Oil is an oily liquid of natural origin, which has a specific odor, often has a black tint and is prone to burning. Most of the composition is a mixture of various hydrocarbons, as well as many chemical elements.
Belongs to the category of fossil fuels. Mankind actively extracts and uses oil in various sectors of life, but its origin is still not exactly established.
Oil composition
The fuel composition is represented by three main components: hydrocarbon, asphalt resin and ash. Each group, in turn, is divided into additional components. Aromatic hydrocarbons are the most toxic. Sulfur and porphyrins (nitrogen compounds) are also present in the composition. During oil refining, most of the sulfur must be eliminated, as it causes corrosion. Thus, the output produces different types of fuel (depending on the sulfur content), which differ in cost.
Oil that has just been extracted from wells is considered crude. It contains water, rocks, gases, salts. All of these impurities complicate the transportation and storage of liquids. Therefore, the first thing it is subjected to industrial processing. Valuable impurities are isolated and stored for future use, and the rest is removed.
What is made from oil?
Crude oil is almost never used.It becomes a valuable mineral after the initial processing, which allows you to get various petroleum products. Oil is of the greatest interest in the form of various types of fuel. The liquid goes through several stages of purification, separation into fractions, as a result of which it is possible to obtain gasoline, kerosene, diesel and fuel oil. The resulting substances are not of high enough quality.
Their use requires additional purification, as well as recycling. Secondary oil refining processes can be different. It all depends on what kind of product you need to get at the exit. The liquid undergoes chemical processes in order to obtain high-quality fuels, oils, bitumen, etc.
Areas of use
- the main processing product is various types of fuel;
- plastic products;
- artificial fabrics (synthetics);
- synthetic rubbers for tire manufacturing;
- pipelines, power lines (using crude oil);
- solar panels;
- food products (synthetic protein, chewing gum, etc.);
- cosmetics;
- medicine.
Interesting fact: before mankind began to actively use oil products, whale oil was in great demand due to its unique properties. This led up to the mass extermination of whales in the 19th century. Thus, thanks to progress in the field of oil refining, these animals managed to avoid extinction.
Hypothesis of the origin of oil
The exact origin of the oil has not yet been established.Oil production is a long process of accumulation of oil in the earth's crust. There are two main theories on the basis of which scientists are trying to understand where it comes from in the bowels of the planet. According to the first, it has an organic (biogenic) origin, and according to the second - inorganic (abiogenic). Most facts point to the advantage of the first theory. Searches and oil production are also based on this concept.
Inorganic origin of oil
Proponents of the abiogenic theory insist that oil is of mineral origin. In other words, it gradually accumulated at great depths from various elements of the inorganic type. The process of fluid formation is associated with high temperatures, pressure and chemical processes. Alternatively, oil came from deep methane, which, in turn, was produced from the mantle of the Earth.
The followers of this theory are sure that you should not worry about the fact that the mineral resource will be exhausted soon. In their opinion, oil production continues, and this happens faster than a person extracts and uses it. However, the theory of the inorganic origin of oil has a weak evidence base. For example, researchers are unable to discover new deposits of fossil based on it.
Organic origin of oil
The theory of the biogenic origin of oil is based on the fact that the liquid appeared due to the gradual processing of organic substances.In particular, during numerous geological epochs, the remains of algae, zooplankton, and various living organisms accumulated.
In particular, such clusters formed at the bottom of water bodies, since most of the planet was covered with water. Gradually, the remains of living organisms and other elements accumulated at the bottom in conjunction with sand, silt. As the mass of these deposits increased, they sank deeper - pressure and temperature increased. Then hydrocarbons began to appear. Bacteria that can exist without air have contributed to this.
Subsequently, organic matter was transformed as a result of chemical processes. These are very long and complex processes that take millions of years. It takes 50 to 350 million years for oil to appear, according to the biogenic concept.
Interesting fact: Along with the modern cost of gasoline, it is surprising that it was once considered useless, and therefore practically free. When kerosene was in demand, gasoline was considered only a by-product of its production during oil refining. Often it was simply poured into ponds in huge quantities.
The origin of oil has two theories - biogenic and abiogenic. Most researchers are inclined to the biogenic concept, according to which oil was formed due to organic substances. These processes last for millions of years. The remains of living organisms, algae gradually accumulated at the bottom of the reservoirs.There they mixed with silt, new organic substances and formed huge masses. Under the influence of bacteria, high temperature and pressure, chemical processes, hydrocarbons formed at great depths, and subsequently an oily liquid.
