Comments on: Where does all the Oil come from…??

By: Mark W

Mark W — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:25:59 +0000

The tiny sea creatures (Plankton) both plant and animals of microscopic size live in the sea. After they die, they sink out of the water column and come to rest on the sea bed. Over time these accumulations are covered by sediment and so buried. After millions of years, they are buried to great depths and converted to Hydrocarbons (from the basic matter they were made up of in life – Oxygen, Carbon and Hydrogen). The hydrocarbons become concentrated as the fluids/gas move up through the rock until it becomes trapped by non-porous rock – hence concentrating in these areas.

This still happens today with algal blooms in the seas. These die, forming a "snow" of dead organisms. We cant really see the organisms on the sea floor but over time the above process will create more oil (over millions of years though)
References :
BBCs Blue Planet, Hydrocabon Evaluation books.

By: WESLEY L

WESLEY L — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:40:59 +0000

The oil I get comes from Halfords in a big tin. I they they get it from Shell.
References :

By: diddymand

diddymand — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:15:59 +0000

Hamster’s answer pretty much sums up what I would have put. Please note, that you are correct about ‘animals’ leading to oil. Dead trees, fallen into swamps and being in anaerobic conditions (without oxygen) lead to coal.
References :
Science teacher

By: Susan N

Susan N — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:58:59 +0000

I think this web page may help you. it has all the answer you need. To much for me to type.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/oil.html
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By: Ikey

Ikey — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:14:59 +0000

Its in many other places that have not yet been exploited or are too expensive to tap. Most deposits are from primedial forests which have been trapped during geological changes. Peat is an example of this process. Today via OPEC a minority of countries have formed a 'cartel' to control the price and availability of crude oil to the refineries. It is used as an economic and political control mechanism with governments taking a slice of the price in tax!.
References :

By: hamster

hamster — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:39:59 +0000

The Petroleum Industry
1. Formation of Oil
Commonly called a fossil fuel, this is a summary of the formation of oil:

1. Millions of years ago the remains of tiny sea creatures and plants died and sank to the bottom of the seas and lakes in which they lived.

2. Over time this material was covered in mud which became thicker and thicker.

3. Due to the thickness of the mud, high temperatures and pressures where built up.

4. In the presence of anaerobic bacteria, the decay of these life forms occurred without air (anaerobic decay).

5. This produced not only the crude oil, but also the gases associated with it.

6. Rocks formed above the layer of mud in which oil was slowly forming.

7. As the movement of the earth created buckling in the rocks, special conditions had to be met to trap the oil and gas.

8. A layer of porous rock (sandstone or limestone) had to be capped by a layer of flexible but non-porous rock (known as a cap-rock), which prevented the oil from rising and escaping.

9. It is these formations that geologists search for under the earth’s crust.
References :
Lycos.

By: James B

James B — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:53:59 +0000

That’s a good question. We’re used to hearing oil referred to a "fossil" fuel but it ain’t necessarily made of fossils. Oil is made of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons are naturally occurring minerals.

For example, methane (natural gas), is a hydrocarbon which can be refined from oil. When we find methane on earth we call it a fossil fuel. But methane is abundant on other planets and moons. One of the moons of Saturn, called Titan, has oceans of liquid hydrocarbon and nobody believes that it comes from fossilized plants or animals.
References :
"The Deep Hot Biosphere : The Myth of Fossil Fuels" by Thomas Gold

By: rajesh k

rajesh k — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:10:59 +0000

I guess the " oil " what u r talking must be fuel (crude oil)
if it is , then my answer is

In our ancient days the world was having very big trees and big animals on its surface depending up on the climatic and tropical arrangement of the surface

over a period of time these trees and animals were burried to the ground and they were decomposed .these decomposed wastes are nothing but hydro carbons in a impure form. ( this deformation might have taken place after so many ERA s of years

thats why these oil is seen in selected pockets of the earth only

due to increased demand and not much of new oil rich pockets are found , the oil prices are going up day by day.

i think i answered to some extent
References :
self

By: TallPaul

TallPaul — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:34:59 +0000

It’s prehistoric decomposed plants and conditions had to be right for them to turn into oil like that, hence it isn’t everywhere.

Additional:
Prehistoric *plants* not animals. Like a rainforest or something.
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By: Andrew C

Andrew C — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:44:59 +0000

questions, questions, questions! what is this, some sort of quiz?
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