does any1 know the facts about petroleum?

Question

-how does the resource work/create energy?
-what are the benefits of using this resource?
-what are the draw backs of using this resource?
-what are the environmental impact assoicated with this resource?
-is the resource renewable? if not, how long can we expect it to last?

Answer 1

Petroleum and other fossil fuels are burned. Their BTU value is the energy they produce.

Benefits - it is plentiful

Drawbacks - Hydrogen and Carbon emissions resulting from consumption. Although it is plentiful, it has to be delivered to processing plants and then the end user via common modes of transportation

Impact- said to contribute to global warming, it leaves a nasty sheen on water and contaminates the soil when spilled.

Renewable? Subject to debate- the most common school of thought is no. But I have heard some quacks that think it is.

Back in 1973, there was not supposed to be any that would last beyond 2020. However, there are new supplies being found everyday. The hard part to calculate is the rising demand by China and India-emerging 3rd world nations.

Answer 2

*...Petroleum contains millions of compounds of hydrocarbons from which we obtain various resources: - Fuels- (from which we obtain heat, light, vehicle power), then there's, medicines, cosmetics, plastics, oils, greases ..etc.

*...It is an abundant resource (at this time) and the benefits are listed above.

*...Draw-backs are cost and difficulty in bringing it to the surface, separating the petroleum from undesirable substances, cost of treating and processing the raw materials obtained and of producing the items derived from it.

*...Environmentally we have, of course, the atmospheric pollution due to the processes mentioned above, pollution of the seas, rivers and land and the endangerment to wild-life due to spillages and the cost of cleaning it all up.

*...The resource is renewable for the known future, but other energy sources are needed to decrease our dependency on petroleum .. the real improvements are those that replace petroleum ..such as ..Wind power, hydro-electric power and of course, nuclear energy - this is a clean resource except for the disposal of nuclear waste and the dangers of the process.

*...

Answer 3

Petroleum is stored solar energy that works by combining with oxygen. It is a misused and mostly misunderstood resource of great value to humans. Better engineering would eliminate these problems.