rough horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current) caused by uneven heating of the Earths surface. ... Geothermal power is electricity generated by utilizing naturally occurring geological heat sources. ... For the magazine called automobile, see Automobile Magazine. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i. ... |0. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, slightly toxic chemical compound with a distinctive perfume-like odor, and is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ... Biodiesel refers to a diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources (such as vegetable oils), which can be used in unmodified diesel-engined vehicles. ...

See also: Hydrogen economy

A hydrogen economy is a hypothetical future economy in which energy, for mobile applications (vehicles, aircraft) and electrical grid load balancing (daily peak demand reserve), is stored as hydrogen (H2). ...

Future of oil

Main article: Hubbert peak theory

The Hubbert peak theory (also known as peak oil) is a proposition which predicts that future world petroleum production must inevitably reach a peak and then decline as these reserves are exhausted. It also suggests a method to calculate mathematically the timing of this peak, based on past production rates, past discovery rates, and proven oil reserves. A bell-shaped production curve, as suggested by M. King Hubbert in 1956. ... Marion King Hubbert (October 5, 1903 – October 11, 1989) was a geophysicist who worked at the Shell research lab in Houston, Texas. ...

Controversy surrounds the theory for numerous reasons. Past predictions regarding the timing of the global peak have failed, causing a number of observers to disregard the theory. Further, predictions regarding the timing of the peak are highly dependent on the past production and discovery data used in the calculation.

Proponents of peak oil theory also refer as an example of their theory, that when any given oil well produces oil in similar volumes to the amount of water used to obtain the oil, it tends to produce less oil afterwards, leading to the relatively quick exhaustion and/or commercial inviability of the well in question.

The issue can be considered from the point of view of individual regions or of the world as a whole. Hubbert's prediction for when US oil production would peak turned out to be correct, and after this occurred in 1971 - causing the US to lose its excess production capacity - OPEC was finally able to manipulate oil prices, which led to the 1973 oil crisis. Since then, most other countries have also peaked: the United Kingdom's North Sea, for example in the late 1990s. China has confirmed that two of its largest producing regions are in decline, and Mexico's national oil company, Pemex, has announced that Cantarell Field, one of the world's largest offshore fields, is expected to peak in 2006, and then decline 14% per annum. Logo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international organization made up of Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. ... At the height of the crisis in the United States, drivers of vehicles with odd numbered license plates were allowed to purchase gasoline only on odd-numbered days of the month, while drivers with even-numbers were limited to even-numbered days. ... // North Sea Oil Platforms North Sea oil refers to oil and natural gas (hydrocarbons) produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea. ... A Pemex gas station in Puerto Vallarta Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) is Mexicos state-owned, nationalized petroleum company. ... Cantarell Field or Cantarell Complex is the largest oil field in Mexico, located 80 kilometers offshore in the Bay of Campeche. ...

It is difficult to predict the oil peak in any given region (due to the lack of transparency in accounting of global oil reserves^[11]). Based on available production data, proponents have previously (and incorrectly) predicted the peak for the world to be in years 1989, 1995, or 1995-2000. However these predictions date from before the recession of the early 1980s, and the consequent reduction in global consumption, the effect of which was to delay the date of any peak by several years. A new prediction by Goldman Sachs picks 2007 for oil and some time later for natural gas. Just as the 1971 U.S. peak in oil production was only clearly recognized after the fact, a peak in world production will be difficult to discern until production clearly drops off. It has been suggested that Accounting scholarship be merged into this article or section. ... Goldman Sachs offices at the Fraumünsterplatz in Zürich (the light-colored building on the left) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ...

Many proponents of the Hubbert peak theory expound the belief that the production peak is imminent, for various reasons. 2005 saw a dramatic fall in announced new oil projects coming to production from 2008 onwards - in order to avoid the peak, these new projects would have to not only make up for the depletion of current fields, but increase total production annually to meet increasing demand.

2005 also saw substantial increases in oil prices due to a number of circumstances, including war and political instability. Oil prices rose to new highs. Analysts such as Kenneth Deffeyes^[12] argue that these price increases indicate a general lack of spare capacity, and the price fluctuations can be interpreted as a sign that peak oil is imminent.

Pricing

Overnight gas price hike shown at a Chicago area BP-Amoco station (background). The Shell station (foreground) has not yet posted the 12 cent price hike.

Short-Term Oil Prices, 2005-2007 (not adjusted for inflation).

Medium-Term Oil Prices, 1994-2007 (not adjusted for inflation).

Long-Term Oil Prices, 1861-2006 (top line adjusted for inflation).

References to the oil prices are usually either references to the spot price of either WTI/Light Crude as traded on New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) for delivery in Cushing, Oklahoma; or the price of Brent as traded on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE, which the International Petroleum Exchange has been incorporated into) for delivery at Sullom Voe. The price of a barrel (which is 42 gallons) of oil is highly dependent on both its grade (which is determined by factors such as its specific gravity or API and its sulphur content) and location. The vast majority of oil will not be traded on an exchange but on an over-the-counter basis, typically with reference to a marker crude oil grade that is typically quoted via pricing agencies such as Argus Media Ltd and Platts. For example in Europe a particular grade of oil, say Fulmar, might be sold at a price of "Brent plus US$0.25/barrel" or as an intra-company transaction. IPE claim that 65% of traded oil is priced off their Brent benchmarks. Other important benchmarks include Dubai, Tapis, and the OPEC basket. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) uses the Imported Refiner Acquisition Cost, the weighted average cost of all oil imported into the US as their "world oil price". Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x800, 467 KB)Image of the heightened price of a gallon of gas in the chicagoland area with an overnight hike (background station) with the foreground gas station not yet caught up. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x800, 467 KB)Image of the heightened price of a gallon of gas in the chicagoland area with an overnight hike (background station) with the foreground gas station not yet caught up. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 18 KB)Daily oil prices of NYMEX Light Sweet Crude, prepared from data at http://octane. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 18 KB)Daily oil prices of NYMEX Light Sweet Crude, prepared from data at http://octane. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 19 KB)Ten-day moving average of prices of NYMEX Light Sweet Crude, taken from data at the New Mexico Institue of Mining and Technology. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 19 KB)Ten-day moving average of prices of NYMEX Light Sweet Crude, taken from data at the New Mexico Institue of Mining and Technology. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1520x638, 252 KB) Crude oil price history from 1861-2006, dollars per barrel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1520x638, 252 KB) Crude oil price history from 1861-2006, dollars per barrel. ... Oil price in 2003-2005 The price of light, sweet crude oil on NYMEX has been above $40/barrel since late July 2004. ... The spot price of a commodity or a security or a currency is the price that is quoted for settlement (payment and delivery) of the transaction immediately. ... The New York Mercantile Exchange**** NOTE the AMENX is FAKE, created by york-commodities to scam your money, if you send money you will never see it again**** You have been warned. ... Cushing is a city located in Payne County, Oklahoma. ... Intercontinental Exchange or ICE is an Atlanta-based energy market. ... The International Petroleum Exchange, based in London (England), is one of the worlds largest energy futures and options exchanges. ... Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland, and an oil terminal sited on its shore. ... API Gravity is a specific gravity scale developed by the American Petroleum Institute (API) for measuring the relative density of various petroleum liquids. ... Over-the-counter (OTC) trading is to trade financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, or derivatives directly between two parties. ... Argus Media Ltd (formerly known as Petroleum Argus Ltd) is a leading independent provider of price information, market data and business intelligence for the global petroleum, natural gas, electricity and coal industries. ... Platts is a major provider of energy information around the world that has been in business for more than a century and is now a divsion of McGraw-Hill. ... The Energy Information Administration (EIA), as part of the U.S. Department of Energy, collects and disseminates data on energy reserves, production, consumption, distribution, prices, technology, and related international, economic, and financial matters. ...

It is often claimed that OPEC sets the oil price and the true cost of a barrel of oil is around $2, which is equivalent to the cost of extraction of a barrel in the Middle East. These estimates of costs ignore the cost of finding and developing oil reserves. Furthermore the important cost as far as price is concerned, is not the price of the cheapest barrel but the cost of producing the marginal barrel. By limiting production OPEC has caused more expensive areas of production such as the North Sea to be developed before the Middle East has been exhausted. OPEC's power is also often overstated. Investing in spare capacity is expensive and the low oil price environment in the late 90s led to cutbacks in investment. This has meant during the oil price rally seen between 2003-2005, OPEC's spare capacity has not been sufficient to stabilise prices.

Oil demand is highly dependent on global macroeconomic conditions, so this is also an important determinant of price. Some economists claim that high oil prices have a large negative impact on the global growth. This means that the relationship between the oil price and global growth is not particularly stable although a high oil price is often thought of as being a late cycle phenomenon.

A recent low point was reached in January 1999, after increased oil production from Iraq coincided with the Asian financial crisis, which reduced demand. The prices then rapidly increased, more than doubling by September 2000, then fell until the end of 2001 before steadily increasing, reaching US $40 to US $50 per barrel by September 2004. [1] In October 2004, light crude futures contracts on the NYMEX for November delivery exceeded US $53 per barrel and for December delivery exceeded US $55 per barrel. Crude oil prices surged to a record high above $60 a barrel in June 2005, sustaining a rally built on strong demand for gasoline and diesel and on concerns about refiners' ability to keep up. This trend continued into early August 2005, as NYMEX crude oil futures contracts surged past the $65 mark as consumers kept up the demand for gasoline despite its high price. (see Oil price increases of 2004-2006).) Crude oil futures peaked at a close of over $77 a barrel in July 2006, and in December 2006 at about $63. That is just about where they began the year 2006.[2] The Asian financial crisis was a financial crisis that started in July 1997 in Thailand and affected currencies, stock markets, and other asset prices in several Asian countries, many considered East Asian Tigers. ... In finance, a futures contract is a standardized contract, traded on a futures exchange, to buy or sell a certain underlying instrument at a certain date in the future, at a specified price. ... This article contains speculation and may try to argue its points. ... Early elections in November are announced in the Netherlands. ... December 2006 is the twelfth and final month of the year and will begin in 2 day(s). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Individuals can now trade crude oil through online trading sites margin account or their banks through structured products indexed on the Commodities markets. A margin account is a brokerage account that can hold both deposited cash and securities, and also allows for borrowing funds from the broker dealer to purchase additional securities with. ... Structured products are synthetic investment instruments specially created to meet specific needs that cannot be met from the standardized financial instruments available in the markets. ...

See also History and Analysis of Crude Oil Prices, asymmetric price transmission, and Benchmark (crude oil) Figure 1, Example of the Asymmetric Price Transmission (inset in the bottom right panel). ... [1] Crude oil price Benchamrks were first introduced in the mid 1980s. ...

International market

Oil consumption per capita per barrels of oil each day.

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1357x628, 48 KB) Source Map taken from Image:BlankMap-World-v6. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1357x628, 48 KB) Source Map taken from Image:BlankMap-World-v6. ...

Top petroleum-producing countries

Source: Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government.

For oil reserves by country, see Oil reserves by country. Peak Oil Depletion Scenarios Graph which depicts cumulative published depletion studies by ASPO and other depletion analysts. ...

Oil producing countries

In order of amount produced in 2004 in MMbbl/d & ML/d: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x720, 56 KB) Summary Map of oil producing countries as listed on wikipedia:List of oil-producing states , also shows US states and canadian provinces producing oil & OPEC members Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Petroleum List... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x720, 56 KB) Summary Map of oil producing countries as listed on wikipedia:List of oil-producing states , also shows US states and canadian provinces producing oil & OPEC members Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Petroleum List... Countries producing oil This is a list of states that extract crude oil from oil wells. ... The barrel is the name of several units of measurement. ... Water, Rabbit, and Deer: three of the 20 day symbols in the Aztec calendar, from the Aztec Sun Stone. ... mega- (symbol M) is an SI prefix in the SI system of units denoting a factor of 106, i. ... The litre or liter (U.S. spelling, see spelling differences) is a unit of volume. ...

¹ peak production of conventional oil already passed in this state The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... Logo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international organization made up of Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. ... Peak Oil Depletion Scenarios Graph which depicts cumulative published depletion studies by ASPO and other depletion analysts. ...

² Though still a member, Iraq has not been included in production figures since 1998

³ Canada has the world's second largest oil reserves when tar sands are included, and is the leading source of U.S. imports, averaging 1.7 MMbbl/d in April 2006 [3].

Top petroleum-exporting countries

Oil exports by country

In order of amount exported in 2003: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x628, 56 KB) Summary oil exports in bbl/day, as listed on the CIA factbook Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Petroleum ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x628, 56 KB) Summary oil exports in bbl/day, as listed on the CIA factbook Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Petroleum ...

1. Saudi Arabia (OPEC)
2. Russia
3. Norway ¹
4. Iran (OPEC)
5. United Arab Emirates (OPEC)
6. Venezuela (OPEC) ¹
7. Kuwait (OPEC)
8. Nigeria (OPEC)
9. Mexico ¹
10. Algeria (OPEC)
11. Libya (OPEC) ¹

¹ peak production already passed in this state Peak Oil Depletion Scenarios Graph which depicts cumulative published depletion studies by ASPO and other depletion analysts. ...

Note that the USA consumes almost all of its own production, while the UK has recently become a net-importer rather than net-exporter.

Total world production/consumption (as of 2005) is approximately 84 million barrels per day.

See also: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is made up of Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela; since 1965, its international headquarters have been in Vienna, Austria. ...

Top petroleum-consuming countries

Source: CIA World Factbook

Top petroleum-importing countries

Oil imports by country

Source: CIA World Factbook Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1469x628, 53 KB) Summary oil imports in bbl/day, as listed on the CIA factbook Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Petroleum ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1469x628, 53 KB) Summary oil imports in bbl/day, as listed on the CIA factbook Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Petroleum ...

Top petroleum non-producing and consuming countries

Source : CIA World Factbook

Petroleum in the media

In addition to the mainstream media, petroleum is a topic which has been written and spoken publicly about by a plethora of experts and specialists, including economists, environmental activists, geologists, physicists, and college professors.

Books about the petroleum industry

• Peter Odell (2004). Why Carbon Fuels Will Dominate the 21st Century's Global Energy Economy. Multi Science. 0906522226. 
• Daniel Yergin (1991). The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power. Simon & Schuster. 0671502484. 
• Harold F. Williamson and Arnold R. Daum (1959). The American Petroleum Industry: Volume I, The Age of Illumination. Northwestern University Press. 
• Harold F. Williamson, Ralph L. Andreano, Arnold R. Daum, and Gilbert C. Klose (1963). The American Petroleum Industry: Volume II, The Age of Energy. Northwestern University Press. 
• Beychok, Milton R. (1967). Aqueous Wastes from Petroleum and Petrochemical Plants, 1st Edition, John Wiley and Sons. LCCN 67-19834. 
• Klare, Michael T. (2004). Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America's Growing Dependency on Imported Petroleum, 1st Edition, Metropolitan Books. 0805073132. 

Daniel H. Yergin (born February 6, 1947) is an American author and economic researcher. ... The Prize (1991; ISBN 0671502484) is Daniel Yergins 800-page history of the global oil industry from the 1850s through 1990. ... Aqueous Wastes from Petroleum and Petrochemical Plants is a book about the composition and treatment of the various wastewater streams produced in the hydrocarbon processing industries (i. ...

Books about petroleum supply

• John V. Mitchell (Associate Fellow Chatham House, London): A New Era for Oil Prices; 32 Pages, August 2006
• Kenneth Deffeyes (2005). Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 
• Matthew Simmons (2005). Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy. John Wiley & Sons. 0471790184. 
• James Howard Kunstler (2005). The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century. Atlantic Monthly Press. 0871138883. 
• C.J. Campbell (2004). The Coming Oil Crisis. 
• (2004) Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil. 
• Amory B. Lovins (2004). Winning the Oil Endgame. Rocky Mountain Institute. 1881071103. 
• Vaclav Smil (2003). Energy at the Crossroads : Global Perspectives and Uncertainties. The MIT Press. 0262194929. 
• Kenneth Deffeyes (2001). Hubbert's Peak : The Impending World Oil Shortage. Princeton. 0691090866. 

Kenneth S. Deffeyes is a geologist who worked with M. King Hubbert of Hubberts peak fame, at the Shell Oil Company research laboratory in Houston, Texas. ... Matthew Simmons. ... James Howard Kunstler (born 1948) is an American author, social critic, and blogger who is perhaps best known for his book The Geography of Nowhere, a history of suburbia and urban development in the United States. ... The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century is a book by James Howard Kunstler exploring the consequnces of a world oil production peak, coinciding with the forces of climate change, resurgent diseases, water scarcity, global economic instability and warfare to cause chaos for future generations. ... Amory Bloch Lovins (born November 13, 1947 in Washington, DC) is an American conservationist. ... Kenneth S. Deffeyes is a geologist who worked with M. King Hubbert of Hubberts peak fame, at the Shell Oil Company research laboratory in Houston, Texas. ...

Films about petroleum

• Burning of the Standard Oil Co.'s Tanks, Bayonne, N.J. at the Internet Movie Database
• California Oil Wells in Operation at the Internet Movie Database
• Canada Strikes Oil: Leduc, Alberta 1947 at the Internet Movie Database
• The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream at the Internet Movie Database
  • http://www.endofsuburbia.com
• Hellfighters at the Internet Movie Database
• Incendio del pozo petrolero de Dos Bocas, Veracruz at the Internet Movie Database
• La Industria del Petróleo at the Internet Movie Database
• Industria petrolului at the Internet Movie Database
• Oil - From Fossil to Flame at the Internet Movie Database
• Oil Fires, Their Prevention and Extinguishment at the Internet Movie Database
• Oil Storm at the Internet Movie Database
• Roughnecks: The Story of Oil Drillers at the Internet Movie Database
• Wildcatter: The Story of Texas Oil at the Internet Movie Database
• Lektionen in Finsternis at the Internet Movie Database
• Syriana
• "Destination Earth" at the Prelinger Archives
• Community Service, Inc. (Producer.) (2006.) The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil DVD

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about motion pictures, actors, movie stars, TV shows, TV stars, production crew personnel, as well as video games. ... This article is about the film. ... The Prelinger Archives are a collection of films, mostly shorts made for industrial or educational markets. ...

Writers covering the petroleum industry

• Brian Black
• Colin J. Campbell
• Kenneth S. Deffeyes
• Thomas Gold
• David Goodstein
• Jay Hanson
• Daniel Yergin
• Derrick Jensen

Brian Black is a professor of history and environmental studies at Pennsylvania State University, Altoona, Pennsylvania. ... Colin J. Campbell, Ph. ... Kenneth S. Deffeyes is a geologist who worked with M. King Hubbert of Hubberts peak fame, at the Shell Oil Company research laboratory in Houston, Texas. ... Thomas Gold (May 22, 1920 – June 22, 2004) was an Austrian astrophysicist, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, and a member of the US National Academy of Sciences. ... David L. Goodstein (born 1939) is a U.S. physicist and educator. ... Daniel H. Yergin (born February 6, 1947) is an American author and economic researcher. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

See also

It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Peak Oil. ... The hypothesis of abiogenic petroleum origin holds that most petroleum was formed from deep carbon deposits, perhaps deposits dating to the accretion of the Earth. ... Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Map The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge covers about 19,600,000 acres (79,318 km²) in northeastern Alaska, in the North Slope region. ... This list of oil fields includes major fields of the past and present. ... Countries producing oil This is a list of states that extract crude oil from oil wells. ... Countries in decreasing order of oil consumption. ... Peak Oil Depletion Scenarios Graph which depicts cumulative published depletion studies by ASPO and other depletion analysts. ... This is a list of petroleum companies. ... The word ecology is often used in common parlance as a synonym for the natural environment or environmentalism. ... For the physical concepts, see conservation of energy and energy efficiency. ... An energy crisis is any great bottleneck (or price rise) in the supply of energy resources to an economy. ... (Redirected from 1973 energy crisis) United States, drivers of vehicles with odd numbered license plates were allowed to purchase gasoline only on odd-numbered days of the month, while drivers with even-numbers were limited to even-numbered days. ... Line at a gas station, June 15, 1979. ... Coal rail cars in Ashtabula, Ohio Fossil Fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal, fuel oil or natural gas, formed from the remains of dead plants and animals. ... Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... ... The Hubbert peak theory, also known as peak oil, is an influential theory concerning the long-term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. ... Future energy development faces great challenges due to an increasing world population, demands for higher standards of living, demands for less pollution and a much-discussed end to fossil fuels. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The 1990 (or third) energy crisis was the mildest and most brief of them all. ... Mineral oil or liquid petrolatum is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. ... Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... Non-conventional oil is oil extracted using techniques other than the traditional oil well method. ... Oil imperialism theories characterize a broad group of political science theories which assert that direct and indirect control of world petroleum reserves is a root factor in current international politics. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Crude oil prices, 2004-2006 (not adjusted for inflation) In 2005 the Swedish government announced their intention to become the first country to break their countrys dependence on oil and other ‘fossil raw materials’ by 2020 [1]. As of 2005, oil supplies provided about 32% of the countrys... This article contains speculation and may try to argue its points. ... View of Shell Oil Refinery in Martinez, California. ... Crude oil is a finite resource. ... An oil well is a term for any perforation through the Earths surface designed to find and release both petroleum oil and gas hydrocarbons. ... The Olduvai theory was first introduced by Richard C. Duncan, Ph. ... Platts is a major provider of energy information around the world that has been in business for more than a century and is now a divsion of McGraw-Hill. ... Volunteers cleaning up the aftermath of the Prestige oil spill An oil spill is the release of oil (generally, petroleum) into the natural environment, usually the ocean. ... Petroleum geology is a term used to refer to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to the search for hydrocarbons (oil exploration). ... A petrodollar is a dollar earned by a country through the sale of oil. ... Alternative propulsion is a term used frequently for power train concepts differing to the standard internal combustion engine concept used in gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles. ... Fuel Stations are points at which vehicles operating on gasoline, diesel, natural gas, or hydrogen can stop at in order to refuel. ... Political sidewalk graffiti Petroleum politics have been an increasingly important aspect of international diplomacy since the discovery of oil in the Middle East in the early 1900s. ... Renewable energy (Non-Conventional Energy) is defined as energy derived from resources that are regenerative or for all practical purposes can not be depleted. ... The soft energy path is an energy use and development strategy delineated and promoted by some energy experts and activists, such as Amory Lovins and Tom Bender; in Canada, David Suzuki has been a very prominent (if less specialized) proponent. ... Thermal depolymerization (TDP) is a process for the reduction of complex organic materials (usually waste products of various sorts, often known as biomass) into light crude oil. ... Thomas Gold (May 22, 1920 – June 22, 2004) was an Austrian astrophysicist, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, and a member of the US National Academy of Sciences. ... Eugene Island is a submerged mountain 70-85 miles off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. ...

References

The American Petroleum Institute, commonly referred to as API, is the main U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry, representing about 400 corporate members involved in all aspects of the industry. ... Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Petroleum

Wikinews has news related to:

Commodities

• OTS Heavy Oil Science Centre (includes overview of all phases of the oil industry)
• US Energy Information Administration - Part of the informative website of the US Government's Energy Information Administration.
• American Petroleum Institute - the trade association of the US oil industry.
• How derivatives drive oil prices up, despite ample supply in physical oil market (9-Jun-06)
• Andy Xie, MorganStanley economist for Asia, thinks oil is financial bubble (16-Jun-2005)
• Explanation of pricing mechanism in oil markets
• The real problems with $50 oil, An analysis by Henry C.K. Liu in Asia Times Online, details the economic impact of high oil prices.
• The Oil Drum - A Community Discussion about Peak Oil and the Oil Industry.
• Petroleum directory Industry news service
• Oil prices and industry news
• BP Statistical Review of World Energy
• Oil Prices
• Oil Rocks
• Nymex - oil trading center of the US
• Bloomberg Energy Prices - current prices on world mercantile exchanges
• Oil Marketer - oil news and market information
• Oil in troubled waters - Economist article on investor approaches to oil markets, supply, and future
• One Case of an Oil and Gas Field being 'Renewed'
• Global Oil Watch - Real-time oil and gas news and resources
• PetroTalk Portal for petro related Articles, Discussion, Links and more
• Petroleum Club Online Community for the Petroleum Industry
• Interactive Oil Well Map of Mississippi Mississippi Oil Journal

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ...

Articles

• Discovery of oil in South East Asia - History of an oil town.
• The End of the Age of Oil - article adapted from a talk by Caltech vice provost and professor of physics David Goodstein
• The Politics of Oil - A report on the oil industry's influence of lawmakers and public policy by the Center for Public Integrity.
• BBC: Stability fears rise as oil reliance grows
• House Votes to Reverse Ban on Offshore Drilling
• Top Saudi Says Kingdom Has Plenty of Oil "261 billion barrels in reserve..."
• Lee Raymond of Exxon Mobile believes oil supplies will rise
• Known Saudi Arabian Oil Reserves Tripled
• Pemex's oil estimates double: Mexican Oil company's estimate of reserves doubled.
• Dismissal of the Claims of a Biological Connection for Natural Petroleum ^[13]
• An introduction to the modern petroleum science, and to the Russian-Ukrainian theory of deep, abiotic petroleum origins.
• Abiogenic Gas Debate
• Anything Into Oil: Technological savvy could turn 600 million tons of turkey guts and other waste into 4 billion barrels of light Texas crude each year ^[14]
• MSN Encarta article on petroleum
• Where Does My Gasoline Come From ? Energy Information Administration

David L. Goodstein (born 1939) is a U.S. physicist and educator. ... The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, journalistic organization dedicated to producing investigative reporting on public officials, government policy and its effects[1]. // Located in Washington, DC, USA, the Center produces reports aimed to provide transparent and insightful reporting. ...

Data

• Department of Energy EIA - World supply and consumption
• Department of Energy EIA - Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports to USA
• US petroleum prices - from US Department of Energy EIA
• European Brent prices since 1987
• Price data (deflated and non-deflated) since 1861

1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...