You fossil fuels receive this name because its origin is linked to the decomposition of animal and plant remains for thousands or, sometimes millions of years. They are widely used since the Industrial Revolution, as they have a large energy production capacity and a high heat power.
Thus, because they take so long to form, fossil fuels are considered a non-renewable energy source, as there is no short-term renewal of them for human use.
Read more: Carbon credits - certificate given to countries that reduce CO emissions2
Origin of fossil fuels
Most fossil fuels are located in the deepest layers of the soil, either in the continent, whether in the Ocean. Constituted as a result of the organic decomposition of plants and animals over the years, which justifies the non-renewable feature.
For thousands of years, these organic remains have been buried with sediment from the highest parts of the relief. Over time, geological processes such as erosions and tectonic dynamics (tidal waves and earthquakes), transformUS in fossil fuels, dthere the name fossil fuel.
These fuels generate great energy production potential, as they have a high calorific content. Due to this, many countries have conflicts over ownership of an area that contains a large reserve of some their. As an example, we can mention theGulf War, which took place in the early 1990s between Iraq and Kuwait, countries located in the southwest of the Asian continent.
Types of fossil fuels
Among the existing energy sources in the world, fossil fuels are included.if in the group of non-renewables. We can mention three of them: oil, natural gas and mineral coal.
Petroleum
oil is the main power supply used by humanity since the 19th century, from theSecond Industrial Revolution. Usually where they have oil reserves there is also the presence of natural gas, but this fact is not a rule.
This fuel is formed based on organic matter deposited in sedimentary basin areas. With the action of time, the heat of the rocks and the pressure exerted on them, there is the emergence of a substance that has Hydrocarbons (chemical compound of hydrogen and carbon) in liquid and gaseous form.
Its importance is related so much to the production of energy how much with its derivatives. Of Petroleum, we produce gasoline, diesel oil, in addition to raw material used in the manufacture of polymers. These, in turn, are used in the production of plastic, a material present in almost everything we use, from cups to bumpers for cars, human prostheses, among others.
The beginning of oil exploration took place in continental areas in Europe and North America. As new ways of incorporating it into our daily lives were discovered, other countries began to investigate their territories in search of the black gold, as it became known in the 19th century.
Thus, with the advancement of technology in the 20th century, maritime areas began to be explored, in deeper waters, ranging from 1000 m to 2000 m in depth. This exploration has led to major discoveries of oil reserves in other countries, such as Asia and South America.
These new discoveries, added to the importance of oil on a daily basis, made this fuel a reason for great speculation. Therefore, in 1960, theOrganization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the OPEC. This organization aims to control the price and production of oil around the world not to enlarge your offer and not raise its price, in a way that makes the fuel accessible to all countries that do not have reserves.
Look at the list of five countries that have the world's largest oil reserves, according to OPEC.
Parents |
Reserves in billions of barrels |
Percentage in relation to the quantity in the world |
Venezuela |
302.81 |
25,5% |
Saudi Arabia |
267.03 |
22,4% |
Will |
155.60 |
13,1% |
Iraq |
145.02 |
12,2% |
Kuwait |
101.50 |
8,5% |
However, having the greatest reserves does not mean having the greatest production. Producing and exporting oil requires investment for extraction, infrastructure and laws that regulate production. Due to these factors, Venezuela, despite being the country with the largest reserves, is not in the list of the five largest producers. See what they are:
United States of America, with 15.3 million barrels/day.
Saudi Arabia, with 12.2 barrels/day.
Russia, with 11.2 million barrels/day.
Canada, with 5.2 million barrels/day.
Iran, with 4.7 million barrels/day.
Read too: Qatar - country that has oil as the biggest economic boost
Natural gas
natural gas can be found in oil reserves, as it is formed in the same way, in addition to being located on the same or similar plots. It is a fuel widely used in power generation, heating boilers in thermoelectric plants, and can be used for the house heating in the coldest countries on the globe, located in the middle and high latitudes.
In some locations, natural gas replaces power generation from hydroelectric plants, as this fossil fuel takes up less space and can be used in any region that has a gas reserve but does not have a water reserve. Hence the replacement.
The countries that produce the most natural gas in the world are: Russian Federation, United States and Canada, in that order.
Mineral coal
coal is one rock fossilized and highly polluted sedimentary. It was the main fuel of the First Industrial Revolution. These rocks have large amounts of carbon, formed by the decomposition of large forests (plant organisms) with low amounts of oxygen. The more carbon, the more heat the coal generatesá. We can classifyThere are four types according to their carbon grade and heat power.
Anthracite: the rarest type, up to 96% carbon. Formed in the Paleozoic era.
Coal: the most common and most frequently present in sedimentary basins. It has about 75% to 90% carbon.
Lignite: formed in the Mesozoic era, it contains 65% to 75% carbon.
Peat: the type with the lowest calorific value, 55%. This is due to the fact that his formation was recent, in the Cenozoic era.
Coal is enough used in thermoelectric plants, in steel mills (to produce steel), in chemical industries, and in other types that need large amounts of heat to produce some other material. It can be found in parts of Asia, Europe and North America in great abundance.
Across the globe, the world's two largest economies hold the titles of the largest coal producers. China, the second largest economy, is the largest producer, followed by the United States.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels
These fuels have positive points, but also negative points. Like advantage, we can quote the high energy production (oil and coal) and warming homes in cold weather (natural gas), as well as revolutionizing the way we produce things.
O gasNatural, for example, can be considered a clean energy source, as it is lighter than air and dissipates quickly, being less polluting than oil and coal. When used for domestic purposes, it can replace firewood, which reduces deforestation. However, its production may cause leaks that release methane gas into the atmosphere.
already the coalmineral, used on a large scale in the 18th and 19th centuries, has the advantage for thermal plants, steel and chemical industries, due to its great heating power. However, it is highly polluting, which creates obstacles to its use by international organizations, as it emits many gases that can destroy the ozone layer.
O Petroleum, in turn, has the advantage of produce numerous derivatives, like plastic, gasoline and asphalt, which brings us a diversity of products for society. However this advantage is also a disadvantage, as we make itUS dependent on this fuel that also generates gases that damage the ozone layer, contributing to the global warming. In addition, geopolitical disputes often have as a backdrop the exploration of areas with large oil reserves.
Also access: Paris Agreement – global commitment about climate change
Environmental impacts
The exaggerated use of fuel generates serious environmental problems for the whole world, not only in the countries that produce them, much less only in those that use them in their territory. This is what we call the globalization of pollution.
Due to the burning of these fuels, large areas of the globe, mainly urban ones (where the greater emissions of gases from the burning of fossil fuels), are fraught with environmental problems what affect nature and, consequently, human life.
As an example, we can mention the existence of acid rain, the destruction of the ozone layer, the acceleration of greenhouse effect, in addition to air pollution, which contributes to a lower quality of life in large urban centers. There is also the fact of the pollution of the soil, oceans, rivers and nature in general.
At coal mining, large deposits are opened, which compromises the capacity of that soil to recover. Cargo ships may have some leakage, polluting large ocean areas, such as what happened on the beaches of northeastern Brazil in mid-August 2019.
O Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, from English Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), scientific organization founded by the Organizationto the of the United Nationss (UN), conducts studies and environmental conferences to seal environmental protection agreements and reduce pollution levels across the globe. However, there is still a lot to be done, as environmental, social and economic interests are at stake.
Read more: Environmental conferences - meetings that debate alternatives to preserve the environment
solved exercises
Question 1 - (Udesc SC/2016)
Analyze the propositions about oil production at the world level.
I. Venezuela is the largest producer in the Americas.
II. Brazil becomes the fifth world producer, after the discovery of the pre-salt.
III. In 2015, the United States became the world's largest producer, thanks to the extraction of shale oil, which is a substitute for oil.
IV. Saudi Arabia and Russia are major world producers.
V. In Latin America, Mexico is the biggest producer.
tick the alternative correct:
a) Only statements II and IV are true.
b) Only statements III, IV and V are true.
c) All statements are true.
d) Only statements I and III are true.
e) Only statement V is true.
Resolution:
AlternativeB. In the Americas (North, Central and South), the largest oil producer is the United States. Brazil, even with the pre-salt discovered at the beginning of the 21st century, is not among the five largest producers in the world. In 2015, with the crisis in Venezuela, Mexico became the largest producer in Latin America, surpassing Venezuelans.
___________
Question 2 - Some countries around the globe have large oil reserves, but they are unable to translate this into large production due to several factors, such as lack of infrastructure and little technological expertise.
Check the alternative that contains a country that fits this description.
the China
b) Venezuela
c) Brazil
d) United States
e) Russia
Resolution
Alternative B. Venezuela has the largest reserves in the world, but little infrastructure and low technological domain, which justifies its low production compared to large producers.
