Fossil FuelsCoal and Crude Oil

CoalMade up of carbon, hydrogen,

oxygen, nitrogen and sulfurConsidered as a dirty form of

fossil fuelCan be extracted by shaft

mining(underground), or open pit mining(ground level)

Combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock

Hilt’s LawHilt’s Law is a geological term

that states that, in a small area, the deeper the coal, the higher its rank (grade). The law holds true if the thermal gradient is entirely vertical, but metamorphism may cause lateral changes of rank, irrespective of depth.

TypesPeatLigniteSub-bituminous coalBituminous coalAnthraciteGraphite

Advantages and Disadvantages of Coal

AdvantagesEasily combustible, and burns in

low temperaturesWidely and easily distributed all

over the worldComparatively inexpensive to

buy on the open marketGood availability for much of the

world (coal is found in many more places than other fossil fuels)

AdvantagesMost coal is easy to mine –

making it the least expensive fossil fuel to obtain

A fossil-fuelled power station can be built almost anywhere

DisadvantagesLowest energy density of any

fossil fuelHigh coal transportation costs

due to the bulk of coalCoal dust is an extreme explosion

hazardBurning fossil fuels releases

carbon dioxideIt leaves behind harmful by-

products upon combustion

DisadvantagesMining coal leads to irreversible

damage to the adjoining environment

Prices for al fossil fuels are risingBurning of coal releases oxides of

sulfur and other volatile substances to the atmosphere.◦This can affect our health and miners

are exposed to hazardous chemicals that may cause black lung disease.

Crude OilA.k.a. PetroleumNatural occurring flammable liquidProduct of the remains of marine

plants and animals that lived million years ago

Highly complex mixture of hydrocarbon compounds and minor amounts of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur

Recovered usually using oil drilling

Advantages and Disadvantages of Petroleum

AdvantagesCan withstand high heats without

breakdown making it useful as lubricants

Highly compact portable source of energy used for most forms of mechanical transportation

Production of oil has much less impact and a smaller carbon footprint on earth than coal from strip mining

AdvantagesCertain components make

excellent solvents for paintOther components make

excellent compact source of portable cooking fuel

DisadvantagesMuch of the remaining oil in the

world is in politically unstable areas including Africa, Middle East, Russia, and parts of Southeast Asia.

Easily vaporizable components of oil can contribute to smog.

Drilling for oil is getting more difficult and expensive because we are now drilling as deep or deeper than 20,000 feet to find new reserves. 

Disadvantages Oil does contain some cancer

causing compounds, benzene is one of those

Our consumption of oil is increasing at the same time our production is falling. The world is currently consuming 83 million barrels of oil per day. We aren't producing that much

Products derived from Crude Oil

Asphalt(a residue)

Lubricating oilParaffin waxDiesel fuelKeroseneGasolineGas

NylonStockingsEnamel paintDetergentPlasticsSynthetic

rubberPhotographic

film

Bad NewsCoal will eventually run out and

can’t be recycledWe are running out of petroleum.

Estimates vary from 50 to 150 years before we run out of oil. ◦This is impossible to predict, but

most major oil companies have been failing to discover new reserves equal to the amount of oil they are producing for the last few years. 

QUESTIONS

1. What is coal made out of?2-3. Give the two ways of mining coal4. Give one advantage of coal5. Give one disadvantage of coal6. What is Petroleum also known as?7. How can you usually recover Petroleum?8-9. Give two advantages of Petroleum10. Give one disadvantage of Petroleum

ANSWERS

1. Made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur

2. shaft mining(underground)3. open pit mining(ground level)4. Answer5. Answer6. Crude Oil7. Oil Drilling8-9. Answer10. Answer

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrol

eum

Advantages - CoalEasily combustible, and burns in

low temperaturesWidely and easily distributed all

over the worldComparatively inexpensive to

buy on the open marketGood availability for much of the

world (coal is found in many more places than other fossil fuels)

AdvantagesMost coal is easy to mine –

making it the least expensive fossil fuel to obtain

A fossil-fuelled power station can be built almost anywhere

BACK

Disadvantages - CoalLowest energy density of any

fossil fuelHigh coal transportation costs

due to the bulk of coalCoal dust is an extreme explosion

hazardBurning fossil fuels releases

carbon dioxideIt leaves behind harmful by-

products upon combustion

DisadvantagesMining coal leads to irreversible

damage to the adjoining environment

Prices for al fossil fuels are risingBurning of coal releases oxides of

sulfur and other volatile substances to the atmosphere.◦This can affect our health and miners

are exposed to hazardous chemicals that may cause black lung disease.BACK

Advantages - PetroleumCan withstand high heats without

breakdown making it useful as lubricants

Highly compact portable source of energy used for most forms of mechanical transportation

Production of oil has much less impact and a smaller carbon footprint on earth than coal from strip mining

AdvantagesCertain components make

excellent solvents for paintOther components make

excellent compact source of portable cooking fuel

BACK

Disadvantages - PetroleumMuch of the remaining oil in the

world is in politically unstable areas including Africa, Middle East, Russia, and parts of Southeast Asia.

Easily vaporizable components of oil can contribute to smog.

Drilling for oil is getting more difficult and expensive because we are now drilling as deep or deeper than 20,000 feet to find new reserves. 

Disadvantages Oil does contain some cancer

causing compounds, benzene is one of those

Our consumption of oil is increasing at the same time our production is falling. The world is currently consuming 83 million barrels of oil per day. We aren't producing that much

BACK