Fossil Fuels

Biology Project
By Rayhan (X)
Introduction
Definition

• A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally

in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals
that is extracted and burned as a fuel. The main fossil fuels are
coal, oil, and natural gas.
• The origin of fossil fuels is the anaerobic decomposition of buried
dead organisms, containing organic molecules created by
photosynthesis. The conversion from these materials to high-
carbon fossil fuels typically require a geological process of millions
of years.
Coal
Introduction to Coal

• Coal is a sedimentary deposit composed predominantly of carbon

that is readily combustible.
• Coal is black or brownish-black, and has a composition that
(including inherent moisture) consists of more than 50 percent by
weight and more than 70 percent by volume of carbonaceous
material.
• It is formed from plant remains that have been compacted,
hardened, chemically altered, and metamorphosed by heat and
pressure over geologic time.
Coal Composition

• The organic compounds in coal are composed of the elements carbon,

hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and trace amounts of a variety of
other elements
• Coal may contain as many as 76 of the 92 naturally occurring
elements of the periodic table.
• The most common minerals in coal (E.g. Illite clay, pyrite, quartz, and
calcite) are made up of these most common elements: oxygen,
aluminum, silicon, iron, sulfur, and calcium.
• The mineral content of coal determines what kind of ash will be
produced.
Types of Coal

• Peat is a soft, organic material consisting of partly decayed plant and mineral
matter. When peat is placed under high pressure and heat, it undergoes slow,
natural, physical and chemical changes (coalification) to become coal.
• Rank refers to steps in coalification. The four ranks are (in increasing order of
grade):
• Lignite: Brown coal, Least Carbon, Low Heating Value, High Moisture; Used in electricity
generation
• Subbituminous: Black coal, Dull, Low-to-Moderate Heating Value; Used in electricity generation
• Bituminous: Blocky and has thin alternating shiny and dull layers, Medium Carbon, High Heating
Value; Used in electricity generation and steel making
• Anthracite: Hard, Brittle, Black, Lustrous coal, High Carbon (Low percent of volatile material);
Clean coal used for heating
• Plant material > Peat > Lignite > Subbituminous > Bituminous > Anthracite
Coal Formation

• Coal is formed in layers, or 'seams’.

• Around 300 million years ago, in the Carboniferous, Earth's climate was warm and
humid, and large swamps were plentiful.
• As plant matter (and other organic matter) accumulated and decayed in swamps, it
buried and compacted. From this partially decomposed organic matter, anaerobic
conditions formed peat.
• When peat was buried at shallow depths, continued heat and pressure compressed it
between layers of sediment into lignite
• With continued burial, heat and deformation, lignite metamorphoses into sub-
bituminous and bituminous coal (soft coal). Finally, it becomes anthracite (hard coal)
• The more metamorphism, the harder and more carbon-rich the coal becomes.
Coal Extraction

• Coal can be extracted from the earth either by surface mining or

underground mining.
• Open-pit mining is used when coal is located deeper underground.
A pit, sometimes called a borrow, is dug in an area.
• Mountaintop removal mining (MTR) strips the entire summit of a
mountain of its overburden: rocks, trees, and topsoil.
• Underground mining, sometimes called deep mining, is a process
that retrieves coal from deep below the Earth’s surface—
sometimes as far as 300 meters (1,000 feet).
Coal Uses

• Fuel: Coal is primarily used to produce heat. It is the leading energy

choice for most developing countries.
• Electricity: Coal-fired power plants are one of the most popular ways to
produce and distribute electricity.
• Steel Industry: Coke is burned in a blast furnace with iron ore at
1200°C. The coke melts the iron and separates the impurities
• Syngas: Syngas, a combination of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, can
be used as a transportation fuel similar to petroleum or diesel.
• Synthetic Products: Coal and coke byproducts can be used to make
synthetic materials such as tar, fertilizers, and plastics.
Petroleum
Introduction to Petroleum

• Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally

occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons,
and is found in geological formations.
• A fossil fuel, petroleum is formed when large quantities of dead
organisms, mostly zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath
sedimentary rock and subjected to both prolonged heat and
pressure.
Petroleum Composition

• Petroleum is mainly a mixture of hydrocarbons, i.e. containing only

carbon and hydrogen. The most common components are alkanes
(paraffins), cycloalkanes (naphthene), and aromatic hydrocarbons. They
generally have from 5 to 40 carbon atoms per molecule, although trace
amounts of shorter or longer molecules may be present in the mixture.
• Petroleum includes not only crude oil, but all liquid, gaseous and solid
hydrocarbons.
• It may also contain nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, and trace amounts of
metals such as iron, nickel, copper and vanadium. Many oil reservoirs
contain live bacteria.
Classification of Petroleum

• The petroleum industry generally classifies crude oil by the geographic location it
is produced in, its API [American Petroleum Institute] gravity (an oil industry
measure of density), and its sulfur content. Some of the barrel reference crudes:
• West Texas Intermediate (WTI)
• Brent Blend
• Dubai-Oman
• Tapis
• Minas
• The OPEC Reference Basket, a weighted average of oil blends from various OPEC (The
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
• Midway Sunset Heavy
• Western Canadian Select
Petroleum Formation

• Oil and gas are formed from organic material mainly deposited as
sediments on the seabed and then broken down and transformed
over millions of years. If there is a suitable combination of source
rock, reservoir rock, cap rock and a trap in an area, recoverable
oil and gas deposits may be discovered there.
Petroleum Extraction

• Conventional oil is extracted from underground reservoirs using

traditional drilling and pumping methods. Conventional oil is a
liquid at atmospheric temperature and pressure, so it can flow
through a wellbore and a pipeline – unlike bitumen which is too
thick to flow without being heated or diluted.
• Unconventional oil cannot be recovered using conventional drilling
and pumping methods. Advanced extraction techniques, such as oil
sands mining and in situ development, are used to recover heavier
oil that does not flow on its own.
Petroleum Uses

• Fuels: The most common distillation fractions of petroleum are fuels. E.g. LPG, Butane,
Gasoline/Petroleum, Jet Fuel, Kerosene, Fuel oil, Diesel fuel.
• Certain types of resultant hydrocarbons may be mixed with other non-hydrocarbons, to
create other end products:
• Alkenes (olefins): Plastics or other compounds
• Lubricants (produces light machine oils, motor oils, and greases, adding viscosity stabilizers as required)
• Wax, used in the packaging of frozen foods, among others
• Sulfur or sulfuric acid
• Bulk tar
• Asphalt
• Petroleum coke: Specialty carbon products, Solid fuel
• Paraffin wax
• Aromatic petrochemicals to be used as precursors in other chemical production
Natural Gas
Introduction to Natural Gas

• Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally

occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of
methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher
alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen,
hydrogen sulfide, and helium are also usually present.
• Natural gas is colorless and odorless, so odorizers such as
mercaptan (which smells like sulfur or rotten eggs) are commonly
added to natural gas supplies for safety so that leaks can be
readily detected.
Composition of Natural Gas

• The largest component of natural gas is methane, a compound

with one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4). Natural gas
also contains smaller amounts of natural gas liquids (hydrocarbon
gas liquids) [ethane, propane, normal butane, isobutane, and
gasoline], and nonhydrocarbon gases, such as carbon dioxide and
water vapor.
Types of Natural Gas

• CNG (Compressed Natural Gas): Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a fuel

gas mainly composed of methane (CH4), compressed to less than 1% of the
volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure.
• RNG (Renewable Natural Gas): Renewable natural gas, also known as
sustainable natural gas or biomethane, is a biogas which has been
upgraded to a quality similar to fossil natural gas and having a methane
concentration of 90% or greater.
• LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas): Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas
(predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that
has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-
pressurized storage or transport.
Natural Gas Formation

• Natural gas is a fossil fuel and non-renewable resource that is

formed when layers of organic matter (primarily marine
microorganisms) decompose under anaerobic conditions and are
subjected to intense heat and pressure underground over millions
of years. The energy that the decayed organisms originally
obtained from the sun via photosynthesis is stored as chemical
energy within the molecules of methane and other hydrocarbons.
Natural Gas Extraction

• Vertical Drilling: Wells are drilled straight down into the earth,
directly into porous rock formations that hold natural gas. This is
also called “conventional” natural gas.
• Horizontal Drilling: A flexible drilling pipe is used with a steerable
drill bit.
• Hydraulic Fracturing: Hydraulic fracturing pumps fluid into the
well at high pressure, causing tight reservoir rock to crack and
release the flow of natural gas.
Natural Gas Uses

• Mid-stream natural gas: Power engines which rotate compressors.

• Power Generation: Thermal power stations which burns natural gas to generate
electricity.
• Domestic Use: Natural gas can generate temperatures of 1,100 °C useful for cooking and
as fuel
• Transportation: CNG is a cleaner and also cheaper alternative to other automobile fuels
• Fertilizers: Production of ammonia, via the Haber process, for use in fertilizer
production.
• Hydrogen: Produce hydrogen by hydrogen reformer.
• Animal and Fish Feed: Feeding natural gas to Methyl coccus capsulatus bacteria.
• Manufacture of fabrics, glass, steel, plastics, paint, synthetic oil, and other products.
Effects of Fossil Fuels
Land Degradation

• Unearthing; processing; moving underground oil, gas, and coal

deposits; waste storage; and waste disposal take an enormous toll
on our landscapes and ecosystems.
• In strip mining, entire terrain—including forests and whole
mountaintops—are blasted away. The nutrient-leached land will
never return to what it once was.
• Critical wildlife habitat—crucial for breeding and migration—ends
up fragmented and destroyed. Even animals are forced to stay and
compete for resources
Water Pollution

• Coal mining operations wash toxic runoff into streams, rivers, and
lakes and dump vast quantities of unwanted rock and soil into
streams.
• Oil spills and leaks during extraction or transport can pollute
drinking water sources and jeopardize entire freshwater or ocean
ecosystems.
• Fracking and its toxic fluids have also been found to contaminate
drinking water.
Emissions

• Fossil fuels emit harmful air pollutants long before they’re burned.
These include benzene (linked to childhood leukemia and blood
disorders) and formaldehyde (a cancer-causing chemical).
• A booming fracking industry will bring that pollution to more
backyards, despite mounting evidence of the practice’s serious
health impacts. Mining operations are no better, especially for the
miners themselves, generating toxic airborne particulate matter.
Strip mining—particularly in places such as Canada’s boreal forest
—can release giant carbon stores held naturally in the wild.
Global Warming

• Fossil fuels produce large quantities of carbon dioxide when

burned. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to
climate change. In the US, the burning of fossil fuels, particularly
for the power and transportation sectors, accounts for about
three-quarters of our carbon emissions.
Air Pollution

• Fossil fuels emit not only Carbon dioxide when burned.

• Coal-fired power plants dangerous Mercury emissions in the as well
as Sulphur dioxide emissions (which contribute to acid rain) and
the vast majority of soot (particulate matter) in our air.
• Meanwhile, fossil fuel–powered cars, trucks, and boats are the
main contributors of poisonous Carbon monoxide and Nitrogen
oxide, which produces smog on hot days and leads to respiratory
illnesses from sustained exposure.
Different Fuels and Impact

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that emissions

from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming accounting for 89%
of global CO2 emissions in 2018.
• Coal is the dirtiest of them all, responsible for over 0.3°C of the 1°C increase
in global average temperatures. This makes it the single largest source of
global temperature rise.
• Petroleum releases huge amount of carbon when burned - approximately a
third of the world’s total. There have also been a number of oil spills in
recent years that have a devastating impact on our ocean’s ecosystem.
• Natural gas is often promoted as a cleaner energy source than coal and oil.
However, it still accounts for a fifth of the world’s total carbon emissions.
Threats to Earth

• The IPCC warns that fossil fuel emissions must be halved within 11
years if global warming is to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-
industrial levels.
• In 2015, the world’s governments signed up to the Paris Agreement
committing to reduce carbon emissions. However, a recent report
by the UN Environment Program shows that globally, we are on
track to produce more than double the amount of coal, oil and gas
by 2030 than we can burn if we are to limit global warming by
1.5C. So more needs to be done.
European Emission Standards
Introduction to European emission standards

• The European emission standards are vehicle emission standards for

pollution from the use of new land surface vehicles sold in the European
Union and EEA member states and the UK, and ships in EU waters.
• Euro standards allude to the reasonable discharge levels, for both
petroleum and diesel vehicles, which have been carried out in Europe.
• Nonetheless, the public authority in India has embraced the Euro
standards for accessible fuel quality and the technique for testing.
• It expects producers to decrease the current contaminating emanation
levels more effectively by rolling out specific specialized improvements
in their vehicles.
Stages

• The legal framework consists in a series of directives, each amendments to the 1970 Directive
70/220/EEC. The following is a summary list of the standards, when they come into force, what
they apply to, and which EU directives provide the definition of the standard.
• Euro 1 (1992): For passenger cars—91/441/EEC, for passenger cars and light lorries—93/59/EEC
• Euro 2 (1996) for passenger cars—94/12/EC (& 96/69/EC), for motorcycle—2002/51/EC (row A)—
2006/120/EC
• Euro 3 (2000) for any vehicle—98/69/EC, for motorcycle—2002/51/EC (row B)—2006/120/EC
• Euro 4 (2005) for any vehicle—98/69/EC (& 2002/80/EC)
• Euro 5 (2009) for light passenger and commercial vehicles—715/2007/EC
• Euro 6 (2014) for light passenger and commercial vehicles—459/2012/EC and 2016/646/EU
• Euro 7 (probably 2025)
Reduction of Air Pollution

• Both the Euro standards are dependable in observing the

discharges of the vehicles and the level of the gases that dirty the
climate.
• Euro standards will investigate the healing arrangements so the
emanations can be controlled to support the nature of oxygen in
the environment.
• Euro standards subsequently assist in offering contamination with
a liberating climate to the general public.
Prevention
Businesses

• Manage and Reduce Emissions: Preparing annual greenhouse gas

inventories and setting long-term targets to reduce emissions.
• Increase Energy Efficiency: Developing and implementing an
effective corporate energy management program allows
companies to manage energy with the same expertise used to
manage other aspects of their business.
• Buy Renewable Energy: Buying renewable energy, can help
reduce an organization's environmental impact while also
providing a number of other valuable benefits.
Individuals

• Conserve Energy:
• Turn off electrical equipment when not in use.
• Buy devices that use less electricity Limiting the use of air conditioning.
• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Minimize the Miles: Carpool, Take public transform, or is possible,
walk or bike instead.
Alternatives

• The main alternatives are nuclear power, solar power, ethanol,

and wind power. Fossil fuels still dwarf these alternatives in
energy markets, but they help in the shift towards sustainability
and more green business practices.
• Alternative forms of energy have, to this point, proven to be
uneconomic substitutes; they are less efficient and more
expensive (or, in the case of nuclear power, completely restricted
from expanding) than fossil fuels.
Conclusion
Why do we still use Fossil Fuels?

• Convenience: The coal/oil/gas is there already just waiting to be dug

up. We already have the infrastructure in place to mine the fuels and
doesn’t require significant investment and installation.
• Proven Success: There is no doubting that fossil fuels produce a range
of highly successful, and relatively easy to produce, sources of energy.
• Unawareness/Naivety: Mostly, fossil fuels have been used for so long
because we just weren’t aware of the significant damage they were
doing to the planet. Humans have been burning fossil fuels for over
1,000 years and the oil industry first acknowledged the impact fossil
fuels were having on our planet in the 1960’s.
Thank You