Chapter 12Energy from Fossil Fuels

Important energy facts

• Brief history of energy

*1700-1800 Fire wood

*1900-1920 Coal

*1950- now crude oil• “production of crude oil” = with drawing it from

reserves• OPEC (pg 314) organization of petroleum

exporting countries (Mid-east countries mainly)

• Decrease in crude oil production

• Increase in crude oil consumption

• So … the price went up

During the oil crisis of 1973…

How are Fossil Fuels Formed?

How much do we have?

Coal-several (400) hundred years

Oil- supplies are close to their peak production. One prediction says we could be out of oil in 2045.

Natural Gas – at least a 50 year supply in the United States

World Oil Production

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3871/Dr. Francois E. Cellier

Graph Information• The black curve (a) shows the historical data of world oil production from 1930 until

2006.

• The blue curve (b) shows a Hubbert extrapolation model that is based on the last 22 years of historical production data.

• The model postulates that the peak of world oil production will occur around 2012. The model predicts further that the total amount of oil ever to be produced is 2445 * 109 barrels.

• Out of those, 50% have already been produced, i.e., still to be produced are 1222.5 * 109 barrels.

• This number is consistent with the proved oil reserve figures published by BP. According to BP, the proved oil reserves are 1209.5 * 109 barrels.

• The red curve (c) shows a constant exploitation model. • This is the oil utilization model, on which the oil reserves of 40.6 years are based. • According to this model, we continue to produce and consume oil at the current level for

40.6 more years, after which time it will be all gone.

• The green curve (d) shows an exponential growth model. • To obtain it, I calculated the average exponential annual growth rate over the last 10

years (1.58%), and postulated that oil exploitation shall continue to grow exponentially. • Using this model, the remaining oil reserves will last for another 28 years only. After that

time, the oil will be gone.

Where do we get it?

• We get 50% of our crude oil from foreign sources • Alaska pipeline built to help increase production

of domestic crude oil

Oil: The Most Important Fossil Fuel in the American Economy

Environmental Consequences

1. Production: local ecosystems damage possible

2. Transport: oil spills cause local and regional ecosystem damage

3. Use: photochemical smog, particulates, acid precipitation, carbon dioxide

Coal

Environmental Consequences1. Production: ecosystem damage, reclamation

difficult, acid mine runoff, mine tailings, erosion, black lung, radon

2. Transport: energy intensive because of weight and number of train cars needed

3. Use: fossil fuel with largest source of carbon dioxide and greatest quantity of contaminants, large volume of waste, acid precipitation

Types of Coal• Peat- not coal; a precursor• Lignite- “brown coal”• Bituminous- “soft coal;” high in sulfur• Anthracite- “hard coal;” low sulfur

Natural Gas

Environmental Consequences: 1. Production: local ecosystem

damage possible if oil or coal is part of the deposit but this fuel could be produced in a renewable way with less ecosystem damage

2. Transport: can be explosive3. Use: produces the least air

pollutants of all the fossil fuels

Possibly a transition fuel between fossil fuel and alternative energy sources.

Could we use other forms of fossil fuels?

• 21 gallons of oil can be produced from one ton of oil shale • There are advances in the

technology of extracting oil from the shale that could make it economically feasible and lower the environmental impact.  • All of the emissions problems

continue to exist with this form of energy• As crude oil prices go up,

interest in oil shale goes up.

Sustainable Energy Options

• Conservation is the best energy plan but…YOU have to do your part, the government can’t just fix it. Changing individual habits may be hard.

• Development of renewable energy sources

Electricity

1. Electricity is a secondary energy source because it relies on another energy source to create the electricity.

2. Basic production of electricity-boil water to produce steam to turn turbines to generate electron flow through a wire.

3. Examples of primary sources for electrical production (U.S.)

1. 20% from nuclear

2. 57% from coal

3. Oil, geothermal, solar, wind, hydroelectric (no boiling water required for these sources)

Is electricity a clean energy source?

Hubbert Curve of Oil Production