FOSSIL FUELS

Fossil fuels are natural sources of fuel that formed through

geological processes. They have been used as sources of heat
and medicine by early civilizations. They remain as primary
sources of energy until today.

Fossil fuels are deposits of organisms (biomass) that are primarily

used for energy generation. They are formed millions of years
ago. They form when the remains of organisms are buried under
layers of sediments immediately after they perished.

Fossil fuels were able to form because the remains of the different
organisms experienced only little to partial decomposition. Fully
decomposed remains turn to humus instead.

As these sediments build up, heat and pressure increase

prompting changes in the biomass. Finally, the remains convert
to the final form of fossil fuels.

Coal, crude oil, and natural gas are different types of fossil fuels.
Coal is a rock-like material made from plant matter that lived in
swampy areas and is widely used as a fuel. Crude oil is unrefined
petroleum extracted from the underground reservoirs. It can be
treated to form other products such as gasoline, plastics, and tar.
Natural gas is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas made up of
methane and other alkanes such as butane and propane.
Natural gas can be used as fuel for cooking and generating
electricity. Crude oil and natural gas are from marine organisms.

Types and Formation of Coal

• Peat is an accumulation of plant organic materials that only

partially decomposed due to exposure to water and carbon
dioxide. It is recognizable due to the evidence of plant
remains and water. Peat is quite unconventional to use
because it needs to be dried out and it produces large
amounts of smoke.
 • Lignite is formed when increased pressure from sediments
transforms peat. It still has traces of plant remains. It is
abundant but used only when more efficient fuels are
unavailable.
• Bituminous forms when even more pressure is applied to
lignite. No trace of plant materials can be observed in this
stage. It is the most abundant form of coal and a major source
of heat energy.
• Anthracite is the last stage of coal formation. It has the hardest
consistency among the stages of coal. This form resulted from
extreme pressure and high temperature on the layers of
sediments. Anthracite burns with a short flame and only
produces a little smoke.

Crude Oil Formation

First Stage
• Marine plants and animals gather energy from the sun and
their food to increase the organic materials in their bodies.
• When they perish, their bodies sink under the ocean.

Second Stage
• The remains of the marine organisms are buried under
sediments as time passes.

Third Stage
• More sediments bury the remains of marine plants and
animals.
• These sediments turn into sedimentary rock after millions of
years.

Fourth Stage
• The heat and pressure from the sedimentary rock slowly turn
the plant and animal matter into crude oil.
• Some of the crude oil migrate in porous rocks while others
remain trapped in impermeable rock reservoirs.
After crude oil is extracted, it undergoes different processes of
refining. The most widely used method to process crude oil is
fractional distillation. Crude oil produces different oil-based
products by being heated and vaporized at different
temperatures. Gas, gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, fuel oil, tar, and
paraffin wax are all produced when crude oil undergoes
fractional distillation. Processing of crude oil also yields
byproducts such as petroleum jelly, fertilizers, vitamin capsules,
and others. Crude oil is the most commonly used source of
energy in the world.

Natural Gas Formation

Stage 1
• Microscopic plants and animals from the ocean die and sink
to the bottom of the ocean. Sediments, plants, and bacteria
form layers above these organisms.

Stage 2
• Heat and pressure increase as the remains of these organisms
are buried deeper by sediments. A biomass made from plant
materials and exposed to greater heat produces natural gas.

Stage 3
• The natural gas migrates through the pores in the rocks. Some
escape to the Earth’s surface while others are caught in
impermeable rocks and clays and become trapped deposits
of natural gas.

Problems with Fossil Fuels

Oil producing and exporting countries are aware that the fossil
fuel supply may not last long. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable and
finite resources because of the extensive process of their
formation. Several problems are faced due to the usage of fossil
fuels.

• Dependence on fossil fuels may cause problems in the long

run if the supply is inadequate.
• Extraction of fossil fuels has also caused different
environmental problems like damaged land.
• Coal mining disturbs the ecosystem of terrestrial lands.
• The extraction of crude oil and natural gas requires structures
that usually affect the marine locations.
• Workers in coal mines and crude oil refineries experience
health problems such as lung diseases.
• The use of fossil fuels as a source of energy has produced
great amounts of gaseous waste, such as carbon dioxide,
methane, and nitrous oxide, have contributed to global
warming.
• Transportation of crude oil can lead to oil spills that negatively
affect marine life.
• Fossil fuels are continually used because of their low cost.