This week I'll take a detour from practical energy-conserving solutions to take a look at oil (petroleum)--the fluid that has powered our automobile-based society. Be prepared for some new terminology and a little bit of chemistry!
The name petroleum comes from the Greek "petra" (rock) and the Latin "oleum" (oil). Most scientists believe petroleum is derived from biomass (algae and zooplankton) that was present in bodies of water millions of years ago. This biomass settled to the bottom of lakes and oceans and, over geologic time in oxygen-deprived conditions, become compressed by sediments that were constantly laid down in ancient lakes and seas. High pressure and heat transformed this biomass into the mix of hydrocarbons that we refer to as crude oil and natural gas. Along with coal and natural gas, petroleum is referred to as a "fossil fuel," owing to this biological origin. [More]
