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The oil we’re drilling and pumping to the surface as fuel is formed from diatoms, small organisms such as algae and bacteria that lived long before dinosaurs even existed.
In the leading theory, dead organic material accumulates on the bottom of oceans, riverbeds or swamps, mixing with mud and sand. Over time, more sediment piles on top and the resulting heat and...
The formation of oil begins in warm, shallow oceans that were present on the Earth millions of years ago. In these oceans, extremely small dead organic matter - classified as plankton - falls to the floor of the ocean.
Unearth the fascinating process of how oil and gas are formed in this captivating video! 🌍💡 Delve into the depths of Earth's history to understand the orig...
How is crude oil found and produced? The search for crude oil begins with geologists who study the structure and history of rock layers below the earth's surface to locate areas that may contain deposits of oil and natural gas. Geologists preparing a hole for the explosive charges used in seismic exploration. Source: Stock photography (copyrighted)
How is oil actually formed? It starts with ancient shallow oceans and the microscopic organic matter that called those oceans home — phytoplankton, zooplankton and algae in addition to the bacteria that thrived in those warm shallow waters.
Crude oil is made up of a mixture of hydrocarbons - hydrogen and carbon atoms. It exists in liquid form in underground reservoirs in the tiny spaces within sedimentary rocks. Or it can be found near the surface in oil sands.
Oil is generated when the kerogen temperature reaches 60-120 °C; at higher temperatures, it is mainly gas that is generated. As oil and gas form, they seep out of the source rock. Because hydrocarbons are lighter than water, the oil and gas migrate upwards in porous water-bearing rock.
Crude oil is a fossil fuel, meaning that it was made naturally from decaying plants and animals living in ancient seas millions of years ago -- most places you can find crude oil were once sea beds. Crude oils vary in color, from clear to tar-black, and in viscosity, from water to almost solid.
The term “fossil fuel” is used to describe oil and the other products made from it, and it is so named because of how it came to be. Like a fossil, oil is created from layer upon layer of material from flora and fauna; tiny sea life such as plankton, algae and seaweed that died a long time ago.