What are they? Where do they come from?

 Coal  Oil  Natural Gas  Methane hydrates  Tar Sands

 Ancient swamps covered with eroded sediments  Covering with sediment prevented decomposition  Pressure of sediments formed peat  Heat and pressure caused chemical changes in peat  Oxygen and hydrogen forced out  Coal was formed

 Longwall- cut a wall of coal underground and allow coal to fall on conveyor belt ; roof falls down  Explosives- only 20% underground mining

Tailings Acid Mine drainage

Coal and the Environment

scrubbers

Requires mining companies to restore surface mined land so it can be used for the same purpose as it was before it was mined. Obtain permit Submit reclamation plan Post bond money for reclamation and clean up

 Petroleum and natural gas- ◦ Made up of hydrogen and oxygen- called “hydrocarbons” ◦ Natural gas is mostly methane CH 4 ◦ Formed the same way as coal

 1820s Hart used hallow logs to transport natural gas form wells to light street lamps  1700s to 1800s- used whale oil cooking and light  Whale oil scare- people collected crude oil form seeps and made kerosene to light homes  Drake discovers oil- refined into kerosene  1920s- Henry Ford invents “horseless carriage” or car- gasoline is made to power these cars

Kerosene lamps Horseless carriage

Seismogram

Drilling oil in Alaska disrupts its natural aesthetic qualities. Drilling requires workers set up infrastructure- clearing spaces for roads, habitations, loading docks, equipment, landfills, landing strips for planes and helicopters, and pipe- lines. Native species suffer- caribou, musk oxen, porcupines, ravens, gulls, arctic foxes, wolves, snow geese, shorebirds and seabirds, and polar bears. Seismic vibrations generated to locate oil deposits scare animals, such as polar bears, off their natural migration patterns.

 Yes: 1. It would increase supply of oil, lowering the price. 2. It would lessen our dependence on foreign oil. 3. It would create jobs.  No: 1. It would distract from the higher goal of developing alternative renewable energy sources. 2. It would distract from the higher goal of decreasing our excessive consumption. 3. It would disturb the wilderness. 4. It would allow private oil companies to profit from federal resources

Mixture of clay, sand, and water and a combustible material called bitumen. Tar sands found in Canada and Venezuela. (reserves 240X crude oil) Tar sands are surface mined and sent to a refinery. Presently $21/barrel.

Disadvantages  Large amount of water needed to process (3 barrels water/ 1 barrel oil)  Severe land disturbance- tailings ponds with toxic wastes, can pollute ground water  Air pollution when burned  Pipeline traverse six U.S. states and cross major rivers, including the Missouri River, Yellowstone, and Red Rivers, as well as key sources of drinking water Advantages  Large potential reserves  Easily transported  Distribution system in place?