Fossil fuels

What is it??? There are a kind of black stones cut from the mountain in veins, which burn like logs. They maintain the fire better than wood. If you put them on in the evening they will preserve it the whole night and it will be found burning in the morning. Marco Polo 1254-1324

300 YEARS OF FOSSIL FUELS IN 300 SECONDS

COAL Black/brown rock that burns Carbonized plant matter (90% Carbon) Extracted by mining Found worldwide… most coal resources are in US-China- Russia-India

COAL DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES Carbon emissions Harmful byproducts: CO2 & SO2 Air pollution & acid rain Nonrenewable Mining damages ecosystems ADVANTAGES Affordable Abundant (most abundant fossil fuel) Easy to burn

CRUDE OIL Unrefined petroleum Drilling (wells drilled into ground) LOCATION: shale/tar sand deposits… Middle East-Russia- North America

OIL… DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES Greenhouse gas emissions Water & land pollution Harmful byproducts: SO2 & CO2 Contribute to acid rain Limited…run out in ~ 50 years Promote terrorism/war/violence Toxic PLASTIC byproducts ADVANTAGES High energy density Accessible Variety of uses Reliable Easy to produce/refine

Uses of Crude Oil Source of heat Gasoline Kerosene Diesel fuel Petroleum Plastics…home appliances, computer parts, vehicle parts, storage items, shoes, and toys, to thousands of other items. Clothing: polyester…nylon…rayon…faux fur Polyurethane (foam/furniture cushions) Linoleum (flooring) fertilizer Medications such as aspirins, antiseptics, antibacterial drugs, etc.

NATURAL GAS Hydrocarbon…mainly methane Wells/hydraulic fracturing Shale deposits

DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES NATURAL GAS… Toxic Flammable Complex processing Nonrenewable Contributes greenhouse gases Burns cleaner Less Carbon emissions Easy to store & transport Residential use Vehicle fuel affordable

COAL BED METHANE Form of natural gas extracted from coal beds Wells drilled into coal seam; decrease water pressure allowing methane gas to escape Coal bed deposits

COAL BED METHANE

COAL BED METHANE… ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Enhance coal productivity Domestic sources… so reduce need to import Relatively clean burning Water depletion Water contamination/pollution Land degradation

METHANE HYDRATES “fire ice” Formed from water & methane gas at high temps & pressure Extracted by water circulation: hot water pumped into deposits thru wells…raises temperature…break down hydrate…release methane Found in soft sea bed along continental margins

METHANE HYDRATE DEPOSITS

METHANE HYDRATES DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES Dispersed through oceans Not cost effective to extract Contribute to greenhouse gases Huge deposits available High energy content

Fossil fuels account for 85% worldwide energy consumption OIL is the major fossil fuel used worldwide for energy

Our civilization runs by burning the remains of humble creatures who inhabited the Earth hundreds of millions of years before the first humans came on the scene Carl Sagan 1934-1996