You fossil fuels are natural resources used as energy sources, present in the development of societies since the Industrial Revolution. These resources receive this name because they are used from their combustion and also because they were originated by the process of fossilization of organic material over time.
The main factor around fossil fuels is that they are considered as non-renewable natural resources, that is, they have a finite availability on our planet. In fact, these materials do renew themselves in nature, but that happens in a process that takes hundreds of millions of years, which is a lot compared to the evolution of historical time.
The three main fossil fuels of today are the mineral coal, O natural gas it's the Petroleum, which, for this reason, are considered natural resources of highly strategic value in the economic and, mainly, geopolitical scope of the contemporary world. Considering world energy supply data released by the IEA (International Energy Agency) for the year 2010, fossil fuels together account for 86.7% of all global demand for energy.
For this reason, many countries have been seeking to develop alternative forms of energy, using renewable resources, such as hydroelectric plants, wind farms and biomass. Another reason for this strategic positioning of governments is the fact that the burning of fossil fuels generate a large amount of pollutants in the atmosphere, which is higher for coal and lower for gas Natural. Even so, these resources remain preponderant in productive and structural processes across the planet.
Index
- OIL: THE MAIN RAW MATERIAL OF CURRENTLY
- NATURAL GAS: ALTERNATIVE TO OIL
- MINERAL COAL: THE MOST ABUNDANT OF FOSSIL FUELS
OIL: THE MAIN RAW MATERIAL OF CURRENTLY
Among all fossil fuels, the main raw material today is oil. It is a hydrocarbon, that is, a chemical compound formed by hydrogen and carbon, available in nature in liquid compositions or pasty consistency, located in geological areas called sedimentary basins.
And understanding the process of oil formation permeates precisely the understanding of the emergence and structuring of these sedimentary basins, which are formed from the superposition of successive layers in sediments (deteriorated rock particles); in this way, as these layers overlap, more pressure is exerted on the layers below, enough to convert these sediments into rocks. In the process of oil formation, this happens with such pressure being also exerted on organic debris that join the set of sediments that will give rise to this geological structure. Check out the following scheme:
In most cases, oil originates in marine environments, but can be found in continental areas thanks to processes tectonics and the displacement of the liquid itself between the sedimentary rocks, especially if these present a high degree of porosity. There is also a theory that it arises by abiotic processes, different from the one reported above, the which does not have a wide acceptance in the scientific community due to the lack of evidence and proof concrete.
Politically, the importance of oil, as we have already said, is indisputable, as it is the largest raw material today and one of the most strategic natural resources in the world, alongside water. One of the biggest economic crises in the recent history of capitalism came just when the price of this resource was suddenly high. by OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries), under the leadership of the countries of the Middle East, which holds about 60% of the reserves worldwide. This happened twice in the 1970s, in two events called Oil Shocks.
The biggest oil producer in the world is Saudi Arabia, followed by Russia, the United States, Iran and China. However, it is worth noting that higher production does not necessarily equate to higher reserves, item in which Venezuela, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and others also stand out countries. On the other hand, those that most use this resource are the United States, China, Japan and Russia, with the first having a consumption that is more than twice the second place.
NATURAL GAS: ALTERNATIVE TO OIL
Natural gas is a residue found in nature also in underground regions, and is often associated with the presence of oil, although there are also isolated reserves. Like other fossil fuels, natural gas arises from the degradation of organic matter from living beings that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago, in a process very similar to the one illustrated above. Petroleum. As it generates less pollutants during its combustion, many countries encourage its use in power generation in thermoelectric plants and also in industry.
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Chemically, natural gas is mainly composed of methane and ethane gas, having a colorless and odorless appearance, being considered a gaseous hydrocarbon. There are also two types of natural gas: o associate it's the not associated. The first is found in reserves dissolved in oil, requiring separation. The second is found freely, being easier and more profitable to be sold in view of the lower costs for its extraction.
From a political point of view, the two main natural gas producers in the world are the Russian Federation and the United States, and only the Russians make geopolitical use of the abundance of these resources, as much of Europe and the CIS countries (Communities of Independent States in Asia) depend on the supply of gas from the Russia. Even during the recent crisis in Ukraine, which also involved the European Union, the Moscow government often placed natural gas on the table of debates and negotiations.
MINERAL COAL: THE MOST ABUNDANT OF FOSSIL FUELS
Coal is a sedimentary rock – in some types it can also be considered a metamorphic rock – with a non-metallic mineralogical composition. The great advantage of coal as a source of energy is its high combustion capacity and the fact that it remains warm for a long period of time. It is, therefore, widely used in thermoelectric plants and industrial production, although it has the disadvantage of producing a large amount of pollutants and greenhouse gases.
The process of formation of coal occurs from the burial of ancient forests and plant groups several, in areas of formation of sedimentary basins, under specific conditions of low temperature and humidity restricted.
Coal became the main natural resource used in the world during the I Industrial Revolution, being the engine of the societies that first industrialized, in addition to integrating all the technology added at that time. Later, with the advancement of techniques and technical objects, oil assumed this role, although coal has the advantage of being found in greater abundance on Earth. Currently, the largest producers are China, the United States, Australia and India, while the country with the greatest dependence on this resource is Japan, followed by South Korea and Taiwan.
By Rodolfo F. Alves Feather
Master in Geography
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