1. Chapter 11 Fossil Fuels

2. Overview of Chapter 11 Energy Sources and Consumption
How Fossil Fuels are Formed
Coal
Coal Reserves and Mining
Environmental Impacts
Oil and Natural Gas
Exploration for Reserves of Oil and Natural Gas
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Synfuels
US Energy Strategy

3. Energy Sources and Consumption
Energy sources used to be local
Energy density…
Now they are worldwide
Energy consumption is different between developing and developed nations
20% of world’s population use 60% of the world’s energy sources
(more on next slide)

4. Energy Consumption
Per capita energy consumption of selected developed and developing countries (image)
Worldwide energy consumption has been _____________________ every year since 1982
Most increase occurring in developing countries
Increased energy demands may be met by increased energy efficiency – thru use of less energy to accomplish the same task
Energy efficiency …

5. Energy consumption in the US
___________________ (production) use the most
Heating, cooling, and illuminating building is 1/3

6. Fossil Fuels Combustible deposits in the Earth’s crust
Composed of the ______________________ (fossils) of prehistoric organisms that existed millions of years ago
Includes coal, oil (petroleum) and natural gas
Fossil fuels are created too slowly to replace the reserves we use

7. How Are Fossil Fuels Formed?
300 million years ago
Climate was mild
Vast swamps covered much of the land
Dead plant material decayed __________________ in the swamp environment

8. How Are Fossil Fuels Formed?
Coal
Heat, pressure and time turned the plant material into carbon-rich rock (coal)
Oil
Sediment deposited over microscopic aquatic organisms – decomposition role?
Heat pressure and time turned them into ______________________ (oil)
Natural Gas
Formed the same way as oil, but at temperatures _______________________ than 100 °C

9. Coal Occurs in different grades 4 Common Grades:
Based on variations in heat and pressure during burial
4 Common Grades:
Lignite…
Subbituminous…
Bituminous…
Anthracite…
Most, if not all, coal deposits have been identified
Primarily in northern hemisphere

10. Coal Reserves US has 25% of world’s coal supplies
Known coal deposits could last ________ years
At present rate of consumption

11. 2 Types of Coal Mining Surface mining (image) Subsurface mining
Chosen if coal is within 100 ft of surface
Mineral and energy resources are extracted near Earth’s surface by first removing the soil, subsoil, and overlying rock strata (overburden)
Strip mining…
Subsurface mining
Comparison of 2 types of mining…

12. Problems Associated with Mining
There are significant human safety and health risks in mining process itself
Underground mining is hazardous occupation:
Many people die in mining accidents
Miners have increased risk of cancer and black lung disease
Did you hear about the coal mine that collapsed in April 2010?
Upper Big Branch Mine, in West Virginia
Methane gas buildup plus spark
29 of 31 dead

13. Environmental Impacts of Mining Coal
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977)
Requires filling (reclaiming) of surface mines after mining
Reduces ________________________________
Requires ________________ and ____________ of active coal mining sites
Prohibits coal mining in sensitive areas
Mountaintop Removal
Fills valleys and streams with debris

14. Environmental Impacts of Burning Coal
Releases large quantities of CO2 into atmosphere
Greenhouse gas
Releases other pollutants into atmosphere
Can cause acid precipitation
International issues

15. Making Coal Cleaner
Scrubbers- reduce _____________ emissions thru reaction with chemicals which cause pollutant to precipitate out
Lime scrubbers-
Resource recovery – the process of removing any material from polluted emissions or solid waste and selling it as a marketable product
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
Clean coal technologies
Fluidized-bed combustion – crushed coal is mixed with limestone to neutralize the acidic sulfur compounds produced during combustion (image)

16. Oil and Natural Gas Oil and gas provide 60% of world’s energy
They provide 63% of US’s energy
Petroleum (crude oil) –

17. Petroleum Refining
_________________ hydrocarbons present in crude oil (petroleum) are separated
Based on ____________ point
Oil used to make petrochemicals…

18. Natural Gas
Natural gas contains far _____________ hydrocarbons than crude oil
Methane, ethane, propane and butane
Natural gas use is increasing in 3 areas:
Transportation -
Main disadvantage of natural gas – deposits are often located far from where energy is used
LNG potential
Honda Civic GX – refueling

19. Oil and Natural Gas Exploration
Oil and natural gas migrate upwards until they hit impermeable rock
Usually located in structural traps and associated salt domes
Geologists use a variety of techniques to identify structural traps :
Drill __________________ in surface and obtain rock samples
Produce an explosion at the surface and measure the echoes of sound waves

20. Oil Reserves Uneven distribution globally
More than ________ is located in the Middle East
Large oil deposits probably exist under the continental shelves
A no-no to environmentalists

21. Natural Gas Reserves Uneven distribution globally
More than half is located in Russia and Iran

22. How long will Supplies Last?
Difficult to determine and estimates vary
Depends on:
How many more deposits will be located
What technology might be available extract deeper resources
Changes in global consumption rates
“Peak Oil”
Some industry analysts believe that improving technology will allow us to extract ____________oil out of old oil fields
____________________ is more plentiful than oil
1973- Cars lined up at gas station (gas shortage resulting from embargo imposed by OPEC)

23. Global Oil Demand and Supply
The world’s major oil producers are not its major oil consumers
US currently imports >2/3 of its oil – produced a 2006 balance of payments deficit of $270 billion
Only expected to __________________
Imbalance in consumption vs production will worsen in future
Causes dependence of US and other countries on Middle Eastern oil – potential international security implications as well as economic impacts

24. Environmental Impacts of Oil and Natural Gas
Combustion
Production
Disturbance to land and habitat
Transport
Spills- especially in aquatic systems
Ex: Alaskan Oil Spill (1989)

25. 1989 Alaskan Oil Spill ~ Exxon Valdez

26. 1989 Alaskan Oil Spill ~ Exxon Valdez
Exxon Valdez hit a reef and spilled 260,000 barrels of crude oil into sound
Largest oil spill in US history, up to the Gulf Spill
Led to Oil Pollution Act of 1990

27. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill April 20, 2010
Aka: BP oil spill
Gulf of Mexico
Oil flowed unabated for three months
Largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry
Cause: explosion on platform
high pressure methane gas from the well expanded into the drilling riser  released onto the drilling rig ignited and exploded
Efforts by multiple ships to douse the flames were unsuccessful  burned for approximately 36 hours and sank on April 22, 2010
Why problem? Oil leaking directly from tapped underground storage (well)
July 15, 2010: the leak was stopped  capped the gushing wellhead
Estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude oil released

28. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
September 19, 2010: the relief well process was successfully completed
federal government declared the well "effectively dead
November 2010:4 ,200 square miles of the Gulf were re-closed to shrimping after tar balls found in shrimpers' nets
January 2011: oil spill commissioner reported that problems still exist
February 2011 : researchers found tar on the bottom of the seafloor did not seem to be degrading
July 9, 2011: roughly 491 miles of coastline in LA, MS, AL and FL remained contaminated
January 2011 :the White House oil spill commission released its final report on the causes of the oil spill.
Blame on BP and its partners for making a series of cost-cutting decisions and the lack of a system to ensure well safety
In June 2010 BP set up a $20 billion fund to compensate victims of the oil spill
September 2011: U.S. government published its final investigative report on the accident.
The main cause was the defective cement job, and Halliburton, BP and Transocean were, in different ways, responsible for the accident.
tar balls continue to wash up, oil sheen trails are seen in the wake of fishing boats, wetlands marsh grass remains fouled and dying, and crude oil lies offshore in deep water and in fine silts and sands onshore.

29. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Extensive damage to:
marine and wildlife habitats
Gulf's fishing and tourism industries
To remove oil/protect beaches, wetlands, estuaries:
skimmer ships
floating containment booms
anchored barriers
sand-filled barricades along shorelines
dispersants

31. Largest Global Oil Spill
1991 during Persian Gulf War
~25o million gallons of crude oil were _______________ dumped into Persian Gulf
Cleanup efforts along coastline and in desert were initially hampered by _____________
In 2001 Kuwait began a massive remediation project to clean up its oil contaminated desert

32. Case in Point - Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge - home to many animal species (polar bears, arctic foxes, peregrine falcons, musk oxen, Dall sheep, wolverines, and snow geese)
History of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
1960 – Congress declared a section of northeastern Alaska protected because of its distinctive wildlife
1980 –
Pressure for oil development subsided for about 5 yrs after Exxon spill
Mid 1990s –
2001 – Bush
Senate voted against opening refuge for oil development
Support for and Opposition to Oil Exploration in the Refuge

33. Synfuel and Other Fossil Fuel Resources
Used in place of oil or natural gas
Include:
Tar sands
Oil shales
Gas hydrates
Liquefied coal
Coal gas (right)

34. Environmental Impact of Synfuels
Combustion releases enormous quantities of ____ and other pollutants into atmosphere
Contributes to global warming and _______________
Require large amounts of ____________ during production
Limited usefulness in arid areas
Large areas of land would have to be surface mined to recover the fuel in tar sands and oil shales

35. US Energy Strategy Objective 1: Objective 2:
Requires many unpopular decisions
Examples
Decrease speed limit to conserve fuel
Eliminate government subsidies
Objective 2:
2 oppositions: environmental and economic

36. US Energy Strategy Objective 3:
Who should pay for this? Gas taxes?
Objective 4: Without Further Damage to the Environment

37. Bush’s National Energy Policy (2005)